A study on the variant characters in the stele inscriptions in the Later Lê Dynasty in Vietnam

Abstract

The study of the variant characters in the stele inscriptions in the Later Lê Dynasty (1428 CE–1789 CE) is not only a study of the dynastic history of the inheritance and variation of Sino-annamite characters, but also an essential part of the study of their spreading and history. Chinese characters in the stele inscriptions were very rich in figure. They contained many variant characters inherited from Chinese literature and those modified with Vietnamese regional characteristics. This article systematically sorts out these variant characters from a diachronic perspective to investigate their structure categories and time distribution. It also reveals the historical track of the inheritance and variation of Chinese characters at that time. Summarizing the characteristics of these variant characters is conducive to comprehensively sorting out the historical context of inheritance and variation of Chinese characters in Vietnam, showing the far-reaching influence of ancient Chinese culture on Vietnam, and systematically build all the information of the stele inscriptions in Vietnam into a searchable database for easy query and research the stele inscriptions in Vietnam.