Title: Spirit Characters by Ng Kim Chew

Abstract:
Spirit Characters focuses on the destiny of “texte” and Chinese letters in modern history, the three articles involves Ng’s background of his major subject, and it also relates to the context of Nanyang. The author majored in Chinese literature in college, it was when he was troubled by the study of language and words, and later he learnt the pioneer of establishing Chinese national cultural system, Zhang Taiyan, who was also anxious about the fate of Chinese letters. Since late Qing dynasty, Minguo, People’s Republic of China, Minguo-Taiwan to Nanyang, the Chinese letters are endangered, and there are sometimes and some people allege that Chinese letters are “poison.” “Spirit Characters” is the alternative terms from Hu yu’s “dead letters.” Thus this book is about the destiny of Chinese letters with Ng’s thoughtful descrription as if he is telling you the story of love and survival.

Publishing: Center for the Humanities, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung.

Table of Contents:
Preface----------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -------------------- vii
Chapter One – Texte and so: In the Modern Crisis of Texte and Chinese National Culture as Historical Legacy, as well as She and Her Feet------ 01
Chapter Two: Spirit Characters: Plan of New Chinese, Vernacular Chinese, Dialectical Native Language and National Imagination-------------------- 43
Chapter Three: Understanding: The two poles of Metaphor and Metonymy---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 93
Bibliography------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 129