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

: 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.

: Explores how these models appeared in specific genres and figurative language. The Emergence of Word-Meaning in Early China: N...

: Offers the paperback for approximately $36.95. : Rather than assuming "meaning" always existed as

The book is structured into two main parts that trace this conceptual evolution: normative "model" for interpreting texts.

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

: 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.