Theos-Talk Archives (January 1999 Message tt00230)

Thank you for the further info.

Best wishes,
Paul

Paul:

> <<The term "King" could be viewed as a possible common factor,
> although, as
> one understands it, "King" is simply a generic term for 'classic'.>>

Rich:

> Just a brief "scholarly" note.  "king" is a Western mispronunciation of a
> sound that is now spelt (in the 'pinyin' system) Jing, and it
> does indeed mean
> "scripture, text, classic."  It is also used by the Chinese for
> the Sanskrit
> word "sutra" which is the term for most Buddhist scriptures.  So
> you get I-
> Jing, (formerly I-Ching), "Scripture on Changes" and Dao De Jing
> (formerly Tao
> Te Ching) "Scripture on the Way and its Power."
>
> Last century, an italic "k" was used to indicate that the Chinese
> sound "j"
> (or sometimes "ch") was pronounced in the back of the throat, a
> sound called
> 'retroflex.' In printing, however, the italics were often left
> out, and the
> West came to know the sound as a "k."  Say "king" to a Chinese person,
> however, and they will have *no idea* what you are talking about.