The "eye-wateringly complex language" of the ancient Tangut Empire

The vanished Tangut Empire once flourished on the western edge of China. They are chiefly known for having created what many consider the most complex known writing system.

Has there ever been a civilization that invented a script, only to deliberately conceal its contents and meaning? 

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It is speculated that the complexity of the script is due to several reasons. First, the culture's devotion to esoteric Buddhism, whose sacred texts are supposed to be kept secret from non-initiates. Second, the practical military value of a language so hard to read it was like natural encryption, should communications fall into the hands of enemies.

Yet, perhaps the greatest power of the Tanguts’ words lay not in their utterance, but in their logography: beneath the words’ superficial meanings were encoded sets of homonyms that invoked sacred locations, deities, mantras, teachings, and hymns. According to Kepping, the entire Tangut script was planned for use in the specific religious contexts of tantric rites. This was a theocracy that was so devoted to its state religion that the basic foundation of its society, and language, was constructed around esoteric meaning. The secret rites performed by the imperial family were central to the functioning of the state. 

www.buddhistdoor.net...

I love languages and writings. I know basic Japanese and basic Kanji, I can appreciate this and find it very interesting. Also many thanks for a non political and non plandemic thread, I am suffering enough anxiety and need reminding that there are more interesting things out there.
S&F

a reply to: Hecate666

Thanks for your thanks! I am also getting weary about politics and it's making me snippy to the people around me. But somehow I still keep reading the political threads. Oh well.

私も少し日本語よめるですが、あんまり上手じゃない。お元気に!

a reply to: Never Despise
アリガトゴザイマス