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A New Territory to Chart in History: On the Production of a Cultural History of Imagery in China: A Hundred-Volume Work

Han Congyao

The cognitive paradigm of the “homology between writing and imagery” has long existed in China. Such a cultural mode of “homology between writing and imagery” or even “homogeneity between writing and imagery” led to the creation of the grand system of Chinese civilization. Prior to the invention of characters, the civilization of imagery single-handedly undertook the task of recording history and symbolizing the external world. After the maturation of the writing system, it harmoniously coexisted with and complemented the writings. “Imagery is (defined by) its terseness,” while “writing (boasts of) its broadness.” Hence, the rich history and tradition of “images on the left and historical records on the right” came into being in Chinese culture. Only in the modern times did imagery’s social function decline. At present, studies on Chinese cultural history by focusing on writings have abounded. By comparison, those focusing on imagery as the vehicle of Chinese culture are still lacking. I have not seen works on culture of imagery in China with detailed materials and complete structure. There are few research articles in this regard, too. “As (one) intends to know the great Way, (one) must work on history first.” In the process of bringing about a great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, it is vital to revive Chinese culture first to present the whole world an unbroken system of civilization with tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years. Such a visual or graphical historical heritage and cultural mode are different from the phonetic system in Euro-American countries, because they transcend the linguistic cognitive mode and logic and thus contributed to the making of the unique civilizational form, wisdom, and a distinctive cultural lineage of imagery in China.