The Concept of Sacred Texts in Religious Traditions of China in View of the Ideograph Jing and Symbolism of Weaving

Abstract

The Chinese word Jing 經 denotes a type of book with the qualities that make it celestial and sacred. Etymologically, this word is at root related to the symbol of warp (in contrast to weft) and other symbols of weaving. Despite the frequent usage of this word in the title of many traditional writings in China, the symbolic aspects of this ideograph are commonly neglected. This paper, explaining the primary meanings of Jing considering its graphical etymology as an ideograph, tries to clear up the complex of many conceptions associated with this Chinese character. It further examines the symbolism of weaving while clarifying the relationship of the concept of sacred texts with many other meaning of Jing, This study that can be regarded as a kind of symbolic etymology, based upon the traditional method of word-symbol-meaning, represents some important dimensions of the conception of sacred texts for the Chinese.