The Emergence Of Word-meaning In Early China: N... May 2026

: Establishes how yi (義) was viewed as an external standard, surviving even through major philosophical disputes. Part II: Yi (義) as Model

: Geaney describes a cultural shift 2,000 years ago where a society valuing oral and visual balance transformed into an "empire of the text". Guide to Key Sections The Emergence of Word-Meaning in Early China: N...

: Rather than assuming "meaning" always existed as a concept, Geaney argues that it emerged as a response to the explosion of textual production and encounters with radically different writing forms like Buddhist sutras. : Establishes how yi (義) was viewed as

: Examines the implications of ming (names) as something external compared to yan (speech) from within. : Examines the implications of ming (names) as

: A central argument is that the term yi (typically meaning duty or morality) transitioned into a metalinguistic term for "meaning" because it already functioned as an external, normative "model" for interpreting texts.

: Analyzes yi (意) in relation to the activities of the "heartmind".