The Significance of the Unofficial and Shorthand This study compares the results of collation and annotation by researchers studying the Tunhuang popular literature manuscripts of the unofficial and shorthand characters used in these manuscripts with the results obtained through comparing different versions of hand-copied songbooks produced in Taiwan, with the aim of clarifying the development of unofficial, dialectic and shorthand characters in the Chinese written language, and the special characteristics of such characters as used in Taiwan. It is anticipated that the research results will facilitate the interpreting of Taiwanese texts that make use of unofficial, dialectic and shorthand characters, while also contributing to an enhanced appreciation of the literary value of Taiwanese folksongs.