Complex root networks of Chinese characters

ORAL

Abstract

There are several sets of Chinese characters still available today, including Oracle Bone Inscriptions (OBI) in Shang Dynasty, Chu characters (CC) used in Chu of Warring State Period, Small Seal Script in dictionary Shuowen Jiezi (SJ) in Eastern Han Dynasty, and Kangxi Dictionary (KD) in Qing Dynasty. Such as Chinese characters were all constructed via combinations of meaningful patterns, called roots. Our studies for the complex networks of all roots indicate that the roots of the characters in OBI, CC, SJ and KD have characteristics of small world networks and scale-free networks.

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Authors

  • Po-Han Lee

    Affiliated Senior High School of National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan

  • Jia-Ling Chen

    Chinese Department, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan

  • Po-Cheng Wang

    Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei, Taiwan

  • Ting-Ting Chi

    Chinese Department, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan

  • Zhi-Ren Xiao

    Physics Department, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

  • Zih-Jian Jhang

    Physics Department, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

  • Yeong-Nan Yeh

    Institute of Mathematics, Academia Sinica , Nankan , Taipei, Taiwan

  • Yih-Yuh Chen

    Physics Department, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

  • Chin-Kun Hu

    Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan