Language Log

Japanese Inscription, Kanheri Caves, Cave no. 90, Maharashtra, Late 13th century CE or later

Inscription records a devotional chant honoring the Lotus Sūtra and Nichiren, a Japanese Buddhist monk and philosopher born in 1222 CE.

It was likely inscribed by a Japanese pilgrim,… pic.twitter.com/Ww2BUEl4W0

— Satavahana (@SatavahanasIN) February 8, 2026

This is one of many different formats of picture books for the illiterate adults that developed in Japan during late imperial history:

Early 20th-century Buddhist rebus-style text from Japan. Although labeled by the British Library as a Heart Sūtra for the illiterate, the Library of Congress identifies it as the “Hymn of Praise to Kannon for the Illiterate” (Kannon mekura wasan). (Source)

Scholarly paper:

Timothy Glover, "The Original Text, Recipient, and Manuscript Presentation of Richard Rolle’s Emendatio vitae", Mediaeval Studies, 85 (August 29, 2025), érudit, 163-238.

Easier to assimilate and attractively prepared with striking illustrations:

Tom Almeroth-Williams, "The hermit’s best-seller:  The only surviving original version of one of late medieval England’s most popular works of literature reveals its secrets", University of Cambridge (1/5/26).

Throughout my research and teaching career,  I have always emphasized that, when it comes to genuine etymology of Sinitic, what matters are the sounds and meanings of the constituent etyma, going all the way back to the fundamental roots.  The shapes of the glyphs used to write the eyma in question are far less important than the sounds and meanings.  In fact, discussion of the shapes of the glyphs is often more of a distraction than a benefit to understanding what the true etymologies of given etyma are.  We demonstrated that by the sharp disagreements we had over the meanings of the shapes of the ancient glyphs / forms / shapes of such a simple / definite / concise lexeme / morpheme as "woman; female".  That is why the sound nǚ and its attendant meaning "woman; female" are more important for Sinitic etymology than is the the three-stroke character 女, albeit the latter derived from more complicated and difficult to explain / interpret forms.

James D. Seymour, "Transmission vs. Termination of Cultures:  The Cases of the Medieval Uighurs and Modern Uyghurs", chapter 6 of David W. Kim, ed., Silk Road Footprints: Transnational Transmission of Sacred Thoughts and Historical Legacy (Wilmington, DE:  Vernon, 2025).

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VHM:  N.B.:  Please note that the pre-publication final draft linked to in the title above is virtually the same as that which appeared in the published book, but any citations or quotations, etc., should be based on what is confirmed as actually appearing  in the book. Spelling in the book is more strictly British. (Apologies for any misspelled/misspelt words in the linked version!)

Post-publication corrections/refinements are in this sans serif typeface.

Key words: Uighur Khaganate, Uighurs, Uyghurs, Xinjiang, Yugurs.

The name "Uyghur", in its various guises and at different times, has caused much confusion among students and scholars of Central Asian history.  This article, by James D. Seymour, who has been researching the topic for more than half a century, strives to straighten out the twists and turns of the history of the name and the peoples who bore it. 

Sino-Platonic Papers is pleased to announce the publication of its three-hundred-and-seventy-ninth issue:

“Zhenzhu’s Deputy: Loyalty and Filiality in The Compass of Islam,” by Jonathan N. Lipman.
(free pdf)

Our colleague and teacher, Prof. Matsumoto Akirō, passed away on January 6, 2026, at 82 years of age.

Prof. Matsumoto graduated from Waseda University in East Asian history in 1966, received his Master’s degree, also from Waseda, in philosophy in 1972, and thereafter studied at Ferdowsi University in Mashhad, Iran. He taught at International University of Japan and at St. Thomas (Eichi) University and held visiting professorships at Durham University (UK) and the University of Virginia (USA). He originally specialized in Islamic theology, working in Persian and Arabic texts under the mentorship of Prof. IZUTSU Toshihiko (井筒 俊彦) in Japan and Prof. Sayed Jalaluddin Ashtiani at Ferdowsi. His research included the mystical thought of Ibn ‘Arabi, Ibn Sina, Jami, Rumi, and Mulla Sadra and the 20th century Twelver Shi’ism of Ayatollah Khomeini. He also published numerous translations of Persian philosophical works into Japanese.

We've seen numerous blockbuster videos from Julesy, but this one is the most explosive ever:

"This might be the most hated film in Korea" (11:55)

[This is a guest post by Alexander Bazes]

I was delighted to discover this well-researched (and very entertaining) YouTube video about the Baghdad Battery by Penn Museum archaeologist Dr. Brad Hafford (I have reached out to him with my recent article on Sino-Platonic Papers and welcome his criticism).

"The Baghdad Battery? Archaeologist Reacts!" (33:02)

Towards the end of his lecture (~25:00), Dr. Hafford discusses a likely ritualistic role played by the Baghdad Battery and similar objects that have been found at the archaeological sites of Tel Umar and Csestiphon. I find his explanation quite plausible given that the devices from Tel Umar were found in close association with other ritual objects, including three incantation bowls (Waterman, Leroy. "Preliminary report upon the excavations at Tel Umar, Iraq." 1931, 61-62). I find Dr. Hafford’s discussion of Sasanian-period incantations written on papyrus and lead sheets particularly interesting, as I believe it was probably the corrosive capabilities of the Baghdad Battery and similar artifacts that were employed by its users for ritual purposes. For example, I speculate that the artifact discovered at Csestiphon, which contained ten bronze tubes, each filled with rolls of papyrus and sealed, was intended to produce a corrosive effect on the outside of the tubes, thereby releasing the prayers inside.

Sino-Platonic Papers is pleased to announce the publication of its three-hundred-and-seventy-eighth issue:

“A Study of Dunhuang Manuscript S.2614V, Mahāmaudgalyāyana Rescuing His Mother from the Underworld: Revisions and Textual Transmission,” by Ryu Takai.

Sino-Platonic Papers is pleased to announce the publication of its three-hundred-and-seventy-fifth issue:

“How Oppenheimer Mistook Time for Death at Trinity (the A-bomb Test Site) and How the Bhagavad Gītā, Read Properly, Resonates with the Block Universe of Einstein,” by Conal Boyce.

Sino-Platonic Papers is pleased to announce the publication of its three-hundred-and-seventy-fourth issue:

“Buddhism among the Sogdians: A Re-Evaluation,” by Todd Gibson.

Wolfgang Behr, "Towards a Conceptual Prehistory of 'Brainwashing' / xinao 洗腦".  (pdf here and here)

In Jessica Imbach, Justyna Jaguścik and Brigit Knüsel Adamec, eds., Re-Thinking Literary China, Essays in Honor of Andrea Riemenschnitter. [Welten Ostasiens / Worlds of East Asia / Mondes de l’Extrême Orient; 40] Berlin: DeGruyter-Brill, 2025, pp. 7-66.