Cangjie - Soukitsu

A legendary figure from ancient China, Cangjie was a recorder who served the holy emperor Yellow Emperor. Born with a divine nature, Cangjie is said to have had four eyes on his face. At the time, there were no written characters, and instead people kept records by tying ropes together. However, he was inspired by the footprints of birds and animals to create pictographs. Cangjie is also written as Cangjie, and since Cang and Cang mean to create, and Jie means to tie, it is thought that this name may refer to the first person to create records.

[Kiyoji Ito]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国古代の伝説上の人物で、聖天子とされる黄(こう)帝に仕えた記録係。生まれながらにして神聖な蒼頡は、その顔に四つの目があったといわれる。当時はまだ文字がなく、かわりに縄を結んで記録としていたが、彼は鳥獣の足跡からヒントを得て象形文字を創作した。蒼頡は倉頡とも書き、蒼および倉は創を、また頡は結をそれぞれ表すことから、この名は初めて記録をつくった人のことではないかと考えられる。

［伊藤清司］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例