“关中”一语见于《史记》卷七《项羽本纪》，《集解》引徐广说明它的范围是： “东函谷，南武关，西散关，北萧关。”（中华书局标点本册一页315。）即今日陕西 大部及甘肃、宁夏、河南与陕西接壤的部分地区。本计划的“关中方言”根据一般的 地理概念，适当考虑方言特点与分区。研究对象包括今陕西境内属于中原官话关中片、 秦陇片的方言。这是学术界比较一致的看法。

1933年，中央研究院历史语言研究所白涤洲先生调查了关中42县50个方言点的语音 系统，后来由喻世长先生整理出版了《关中方音调查报告》（北京：中国科学院，1954年， 以下简称《报告》），《报告》系统的描写了关中方言的语音状况，对一些音韵特点及其演变、 地理分布作了简略的讨论。这是早期官话方言研究重要的著作，但由于条件所限，当年白涤洲 先生调查关中方言时，有些县没有调查县城方言，包括渭南等十二个。也遗漏张安等九个县。

其次，《报告》还有如下缺点：（1）《报告》没有将声调和声母、韵母配合起来， 这一点罗常培先生在《报告》的序中已指出。（2）《报告》只反映了400多个单字音（缺声调）， 而且大都是文读音。（3）《报告》没有连读变调。（4）《报告》完全没有词汇、语法的调查 内容。所以对关中方言的研究仍有很大的发展空间。

另一方面，这部著作仍是观察关中方言七十五年来的演变提供了绝佳的参照系， 在语音方面，如中古知庄章组声母的演变及其与精组字的关系，导致今天声母的颚化或者 是韵母及介音一系列变化，有的跟随普通话，有的与普通话背道而驰，成为关中方言一个 显著的特色。计划以该《报告》为基础，调查当代关中方言的概况，并就其中声母与介音 问题深入研究，计划内容大要如下：
(1) 调整方言点，去其重复，补其缺漏，注重代表性，将调查点定为47个。
(2) 调查内容将单字音增至2,000余个，并注重文白异读及连读变调。
(3) 新加词汇、语法项目，词汇约1,500个，语法例句100个，并以表格方式排列，方便对照。
(4) 着重调查内容的系统性、共时性，并对有关材料作动态性的跟踪调查， 通过与白涤洲先生著作的历时比较，以及各方言点之间的共时比较， 深入研究关中方言声母与介音的演变及二者竞争的结果。 计划完成后，有《当代关中方言声母、介音的演变研究》、《关中方言字音对照集》、 《关中方言词汇、语法对照集》三部著作。

Over 100 Chinese dictionaries for transmitted texts and excavated texts were published in the last few decades. Although these dictionaries, mostly synchronic, often contain the same words or words of similar meanings, they differ from one another in their nature and methodology. A prominent problem concerning them is that none of the individual dictionaries is able to boast a full collection of all the representative usages of a particular word. This has led us to wonder whether the dictionaries as we have today do not have any room for improvement.

To compile a synchronic dictionary, one needs to have a good understanding of the complete lexical landscape of the particular period concerned. A study on both the transmitted texts and excavated texts become indispensable in obtaining such an understanding. We have taken advantage of modern technology to establish a database of the entire body of ancient Chinese texts in order to conduct meta-analyses. This up-to-date method for compiling a dictionary of ancient Chinese plays an essential part in the study of the ancient Chinese lexicography.

For the above-mentioned reasons, we began a project titled “An Integrated Study of the Pre-Han and Han Lexicon: The Establishment of a Multi-Purpose Online Dictionary of Ancient Chinese Texts先秦两汉词汇综合研究──古代汉语多功能网络辞典之构建” in 2005. This project was subsequently recommended as a Pilot Project for a period of 12 months and funded by the RGC. Since its inception in January 2007, the project has made use of the CHANT Database and designed a program system, namely ‘Automatic Compiling Program System for Retrieval Database for Ancient Chinese Disyllable and Polysyllable Words’ (RDDPW), to build up a complete pre-Han and Han glossary. With RDDPW, different kinds of glossaries are being compiled. A glossary of vocabularies found in pre-Han and Han ancient Chinese excavated texts begins to take shape. The study on pre-Han and Han ancient Chinese transmitted text lexicons has also been commenced and is progressing as planned. Part of the research results has been incorporated into an online lexicon database. Furthermore, a dictionary of the glosses found in Gao You’s commentaries on three Chinese texts is under preparation. The first of its own kind, this dictionary is scheduled to meet the public in 2009.

