Tempory holding page for Phags Pa Script tutorial.

http://SilverHorde.ViaHistoria.com/research/PhagsPaScript.html

Class Outline

History

• Invented in 1269 by Tibetan Lama Phags Pa for Khubilai Khaan
• Based on Tibetan script with some influence of Mongol and Khitan Small Script
• Used for all official documents in the Yuan dynasty
• Meant for Mongol, Turkic, Chinese, Arabic, Tibetan and foreign words
• Ceased regular use in 1368 with the fall of the Yuan dynasty

Features

• Vertical script
• Letters grouped by syllable
• Syllabic alphabet: all consonants have inherent vowel 'A'
• Separate characters to change vowel
• Consonant at end of syllable does not pronounce inherent vowel

Consonants

Velar (sounds from back of tongue)

Dental (sounds from touching tongue to teeth)

Labial (sounds from lips)

Vowels

Combinations

• Syllables
• Double vowels

Period Examples

Books

Fashu Kao (Chinese calligraphy) By Sheng Ximing (Uighur official in the Yuan dynasty) 1334

Shushi Huiyao (history of calligraphy) By Tao Zongyi 1376

Baijiaxing Mengguwen "The Hundred Surnames in the Mongolian Script" 1325, 1330, 1333, 1340, 1418, 1699

Menggu Ziyun "Mongolian Letters arranged by Rhyme" Revised by Zhu Zongwen (whose Mongolian name was Bayan) 1308

Seals

Chinese "Wang" (surname)
http://www.npm.gov.tw/english/exhbition/eage1010/m2_mainframe1_8e.htm

Uighur "Qutluq" (with fortune)
http://www.let.osaka-u.ac.jp/toyosi/sial/13-matsui.html

Money

Yuan dynasty coin
http://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=1169

1310 Toqta Khan coin
http://www.zeno.ru/showphoto.php?photo=96

Monuments

Yuan dynasty Nestorian Christian tombstone in Quanzhou

• http://www.lib.mq.edu.au/about/exhibitions/angels.html
• http://www.lib.mq.edu.au/about/exhibitions/angels/D1000024.JPG

Yun Tai (Cloud Platform) at Joyonguan

• http://www.meet-greatwall.org/english/gwcn/egwcn9.htm
• http://www.meet-greatwall.org/zhuanzhu/wen/gwcn/pho/78-3.jpg

Paiz

• http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/yuan/hod_1993.256.htm
• http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/yuan/hob_1993.256_av1.htm
• http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/html_En/12/b2003/hm12_3_1_6.html

SCA usage

...

Bibliography

Ager, Simon. Omniglot - A Guide To Writing Systems. 1998-2002. http://www.omniglot.com/writing/phagspa.htm (8 September 2004)

Batbayar, Jalair. Mongol Uran Bichlegiin Tuuh. Ulaanbaatar: Interpress Hevleliin Kompanid Hevlev, 2001 (ISBN 99929-70-46-4)

Calvo, Wenceslao. Alfabetos De Ayer Y De Hoy. 1999. http://www.proel.org/alfabetos/mongolpa.html (8 September 2004)

Choijilsüren, D. Mongolin Khuuchin Bichgiin Tsagaan Tolgoi Zov Bichih Dürem. edited by Kh. Luvsanbadlan, G. Nasanbuyan & J. Amgalan. Ulaghanbaghatur Khota, Mongolian People's Republic: Academy of Science Publisher, 1978 (no ISBN)

Kapaj, Luigi. Mongol Scripts. 2003. http://SilverHorde.ViaHistoria.com/research/MongolScripts.html (8 September 2004)

Poppe, Nicholas. Mongolian Language Handbook. Center for Applied Linguistics, 1970 (ISBN 87281-003-8)

Shagdarsürüng, Tseveliin. A Study of the Relationship Between the Korean and the Mongolian Scripts. Mongolian Studies, Journal of the Mongolia society, Vol XXV. pp.59-84. Bloomington, Indiana: The Mongolia Society, 2002 (ISBN 910980-95-0)

West, Andrew. 'Phags-pa Script. 2003. http://uk.geocities.com/BabelStone1357/hPhags-pa/ (8 September 2004)
This is the most comprehensive source I have found on this script yet.

Phags-Pa fonts

• http://www.valdyas.org/conlang.html (8 September 2004)
• http://uk.geocities.com/BabelStone1357/Fonts/Phags-pa.html (8 September 2004)

© 2004, by Luigi Kapaj, in the SCA: Gülügjab Tangghudai (Puppy)
Send comments to Puppy@ViaHistoria.com

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