Chinese Character Modernisation in the Digital Era: A Historical Perspective

Abstract

After a century of effort, directed at modernising Chinese script, it is still the case that Chinese characters (henceforth hanzi) remain a deficient communication system both for human use and for mechanical application. In some respects, the reform of Chinese hanzi has been a very political process, driven ultimately by politicians, yet at the same time influenced by the masses and historical traditions. Early views of language planning (henceforth LP) saw the discipline as a clinical linguistic process aimed at solving language problems, while modern-day critical theorists would argue that it is rooted in the social, economic and political agendas of the dominant elites. This struggle of ideologies has been played out in hanzireform during the last century and highlights the enormous challenge that Chinese language planners face. In this monograph, the reform process is examined and explained in light of these struggles. The focus is on a discussion of the recent developments in the Chinese hanzimodernisation process, with a historical description provided to create the necessary background for understanding the origin of the underlying issues. It provides a prospective view that suggests possible future developments, particularly in light of the impact of technological change.