Chen Di

Chen Di (陳第, born c. 1541, died c. 1617) was a Chinese scholar, philologist, military strategist, and cartographer of the late Ming dynasty. He is best known for his contributions to the study of phonology, particularly his observations regarding the Min Nan dialect (also known as Hokkien or Taiwanese Hokkien).

Chen Di was born in Lianjiang County, Fujian Province. He served in the Ming army fighting against Japanese pirates along the southeast coast of China. His military experience provided him with opportunities to travel and interact with people from diverse linguistic backgrounds.

Chen Di's most significant work is the Dong Fan Ji (東番記), also translated as Account of the Eastern Barbarians. Written in 1603, this work documents his experiences in Taiwan, then known as Dong Fan (Eastern Barbarians) by the Chinese, and provides valuable insights into the language and culture of the indigenous Taiwanese people at the time. The Dong Fan Ji contains one of the earliest recorded vocabularies of a Formosan language, offering crucial data for understanding the linguistic history of Taiwan.

Beyond his work on Taiwanese languages, Chen Di also made important contributions to the study of Chinese phonology. He recognized the distinct nature of the Min Nan dialect and its divergence from the standard Mandarin of the time. He noted that Min Nan preserved features of ancient Chinese pronunciation that were lost in other dialects. His phonological observations are preserved in works separate from the Dong Fan Ji.

Chen Di's works are considered valuable historical and linguistic resources, providing insights into the languages, cultures, and history of both Taiwan and mainland China during the late Ming dynasty.