Shang state elites in onomastic perspective: A preliminary quantitative analysis
https://doi.org/10.22394/2412-9410-2022-8-4-10-31.
Abstract
This study investigates the overlap of personal names used within different groups of elites in oracle bone inscriptions (13– 11 cent. BC, ancient Chinese Shang state). Eight groups are examined: zi (princes), hou (lords), bo (chiefs), xiao-chen (minor servants), quan (kennelmen) shu (guards), Qiang people (or clan), and royal diviners. Firstly, I present updated registers of personal names, with 213 unique names including 48 cases of repeated names. The numbers of repeated and unique names vary in different groups, as does the overall number of names in each group. The task was to find out which pairs of groups share repeated names more often than expected, given their size. It transpired that four pairs of groups share names more often than expected, namely: zi and Qiang; quan and shu; xiao-chen and hou; shu and diviners. Further research is needed to understand whether or not this phenomenon indicates actual connections between these groups of people. The analysis has also revealed two subgroups to be mutually exclusive: the first includes bo and Qiang, and the second includes hou, xiao-chen, quan, shu, and diviners,. Such isolation probably indicates ethnic (Shang and non-Shang) or social (nobility and gentry) boundaries. On the other hand, zi names can be found in both of the subgroups, suggesting ethnic or social heterogeneity of the ‘princes’.
About the Author
Т. A. Safin
Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences;
The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Timur A. Safin, Cand. Sci. (History) Research Fellow, China Department, Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Research Fellow, Center for Oriental Studies, School for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration
107031, Moscow, Rozhdestvenka Str., 12,
11957, Moscow, Prospekt Vernadskogo, 82
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Review
For citations:
Safin Т.A. Shang state elites in onomastic perspective: A preliminary quantitative analysis. Shagi / Steps. 2022;8(4):10-31. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22394/2412-9410-2022-8-4-10-31.
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