Among the research of Chinese Characters, there is a long history of the study of “the six categories of Chinese characters,” also a lot of research achievements have been accumulated from the past. Since the Qing Confucian Dai Zhen put forward the theory of “Four Noumenon and Two Uses,” advocated that the Transformed Cognates and Rebus are as the methods of using characters. The debates have been raised once again among different parties. Among them, the one with the most divergent opinions is the usage of “Transformed Cognates.” At the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, Mr. Zhang Taiyan made a theory from the perspective of the migrating of language. “The transformed Cognates, means that a new character created by changing the tone or the rhythm of the original character,” said Zhang. He clearly stated” a new character created,” regarded that “Transformed cognates” as a practice of creating new characters due to the transfers of sound. Which has always been seen as an important promoter of the theory. However, the subsequent researchers who also sat at the feet of Zhang have two different understandings and interpretations of “the method of using the character” and “the method of creating a character”. This article attempts to sort out the relevant discussion of Mr. Taiyan’s theory and restore the background of the time that Zhang made it. Also discussing the different interpretation perspectives of Zhang’s Transformed Cognates Theory by subsequent scholars in Taiwan. Finally, propose the author’s observations and conclusions.

• 李淑萍(臺灣中央大學) | Shuping LEE