This project supported the development of a single module aimed at helping students understand the development of Chinese characters over time, by focusing on characters for animals and how they developed from pictographic characters to the ones used today.
Book Summary
This module was developed as a short handbook. The handbook discusses the origins of important Chinese characters for animals, the original characters used, and their connections to modern characters. In addition to showing the evolution of the character for "horse," for example, other characters that are derived from these characters are also discussed, along with their common uses. By exploring the development of characters for animals, this book serves as a jumping-off point to explore the continuous influence of history on the present day.
Citation:
Zhang, S. (2024). 通过表达动物的汉字学习中文书写系统： 起源、演变和文化. Iowa State University Digital Press. https://doi.org/10.31274/isudp.2024.152