再論採用“散點多線”漢語語音史觀 描寫和構建音韻史的必要性和可行性(上)

A Reconsideration of the Necessity and Feasibility of Describing and Constructing the History of Chinese Phonology through the “Scattered-Point and Multi-Line” Perspective (Part 1)

본 논문은 기존의 ‘삼점일선(三點一線)’식 및 ‘구점일선(九點一線)’식 중국어 음운사서술 체계의 한계를 비판적으로 검토하고, 이를 대체할 수 있는 ‘산점다선(散點多線)’ 식 중국어 어음(語音) 역사관의 필요성과 적용 가능성을 논증한 연구의 제1편이다. 기존의 중국어 음운사 연구는 《시경》의 상고음, 《절운》의 중고음, 《중원음운》 의 근대음을 단선적 계승 관계로 파악해 왔으나, 본 논문은 중고음을 중심으로 다양한 방언 자료를 분석하여 중국어 음운의 발전이 다중적·병렬적으로 전개되었음을 밝힌다. 특히 《절운》을 단일 시공의 표준음이 아니라 위진에서 중당에 이르는 남북방언 특질이 복합된 종합체로 규정함으로써, 직선적 음운사 계보의 재검토 필요성을제기하였다. 본 연구는 중국어 음운사 기술의 관점을 단선적 진화론에서 다선적 확산론으로 전환하는 이론적 기반을 제공할 것으로 기대된다.

This paper—the first installment of a two-part study—reconsiders the theoretical foundations of Chinese phonological historiography by critically examining the limitations of the prevailing “Three-Point-One-Line” (三點一線) and “Nine-Point-One-Line” (九點一 線) models. It argues that these linear frameworks, while once providing useful structure to the study of Chinese historical phonology, are no longer adequate to describe the complex, multi-directional evolution of the language. As an alternative, the paper proposes a “Scattered-Point and Multi-Line” (散點多線) model, which better reflects the spatial diversity, chronological layering, and dialectal interconnectivity evident throughout the history of Chinese phonological development. Traditionally, the history of Chinese phonology has been reconstructed as a single evolutionary chain linking three representative systems: the Shijing (Old Chinese), the Qieyun (Middle Chinese), and the Zhongyuan Yinyun (Early Modern Chinese). This unilinear model presumes a direct and sequential inheritance among these stages, treating the evolution of Chinese sounds as a closed, one-dimensional process. However, such an approach overlooks crucial geographical and temporal variations that shaped the actual trajectory of Chinese phonological change. It fails to capture the coexistence and interaction of multiple regional sound systems, the asynchronous evolution of northern and southern dialects, and the dynamic transitions within the same historical period. Focusing primarily on the phonological data of Middle Chinese, this study reexamines the internal diversity of that period by comparing a wide range of dialectal materials—including phonetic glosses, rhyming evidence, transliteration patterns, and historical dictionaries. Through detailed analysis of these sources, the author demonstrates that Middle Chinese consisted not of a single homogeneous system but of multiple local phonological networks that developed in parallel and often intersected. The paper further illustrates that even within the same dialect area, phonological patterns could differ significantly depending on social stratum, textual tradition, and regional influence. A key argument advanced in this study is that the Qieyun should not be viewed as a uniform standard of a single time and place. Rather, it represents a composite and synthetic phonological system that integrates both northern and southern features spanning from the Wei–Jin to the mid-Tang period. This insight challenges the conventional assumption that the Qieyun functions as the sole intermediary between Old and Modern Chinese, thereby exposing the inadequacy of the “straight-line” historiographical model. By proposing the “Scattered-Point and Multi-Line” perspective, the paper advocates a paradigm shift in how the history of Chinese phonology is conceptualized— from a unilinear model of evolution to a multilinear model of diffusion and convergence. Such an approach emphasizes plural developmental trajectories, regional diversity, and diachronic complexity, enabling a more realistic reconstruction of the phonological landscape of the Chinese language. The framework also carries important implications for pedagogy, encouraging a more pluralistic and evidence-based understanding of Chinese phonological history in modern linguistic education and research.