Abstract: It can be said that the signifying modes of Book of Changes comprise the source of traditional Chinese semiotic theory. Its sign system generally consists of three parts: guahua (hexagram images), guaci (hexagram statements) and yizhuan (the commentaries). Guahua points to guaci’s description of the object, and yizhuan offers relevant interpretations of the meaning of the sign. These three elements constitute a complete signifying process. In Peirce’s famous trichotomy, any meaning interpretation can be divided into three parts: object, representatum and interpretant. Guahua (hexagram images), guaci (hexagram statements) and yizhuan (the commentaries) in Book of Changes are similar to the components of Peirce’s trichotomy. Peirce’s theory also seems applicable to the traditional Chinese relationship between images, words and meaning. In this sense, the three systems have much in common.
Key words: Book of Changes, sign, Peirce, words, images, meaning
DOI: 10.13760/b.cnki.sam.201601006
