Talk:Ching
One question that will have to be confronted is whether "Ching" actually originates with Wade-Giles or predates that system of romanization. After a cursory search, I do not have evidence that Ching or Ta Ching (for the empire) predates Wade (some post-Wade examples: [1][2][3]). My working speculation is that 'Tsing' and 'Ta Tsing' are the conventional pre-Wade spellings and that 'Ching' for this sense might actually originate with Wade. Note that in 1838 'Ching' for an ancient dynasty existed side-by-side with Ta-tsing in this work: [4]. That I can easily find a cite for this minor ancient dynasty and cannot find a wealth of examples of the then-extant dynasty speaks volumes to me. --Geographyinitiative (talk) 15:24, 28 February 2023 (UTC)