Phonological Changes in Zhi∙Xi⋅Geng Rime Groups支⋅錫⋅耕部 from the Han Dynasty to the Sui Dynasty as Reflected in Poetry

This study is designed to investigate the phonological changes in the Zhi⋅ Xi⋅Geng rime groups 支⋅錫⋅耕部 as reflected in poetry from the Han Dynasty to the Sui Dynasty. This study employs Zheng-Zhang's Old Chinese (O.C.) and Middle Chinese (M.C.) phonological systems.Zhi⋅Xi⋅Geng rime groups had the same main vowels in Old Chinese, but it is accompanied by different vowels in middle Chinese. The purpose of this study is to analyze the causes of different changes in the main vowels. And they shared the same primary vowel *e in O.C., accompanied by *-ø, *-ɡ, and *-ŋ endings, respectively. This study refers to this relationship as a "correspondence relationship". According to the results of this study, Zhi⋅Xi⋅Geng rime groups's "correspondence relationship" disappears at Song宋 Dynasty. The reason is that the change in Vowel of the Zhi rime group took place at that time. In this study, we estimate that "correspondence relationship" disappearance is attributed to variations in the nature of the endings.