Cultural Implication and Semantic Opaqueness of Colour Expressions in Chinese Classics

Abstract

The conception of colour is embedded in traditional Chinese culture, embodied by the correlation between the notion of five colours and the ideal of Five Elements, i.e. wuxing. Colour names in the Chinese language has undergone evolution from Classical Chinese to modern Mandarin, reflected by the fact that terminologies appertaining to colour have become more explicit, which is motived by the Principle of Least Effort as well as a need for efficient memory, comprehension and communication. In classics written in Classical Chinese, expressions indicating colour tend to demonstrate semantic opaqueness, ascribed to historical references, metaphorical representations, literary allusions and etymological derivations.

Keywords

• chinese classics
• colour names
• wuxing
• cultural implication
• semantic opaqueness
• grand narrative