Shuo Wen Jie Zi

Shuo Wen Jie Zi is an ancient Chinese lexicon compiled by Xu Shen around the 2nd century CE. It serves as one of the earliest dictionaries of Chinese characters, providing detailed explanations of their meanings, pronunciations, and structures. The title translates to "Explaining Simple Characters," and it categorizes characters based on their etymology and components. This work not only helps understand the Chinese language but also offers insights into early Chinese culture and philosophy. It's a foundational text in Chinese linguistics and has influenced the study of Chinese characters for centuries.