Decomposing Inscriptions

Snippets as Link between Text and Image

http://www.stonesutras.org Project Website at Hongdingshan HDS_7

Why decompose?

− Display the vertically arranged text directly on top of the image (rubbing or stone) i.e. „Layout Text“

− Allow users to get additional information on individual characters, i.e. on the rubbing

− Gather all character-related data in a Character Database

How to decompose?

Important models for Heidelberg: − „ttext-kanbun“ by Yasuoka Koichi 安岡孝一

Documentation and Information Center for Chinese Studies (DICCS), Institute for Research in Humanities, Kyoto University Rubbings database 拓本文字データベース http://coe21.zinbun.kyoto-u.ac.jp/djvuchar

− Character cutting tool by Imre Galambos The International Dunhuang Project (IDP, 國際敦煌項目), The British Library, London http://idp.bl.uk/

Preparations

Prerequisites:

Hongdingshan HDS_7: Colophon to 'Buddha King of Great Emptiness' by Seng’an Daoyi

Preparations – Text

Preparations – Image

Version A Version C (reference image) Version B

The Snippets Tool

Main features • Processing of text:

only the established text version (no variants); without supplied text

• Different handling of spaces: honorific spaces; damaged characters with different readings; damaged characters without different readings

• Semi-automatic positioning of character-boxes • Storing character appearances in the XML-database, including all variants

(different interpretations or writing variants) • Storing snippets with their coordinates (position of each character on the

reference image)

Decomposition in action

Decomposed.1

Decomposed.2

Outlook: Re-construction!

− Display the vertically arranged text directly on top of the image (rubbing or stone) i.e. „Layout Text“

− Allow users to get additional information on individual characters, i.e. on the rubbing

− Offer parallel reading of rubbing and text − Search for character variants − Enable comparison of characters, i.e. analysis of

form and style http://www.stonesutras.org:7000/exist/rest/db/snips_fo.xql

Thank You.