The Phonosemantics of Character Xi (兮): Reexamination on Inheritance of the Book of Sangs and Li Sao (离骚) and Singability of Chu Ci (楚辞)

It is widely recognized that the character Xi in Chu Ci, constituted its linguistic feature and highlights its singable nature which was deemed to inherit from Xi in Shijing. However, the auxiliary words, like the functional ones, were frequently used in the Book of Sangs, Li Sao and Lao Zi (老子), even in the songs of Chu and other regions. As essence of songs was linguistic expression, the auxiliary words and overtones were inseparable and the later could not be analyzed alone. Xi, as an auxiliary word and its widespread usage in the Book of Sangs, Li Sao and Lao Zi, provided an indispensable source to be investigated. Thus the deduction of singability of Chu Ci and its inheritance from the Book of Sangs was overly arbitrary. The singability of elegies of Chu in particular referred to recitation or oral chants rather than dividing its chapters in harmony with musical compositions and employing repetitive stanzas and refrains in the Book of Sangs which demonstrates as part of the state rituals and musics. As for length works like Li Sao and Tian Wen (天问), could only be chanted through simplistic melodic repetition since they were lacking the musical systems like suite melodies in Yuan dynasty. In reality, Chu Ci by Qu yuan was merely composed with the linguistic sensibility of Chu songs. Though influenced by Chu songs, Chu Ci was not designed as song lyrics and never meant to be performed in musical forms.