Ancient Chinese (Volume I)

Name: Ancient Chinese (Volume I)
ISBN: 9787301300510

张联荣 / 刘子瑜Peking University Press · ChinaAug 2025

3.9

Word count: 166K words
Chapters: 155
ISBN: 9787301300510

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Summary

Ancient Chinese (Volume 1) is a textbook of ancient Chinese for international undergraduate students with some foundation in Chinese. It is divided into eight units, each comprising four sections: selected texts, exercises, common words, and basic knowledge of ancient Chinese. The selected texts are divided into texts for classroom instruction and texts for reading; the former are taught in class, while the latter are read outside class under the teacher's guidance. Each unit explains ten common words, selected on the basis of their appearance in the selected texts. The section on basic knowledge of ancient Chinese mainly introduces knowledge related to language and writing, including Chinese characters, the vocabulary of ancient Chinese, commonly used reference books for ancient Chinese, the flexible use of word classes, word order, grammatical rules, and function words.

Editor's review

This textbook is intended for international undergraduate students who already have some foundation in Chinese, and the organization of Volume 1 is clear: each unit centers on selected texts, with texts for classroom instruction for close reading in class and texts for reading for extracurricular extension, supplemented by four sections—exercises, common words, and basic knowledge of ancient Chinese—forming a closed loop of input, consolidation, and knowledge expansion. The selected texts and common words echo each other, since the common words are chosen on the basis of words appearing in the texts, integrating learning and use and avoiding any disconnect between vocabulary explanation and reading materials. The section on basic knowledge of ancient Chinese proceeds step by step from Chinese characters, vocabulary, and reference books to the flexible use of word classes, word order, grammatical rules, and function words, building a framework of ancient Chinese knowledge. For international students, the difficulty is kept relatively restrained and the balance of explanation and practice moderate, making the book suitable for unit-by-unit progress under a teacher's guidance. For lower-year Chinese majors or self-learners, it can also serve as supplementary reading at the introductory stage, though it should be noted that it is designed for second-language learners and that some content is limited in depth.

Who it's for

A good fit for

International undergraduate students with some foundation in Chinese, for systematic classroom study of ancient Chinese
Students of international Chinese language education, to understand how ancient Chinese teaching is organized for international students
Self-learners wishing to make a first acquaintance with basic knowledge of ancient Chinese, with the help of a teacher or reference books
Lower-year Chinese majors, as supplementary practice material for an introduction to ancient Chinese

Not a good fit for

Learners with no foundation in Chinese, for whom the selected texts and basic knowledge sections are difficult to understand independently
Researchers of ancient Chinese, as the textbook's depth is oriented toward introductory and basic training
Professional readers seeking to specialize in the collation of classical documents, who need more specialized editions

Reading tips

Proceed unit by unit: first read the texts for classroom instruction, then complete the exercises, and finally review the common words and basic knowledge
Do not skip the texts for reading; read them first on your own and then check the annotations, to test whether what was learned from the instructional texts can be transferred
Make cards for the ten common words in each unit and memorize them in connection with the original sentences in the texts, rather than reciting entries in isolation
Read the basic knowledge section alongside the selected texts; when encountering phenomena such as the flexible use of word classes and function words, return to the original text to find examples

About the publisher

Peking University Press China · Founded in 1979

Peking University Press is a comprehensive university press whose publishing areas cover classical literature, popular science, social culture, world history, Western philosophy, and culture. Its catalogue contains 6,031 titles, with representative books including A Dream of Red Mansions, Relativity: The Special and General Theory (15th Edition) (with Einstein's classic papers on unified field theory and other topics), Elements, Conics, The Aristocratic Families of the Eastern Jin, The Philosophy of Mythology (Volume I), The Philosophy of Mythology (Volume II), and The Origin of Continents and Oceans. Representative authors include Cao Xueqin, Zhou Ruchang, Albert Einstein, Euclid, Apollonius, Tian Yuqing, Schelling, and Xian Gang. The press has developed distinctive strengths in classical Chinese literature and in the translation of Western philosophical classics, while also covering scientific classics and social and cultural studies. As public information is limited, this description is based only on the books in the catalogue and offers no further extrapolation.

