Naming Taboo - Methods To Avoid Offence

Methods To Avoid Offence

There were three ways to avoid using a taboo character:

  • Changing the character to another one which usually was a synonym or sounded like the character being avoided. For example, the Xuanwu Gate (玄武門:the Black Warrior Gate) of the Forbidden City was renamed as "Shenwu" (神武門:Gate of Divine Might) in order to avoid the Kangxi Emperor's name Xuanye (玄燁).
  • Leaving the character as a blank.
  • Omitting a stroke in the character, especially the final stroke.

Compare to the writing of G-d or L-rd in Judaism.

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