Traditional Chinese: A Beacon of Cultural Continuity

Chinese characters have a long history and have deeply influenced the vast regions of East Asia. They not only serve as a medium for cultural exchange but also provide a bridge for communication across different eras. Because of this, (as a Chinese speaker), when we look back at ancient documents from various parts of East Asia, we can still understand parts of the content, sometimes even reading them with ease. Even if the spoken languages differ, written communication remains possible through Chinese characters.

However, as Chinese characters were passed down through generations, they continuously evolved, resulting in numerous variants. The shapes of characters differ across regions and eras, not to mention their meanings. In recent times, the influence of foreign cultures and geopolitical factors has led many regions to abandon Chinese characters, forcibly simplifying or altering them. As a result, the global influence of "正字" (standard or orthodox characters) has gradually declined. Nowadays, research related to Chinese characters and culture is mostly limited to a few academic institutions, with Taiwan being the only place still actively developing authoritative standards and digitizing these characters.

So, if we wish to use "正字" in our daily lives, what standards should we follow? Is it enough to simply adhere to the current standards set by the Ministry of Education in Taiwan? Unfortunately, it's not that straightforward.

What is "正體字"? How do we find 正體字?

To understand the standard for "正字," we first need to clarify what it is. "正字" (orthodox characters) literally means authentic or standard Chinese characters. They are also referred to as "正體字" (traditional characters), "傳統字" (heritage characters), or "傳承字" (inherited characters). The Chinese written in "正體字" is what we refer to as "正體中文" (traditional Chinese). But how can we determine what is "authentic"? Since Chinese characters have spread across a vast geographical area, they inevitably underwent changes during their transmission. If we only use the characters of a specific region as the standard, it would be difficult to claim that they represent the authentic form. Should we then consider the most commonly used characters, the so-called "俗字" (vernacular characters), as the standard? Obviously, it's not convincing to equate popularity with authenticity. Therefore, the most reasonable approach is to base the standard on characters that are closest to their original forms.

This is why following the current standards set by Taiwan's Ministry of Education does not necessarily mean using "正字." The current standard incorporates many Taiwan-specific usages and includes a number of "俗字" (vernacular characters) as standard forms, such as "麵" (noodles), "床" (bed), "為" (for), "裡" (inside), and "台" (Taiwan). In "正體字," these should be "麪," "牀," "爲," "裏," and "臺." It's hard to consider this standard as truly authentic, which is why many now refer to it as "Taiwanese Traditional Characters" instead.

So how should we find "正體中文"? The answer is simple: look to the ancients. Han Yu, in his Letter to Li Yi, mentioned that when he first began studying classical texts, he would only read writings from the Three Dynasties and the Han period, and he would not hold on to any ideas that weren't aligned with the sages. If we want to seek out the authentic form of Chinese, we should follow the example of the ancients, looking back to earlier eras and searching through their texts and artifacts for characters that are closer to their original forms.

Today, the mainstream approach is to use Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字), the first authoritative dictionary, as the foundation, supplemented by the latest archaeological discoveries, to determine what constitutes "正體字." Characters selected based on their closeness to original forms can truly be considered authentic.

Here, I recommend a few websites for finding and studying "正體字":

For inputting "正體字," I recommend using the RIME input method engine. For those interested in character forms, Zi-Hi is a useful resource. If you're curious about the phonology of Chinese, Ytenx is worth exploring, along with articles by its creator BYVoid, such as this one on 正體字, which is highly informative.

Additionally, if you're only looking for modern Mandarin or Taiwanese vocabulary, MoeDict is a reliable resource.

One of the key reasons to study Chinese characters and language is to communicate with the ancients, and the most direct way to do this is by reading classical texts. The best method is to read facsimile editions of ancient books, ensuring you see the content in its most original form. If purchasing physical books is not feasible, digital versions of these classics are readily available. Here are some websites offering digitized classical texts:

How should we view Simplified Chinese? Why reject "Simplified Chinese"?

It is natural for languages and scripts to evolve over time. Due to regional and cultural differences, languages can take on various forms. Chinese characters, given their wide dissemination and long history, have undergone many variations, including simplified forms, such as those found in cursive script. However, any change in language should be both serious and organic.

In modern times, political struggles and cultural clashes have led to much debate over the simplification of Chinese characters. You can read more about this in Wikipedia's articles on the Debate over Chinese Character Simplification, Simplified Chinese Characters, and Abolition of Chinese Characters.

The evolution of scripts is a complex subject that cannot be fully explained in a few sentences, and I am by no means an expert in this field. However, I hope readers understand that the so-called "Simplified Chinese" widely used today is far from being a scholarly-driven simplification aimed at enhancing the language. Its purpose has long deviated from that ideal. "Simplified Chinese" is purely a political product, born out of Soviet cultural imperialism in East Asia and is the compromised outcome of the failed "Romanization of Chinese" movement. If we look at modern-day Mongolia, where a Slavic alphabet-based "New Mongolian" script was imposed, we can see what they ultimately intended to do to Chinese. The mere thought of it is chilling.

Such a creation should be firmly opposed! When I read the novel 1984 as a child, I was struck by the concept of Newspeak, a language simplified and controlled by the state to limit thought. "Simplified Chinese" is nothing more than a Newspeak imposed by a red regime on the Chinese people, with an agenda that is all too clear. Therefore, I am entirely against the use of "Simplified Chinese," as it cannot even be considered true Chinese. The term "繁體中文" (commonly translated as "Traditional Chinese" but more accurately conveys "Complicated Chinese") is itself a derogatory label that diminishes the rightful status of Chinese heritage characters. As a user of the Chinese language, I urge others to reject this belittling terminology. This is precisely why I wrote this article to promote "正體中文" (which genuinely means "Traditional Chinese") and why I remain steadfast in using it.

I hope that one day, the Chinese cultural sphere can truly reclaim its language, shining not just in Taiwan but across all regions where Chinese is spoken.