This book is a critical examination of the Chinese writing system by Peter Stephen Du Ponceau. It discusses the origins and evolution of the system and analyzes its structure and grammar. The book includes numerous examples of Chinese characters and their meanings. It is intended for scholars and researchers in the field of linguistics and Chinese studies. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.