Tangut Ideograph 18749

Li Fanwen’s dictionary glosses the character “to calm down.” The reconstructed reading phjij is a scholarly transcription in Latin letters, not a pronunciation guide. The dictionary gloss alone cannot reveal a sender’s intent.

Commissioned in 1036, Tangut served Western Xia state-building and a Buddhist scripture collection. Its books also included Chinese classics and translations, military works, and literature. Its design drew on Chinese writing principles and an earlier script-making model from neighboring Khitan people. A Khara-Khoto manuscript from the 12th or early 13th century shows this wider book culture. The 1036 date belongs to the script, not this character.