After the completion of the preliminary research task, we believe that it is the right time to propose an extension for this pilot project. The second phase of this research project aims at extending the research scope to cover all the pre-Han and Han transmitted texts. Our team will make full use of RDDPW to cull words from all texts and compile a series of pre-Han and Han glossaries, which will then be used to study the usage of particular words and their evolution. Research results will be, as usual, made available to the public. With the online lexicon database, scholars all around the world can conduct word search with any particular historical period, region/state, author, medium, genre, etc.

The aim of this research is to investigate the “Eileen Chang phenomenon” (Zhang Ailing xianxiang 張愛玲現象) in Hong Kong, through the study of the adaptations and reception of her works. Eileen Chang (1920-1995) is one of the most important writers in modern Chinese literature. Her works, enjoying both literary acclaim and wide popularity, have been adapted into various media forms, including films, TV series, broadcasting series, drama and dance theatre. This “Eileen Chang phenomenon” is a topic worthy of detailed investigation. Key issues addressed in the project include: 1. how are Chang and her works received in Hong Kong, 2. why and how are her works adapted by Hong Kong directors, 3. how are the adaptations of her works and life received in Hong Kong, 4. how is the reception of Chang in Hong Kong differ from that in the mainland and Taiwan, and 5. what light do the above findings shed on the cultural characteristics of Hong Kong.

The project is divided into two parts: 1. Documentation of research materials. An archive will be built on the reviews and adaptations of Chang’s works. Interviews will be conducted with Chang’s reviewers and adaptors to provide a comprehensive understanding of the “Chang phenomenon.” 2. Textual analysis and theoretical reflection. Texts composing the “Chang phenomenon” will be examined in detail. The project will rethink the inter-textual perspective by revisiting the notion of the author. By comparing the historical Chang and the received Chang, the project will present Chang as an individual trapped between modernity and tradition, while her reviewers and adaptors prefer to read her as a symbol of metropolitan modernity.

The outcome of the project includes: 1. academic papers to be published in refereed journals, 2. interviews with Chang’s adaptors and reviewers to be published in literary journals, and 3. an online database with search function. The project is academically significant not only to the study of modern Chinese literature, but also to enhancing the importance of Hong Kong in the study of Chang and in the field of literary studies. It will also provide valuable reference sources for research and education. As present research on the reception of Chang mainly focuses on that of the mainland and Taiwan, this project on Chang’s reception in Hong Kong will make pioneering research of its kind.

古知庄章精组声母在现代汉语方言中语音形式歧异，分合类型复杂， 历史层次丰富，向来为汉语方言学者所瞩目。其今读类型及其所反映的历史层次 不但是汉语方言分区的重要标准，也是考察各大方言历史演变和相互间历史关系 的重要视角。此前有关研究多限于单点或某一区域，尚无贯通南北古今的考察； 在诸如知章组读如端组是存古形式还是晚近演变等问题上，学界也有不同看法。 本计划拟就四组声母在现代汉语方言中的今读类型、历史层次作一全面深入的研究， 以期在解决上述问题的同时，也有助于深化对汉语方言学、汉语语音史中相关问题的认识。

The pronunciations of words belonging to the 知, 庄, 章, 精 series in the Middle Chinese initial system differ greatly among modern dialects. The complexity in coalescences and divisions of these four series as well as their diverse origins and developments have long attracted the attention of scholars in both dialectology and historical phonology. Questions such as whether the merger of the 知，庄 series with the 端 series reflects the retention of an ancient feature or a phonological evolution in recent times still remains controversial. Indeed, the modern pronunciations and the historical development of these initial-series serve as important criteria not only for classification of Chinese dialects, but also for a critical examination of the historical development of and relationship across dialects. As previous studies are constrained by surveys of either a single location or a small region, a comprehensive investigation across China is crucial for any further research in this regard. This research project proposes a thorough study of the four series of initial consonants by (1) examining their diverse patterns of realization in modern dialects and (2) analyzing the diachronic layers that such patterns reveal. The study will also deepen our understanding of other related issues in Chinese dialectology and historical phonology.