Seven Skills of Composition

Name: Seven Skills of Composition
ISBN: 9787108065537

Wang DingjunSDX Joint Publishing Company · ChinaJun 2025

4.4

Word count: 80K words
Chapters: 20
ISBN: 9787108065537

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Summary

Great works the world over require both temperament and technique in mutual support. Temperament cannot be learned; it arrives of itself, as human nature stirred by life naturally gives rise to a work's content, while technique depends on human effort and cultivation. From this understanding, the author brings together direct narration, flashback, lyricism, description, induction, deduction, and synthesis into the "seven skills of composition," offering apprentice writers concrete, practical formulas and methods for the shortest path to good writing.

Editor's review

Composition: Seven Skills is Mr. Wang Dingjun's classic work on writing technique, widely influential since its first publication. Rather than a rigid writing course, the book distills the core skills of literary creation into seven "skills": direct narration, flashback, lyricism, description, argumentation, exposition, and fiction. Drawing on a deep grounding in Chinese letters and rich creative experience, Wang turns these abstract techniques into concrete, workable principles of writing. Quoting widely from classical poetry and prose to modern essays, with apt examples and thorough analysis, the book lets readers learn not only the "technique" but grasp the "way" behind it. For readers seeking to improve their written expression, it offers systematic guidance from overall structure to the polishing of words and sentences. Its value lies in overturning the mechanical impression of "composition" and restoring it to a living art of expressing thought and feeling. The SDX Joint Publishing edition is elegantly bound with airy typography, suited to quiet reading and repeated savoring.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Middle and high school students seeking to systematically improve their Chinese writing
Writing enthusiasts interested in literary creation who want to learn basic techniques
Chinese teachers and educators seeking teaching references and inspiration
Readers who enjoy Wang Dingjun's essays and want deeper insight into his creative philosophy

Not a good fit for

Readers looking for quick exam-essay templates or shortcuts
Readers of pure literature expecting fiction or long-form narrative

Reading tips

Read the chapters in order and practice writing in response to the questions at the end of each chapter
Keep a notebook while reading to copy out classic example sentences and try imitating or rewriting them
After finishing the technique chapters, reread favorite literary works and appreciate them using the book's ideas

About the publisher

SDX Joint Publishing Company China · Founded in 1932

SDX Joint Publishing Company is a publisher known for its humanities and social science titles, covering classics, culture, history, social fiction and politics. Its catalogue of 826 books includes Chinese and foreign literary classics such as The Scholars, Camel Xiangzi and Selected Short Stories of Chekhov, scholarly works such as Studies of Chinese Cave Temples, A Study of the Tuoba History (Revised Edition) and The Nine-Rank System: A Prehistory of the Imperial Examination, and translations such as Red Star Over China and Notes from the House of the Dead. Its authors include renowned Chinese and foreign writers such as Wu Jingzi, Lao She, Su Bai and Chekhov, as well as scholars and translators such as Chen Xiaoming, Wang Benhua, Guo Changbao and Zhu Xiansheng. Its publishing character lies in balancing the popularisation of classics with academic depth, with attention to textual quality and the transmission of knowledge.

版权信息
新版自序
记叙的技巧
直叙
倒叙
抒情的技巧
抒情
描写的技巧
描写
议论的技巧
归纳
演绎
四种写法的综合应用
综合
附录
（一）希望你来做
（二）声音
（三）画面
（四）文言白话
（五）原序

FAQ

Is this book suitable for elementary school students?

The content has some depth and involves many literary concepts and examples, so it suits readers at middle school level and above with a basic reading foundation. Elementary students may read selected chapters under the guidance of a teacher or parent.

What exactly are the "seven skills" in the book?

The "seven skills" are seven basic writing methods: direct narration, flashback, lyricism, description, argumentation, exposition, and fiction. Through numerous classical and modern textual examples, the author explains their application and merits in an accessible way.

How does this book differ from other writing guides on the market?

The book emphasizes the union of "way and technique," covering not only skills but also the essence of classical Chinese literary theory and the author's personal creative philosophy. Its tone is as warm as a teacher or friend in conversation, combining practicality with humanistic depth.

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About the author

Wang Dingjun Author · Taiwan, China · 1925

Wang Dingjun, born in 1925 in Lanling, Linyi, Shandong, is a contemporary Taiwanese essayist who also writes under the pen name Fang Yizhi. He joined the military in the final years of the War of Resistance, moved to Taiwan in 1949, and later served as a review chief at the Broadcasting Corporation of China and as editor of the literary supplement of China Times before settling in the United States in 1978. Twenty-two of his works are included in this collection. He is best known for his four-volume memoir, comprising Yesterday's Clouds, The Angry Youth, Seizing the Pass, and Literary Jianghu, as well as the "Three Books on Life." He has also written widely used guides to composition, including Six Keys to Writing, Nineteen Questions on Writing, Seven Clever Techniques for Writing, Four Books on Writing, and Talks on Primary School Composition. His essays span documentary writing and inspirational growth, marked by plain, polished prose that draws life lessons from everyday experience, while his writing guides are clearly organized and richly exemplified, exerting wide influence in language education and literary appreciation. He has received the Golden Tripod Award and the Wu Luqin Essay Award.