A systematic synthesis and analysis of English-language Shuōwén scholarship

Abstract This study documents the past and present of English scholarship of Shuōwén jiězì , the most important masterpiece of classical Chinese philology and lexicography. In an attempt to investigate the current status (synchronically) and developmental trajectory (diachronically) of Shuōwén scholarship, this study surveyed the bibliographical, theoretical, methodological and thematic state of Shuōwén literature manifested in an analytical framework of six parameters (geographic distribution, publication outlets, citations, theoretical approaches, research methods and research strands) by adopting a thorough bibliometric analysis subsequent to meticulous coding in terms of these six parameters in Shuōwén scholarship. The results showed that Shuōwén scholarship has displayed distinctive distribution patterns and chronological trends along bibliographical, theoretical, methodological and thematic dimensions. Synchronically, the research output is regionally based, thematically restricted and qualitatively examined; diachronically, the research quality is fluctuating, though research quantity multiplies steadily. To look ahead, the study sketched a few directions for advancement of future research agendas: a more global profile of researchers, a larger degree of internationalization of the native circle, a wider disciplinary range, and increased specialization streamlined into data-driven approach to core issues of liùshū, bùshǒu and GPS (graphic-phonetic-semantic) of head graphs. The study is useful in portraying an overarching disciplinary landscape for Shuōwén research and providing the basic reference statistics for possible comparisons across classical Chinese studies and for more general conclusions about the state of scholarship on sinology.