The vast majority of function words in archaic languages have one strictly defined grammatical function. The word 之 zhī, which first appeared in the Early Preclassical language, on the other hand, has several meanings. We are already familiar with one of them (the marker of attributive connection). Furthermore, 之 zhī is also a demonstrative pronoun.
A distinctive feature of the pronoun 之 zhī, which distinguishes it from other function words in the same group, is that while the latter can be used as a substitute for a noun in any nominal function, 之 zhī is used in a sentence exclusively as an object: 萬年永寳用之 wàn nián yǒng bǎo yòng zhī "For ten thousand years, to constantly use this as a treasure."
As an object, 之 zhī can be considered not only as a demonstrative pronoun (like "this"), "it," but also as a personal pronoun (like "his," "her," "their"). Thus, the pronoun 之 zhī partially compensates for the lack of a third person pronoun in the pre-classical language.
Table 3. Functions of personal pronouns in Early Preclassical
| Person | Subject | Object | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 余 yú | 余 yú | 朕 zhèn |
| 2nd | 汝 rǔ | 汝 rǔ | 乃 nǎi |
| 3rd | – | 之 zhī | 厥 jué |
As we recall, the function word 厥 jué indicates a defining relationship between two nouns, i.e., it is used only if the definition of a noun is expressed by the noun. In this case, instead of 厥 jué, the function word 之 zhī can also be used:
One of the major political events during the reign of the Zhou Emperor Zhao (966–948 BC) was military clashes with the Chu kingdom. The Chu people did not recognize Zhou authority, and the emperor was forced to undertake several campaigns to bring them to heel. The first inscription in the lesson text dates back to this period. Although this inscription reports the success of the campaign, the war with Chu ultimately ended tragically for Zhao Wang: he died in one of the battles, and the army returned home without its leader.
Skill in archery (射 shè) was considered one of the "six arts" during the Zhou period, mastery of which was absolutely essential for every aristocrat. They shot at a target made of leather.
It's hard to say why this E-hou was called Yufang, but be that as it may, this is the very expression the Zhou people used to describe their nomadic enemies: 馭方 yù fāng "a tribe skilled in chariot control," "a chariot tribe."