can understand. For the benefit of those of my readers living in Mandarin-speaking provinces I will endeavour to explain the use of certain of these colloquial characters.
者. This character is used with the meaning of "this" without a numerary adjunct being used. 𠆧 is the character used to express the colloquial word for "man," Nèng, the character used most commonly in Mandarin books being reserved for Wên-li use and pronounced "ing." 仅. This is a special form of 又 and bears the same meaning. It is pronounced "bô." 着 Diŏh is used in Foochow colloquial in several meanings. Here it is the sign of the imperative mood. 伓 is the commonest negative. It is pronounced "ng." In combination with 通 it forms the negative imperative.
Another fine hymn, probably by Burns, is that which is the number one of the Methodist collection. It is also the first in the American Board Hymnal. Alas! Foochow has not yet managed to accomplish what Hankow and other places have done and have most of the churches using the same hymnal. It is a pity to have two separate books in use where one would have done equally well. This hymn describes the work of God in creation and His providential care. It is marred, however, by the use of the term 功勞 in speaking of the creating work of God, which term, of course, applies more fitly to the atoning work of the Son. 仁愛 or 智慧 would have been more applicable in this connexion.
- 天上主宰眞上帝
造天造地件件⿰亻鞋
功勞頂大眞正闊
應該稱讚都毛煞
日頭一出滿塊光
日落驚暗務月帮
不見上帝見天象
自知有主大無量
- 田務五穀園務花
𣗬木菓子都作佳
海裏魚鼈野⿰亻西類
都是乞𠆧做乇配
天頂禮飛其鳥隻
毛耕毛種也務𠋡
頭生野獸連蟲蟻
天父照顧心毛離
- 上帝保護通世間
毛論中國共番邦
賜奴日日務口糧
也務厝葯共衣裳
上帝恩惠第一深
差遣耶穌救萬民
大家齊梨讚美伊
共伊漢謝唱新詩
It doubtless looks strange to see 我 as a rhyme to 宰, but in Foochow colloquial this word for the first personal pronoun is pronounced "nguai.⟨"⟩ 𠆧 is pronounced "dang," and means "at the present time." 他格 ta-gaik is a colloquial expression meaning "clean." This also is an example of the use of authorised characters in an unauthorised way, to which scholars object so strongly.
Some years ago when making an index to all the Chinese hymnals I had in my possession I was much puzzled to find in
