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Tailoring language to social hierarchies

A pragmatic study on the salutation in Zeng Guofan’s Family Letters

ORCiD logo with link | Nanjing University
 | Harbin Engineering University
ORCiD logo with link | Harbin Engineering University | Nanjing University
 | Harbin Engineering University
Published online: 19 December 2025
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/prag.24086.wan
Abstract
This paper presents a study examining the pragmatic strategies employed by Zeng Guofan in his renowned family letters to craft qici (启辞, ‘salutation’), as well as the potential relationship between social hierarchies and the specific wording used in these opening phrases. The study reveals that, across 1,449 letters containing salutations, Zeng Guofan deployed seven distinct patterns of salutation. Significant differences were observed in his use of third-person address terms, ticheng yu (提称语, ‘elevated address terms’), verbs, self-address terms, and expressions of good wishes and well-being, depending on the recipient of the letter. These variations suggest clear metapragmatic efforts to maintain respect and deference in his communications, providing evidence that certain patterns of polite salutations were shaped by the perceived social status between the addresser and the addressee in ancient China.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Studies on politeness in historical China
    • 2.2The Confucian nexus: Power hierarchy in Chinese familial relationships
    • 2.3Studies on Zeng Guofan’s Family Letters
  • 3.Methodology
    • 3.1Data collection
    • 3.2Data coding and analysis
  • 4.Results and discussion
    • 4.1Expressions used to convey qici (启辞, ‘salutation’)
      • 4.1.1TPATs + ticheng yu (提称语)
      • 4.1.2Verbs + TPATs
      • 4.1.3SATs + verbs + TPATs + EGWB
      • 4.1.4SATs + verbs + TPATs + ticheng yu (提称语)
      • 4.1.5Verbs + TPATs + ticheng yu (提称语)
      • 4.1.6SATs + verbs + TPATs
      • 4.1.7TPATs + EGWB
    • 4.2Qici (启辞, ‘salutation’) across family hierarchical relationships
      • 4.2.1TPATs
      • 4.2.2Ticheng yu (提称语)
      • 4.2.3Verbs
      • 4.2.4SATs
      • 4.2.5EGWB
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Note
  • References
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