On Dao (道) in the Khitan Small Script

This study combines historical comparative linguistics with the analysis of Khitan Small Script textual materials to examine the semantic functions of the word m-er and its plural form m-ci , which correspond to the Chinese concept of Dao ( dao 道 ). Through a systematic collation and contextual analysis of examples from Khitan Small Script epitaphs and related literary sources, this article argues that m-er and m-ci exhibit layered semantic features in the Khitan Small Script corpus, characterized by the coexistence of abstract and concrete meanings. Furthermore, through a comparison of interchangeable usages of sh-al-s and m-er in Khitan Small Script texts, this study examines their semantic layers, investigating both their shared core meanings and semantic distinctions.