Middle Chinese

Tiongkor Harnguo (中古漢語 Middle Chinese)

• Literary layer of Hokkien can be related to Middle Chinese
• Literary form of Hokkien, used at one time for formal writing, now largely extinct
• Literary readings are more similar to Middle Chinese than their colloquial equivalents
• The bulk of literary readings of Harnji are based on Tang dynasty pronunciations, mainly used in formal phrases and written language
• Most scholars now believe MC represents the Northern and Southern dynasties
• Min dialects (including Hokkien), show independent developments from Old Chinese

See also

• Literary and colloquial readings of Chinese characters
• Sursefng