版权信息
序
凡例
緒論
第一單元
講讀文選
莊子
渾沌之死（《應帝王》）
魯侯養鳥（《至樂》）
運斤成風（《徐無鬼》）
曹商使秦（《列禦寇》）
韓非子
巧詐不如拙誠（《説林上》）
燕王好微巧（《外儲説左上》）
齊桓公好服紫（《外儲説左上》）
戰國策
驚弓之鳥（《楚策四》）
南轅北轍（《魏策四》）
尹文子
魏田父得玉（《大道上》）
列子
朝三暮四（《黄帝》）
兩小兒辯日（《湯問》）
閲讀文選
魏王遺荆王美人（《韓非子》）
歧路亡羊（《列子》）
練習一
常用詞
走聞顧爲素引發復湯益
古漢語常識
漢語的詞和語法規則
第二單元
講讀文選
晏子春秋
景公不知天寒（《內篇諫上》）
社鼠猛狗（《內篇問上》）
晏子使楚（《內篇雜下》）
晏子辭千金不受（《內篇雜下》）
説苑
政理（節選）
世説新語
管寧華歆（《德行》）
小時了了（《言語》）
牛屋貴客（《雅量》）
王藍田性急（《忿狷》）
閲讀文選
樊姬進美人（《韓詩外傳》）
梁君出獵（《新序》）
練習二
常用詞
勞表比再誅廢色致豆盛
古漢語常識
古代漢語常用工具書（上）
第三單元
講讀文選
魏學洢
核舟記
王士禛
女俠
蒲松齡
石清虚
謝濟世
戇子記
閲讀文選
蜀賈（劉基）
徽州唐打獵（紀昀）
練習三
常用詞
奉因啓封策樸逐顔治題
古漢語常識
漢字
第四單元
講讀文選
李翱
楊烈婦傳
王禹偁
黄州新建小竹樓記
歐陽修
醉翁亭記
蘇軾
超然臺記
閲讀文選
方山子傳（蘇軾）
書浮屠事（陸游）
練習四
常用詞
當及邑兵節超乘覆臨陰
古漢語常識
古代漢語的詞彙（上）
第五單元
講讀文選
左傳
鄭伯克段于鄢（《隱公元年》）
公孫無知之亂（《莊公八年》《莊公九年》）
鞌之戰（《成公二年》）
衛侯爲夫人南子召宋朝（《定公十四年》）
閲讀文選
晉陽處父侵蔡（《左傳》）
楚人獻黿於鄭靈公（《左傳》）
練習五
常用詞
國作險朝斃鄙謀慢病從
古漢語常識
古代漢語的詞彙（下）
第六單元
講讀文選
國語
邵公諫厲王弭謗（《周語上》）
梗陽人有獄（《晉語九》）
戰國策
鄒忌諷齊王納諫（《齊策一》）
蘇秦以游説致富貴（《秦策一》）
吕不韋相秦（《秦策五》）
閲讀文選
董叔將娶於范氏（《國語》）
昭陽爲楚伐魏（《戰國策》）
練習六
常用詞
説決諫張已尊習領獄聽
古漢語常識
古代漢語中詞類的活用
第七單元
講讀文選
史記
項羽本紀（節選）
孟嘗君列傳（節選）
田單列傳（節選）
漢書
鄧通傳（節選）
朱買臣傳（節選）
閲讀文選
張良步游下邳（《史記》）
練習七
常用詞
敗賢購被困期體涕幸置
古漢語常識
古代漢語的詞序
第八單元
講讀文選
後漢書
樂羊子妻
三國志
周瑜傳（節選）
資治通鑑
班超出使西域
明史
周新傳（節選）
閲讀文選
董宣傳（《後漢書》）
唐太宗論取士（《貞觀政要》）
練習八
常用詞
竟釋論趨遂省就寇給勤
古漢語常識
古代漢語的虚詞

FAQ

Is this Volume 1 suitable for international students with no foundation in ancient Chinese at all?

The textbook is designed for international undergraduate students with some foundation in Chinese, not for complete beginners. If your modern Chinese is reasonably good but you have never studied ancient Chinese, you can start with the texts for classroom instruction under a teacher's guidance, first becoming familiar with the common words and basic knowledge; if your Chinese foundation is weak, it is advisable to strengthen your modern Chinese reading ability before using this textbook.

How should the texts for classroom instruction and the texts for reading be used together?

The texts for classroom instruction are taught in class and are suitable for close reading under the teacher's explanation, with emphasis on mastering words, sentence patterns, and points of basic knowledge; the texts for reading are for extracurricular reading. It is recommended to read them on your own after finishing the instructional texts of the same unit, first trying to understand without looking at the annotations, then checking the annotations and the explanations of common words to fill gaps, thereby testing the results of your study.

Do I need to memorize all ten common words in each unit?

The common words are selected on the basis of words appearing in the selected texts, and the focus of study is on understanding their meaning and usage in specific contexts. It is recommended to memorize them in connection with the original sentences in the texts rather than reciting entries in isolation; you may give priority to words that recur in the texts for classroom instruction, while for words encountered in the texts for reading it is enough to understand them with the help of the annotations, as they will reappear in later units.

What is the relationship between the basic knowledge of ancient Chinese section and the selected texts and exercises?

The basic knowledge section introduces knowledge such as Chinese characters, vocabulary, reference books, the flexible use of word classes, word order, grammatical rules, and function words, and is a summary explanation of the linguistic phenomena in the selected texts. It is recommended to read the selected texts and do the exercises first, then read the basic knowledge section, using that knowledge to explain problems encountered in the exercises and returning to the selected texts to find examples, thus moving back and forth between knowledge and application.

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About the author

张联荣 Author

Zhang Lianrong is a Chinese book author about whom limited public information is available. What can be confirmed is that his main contribution lies in the compilation and preparation of teaching materials for Ancient Chinese and in organizing knowledge of language and writing. Two of his works are included in the library: the first and second volumes of Ancient Chinese, commonly classified under language and writing and under examination preparation. Judging from the titles and categories, this textbook set is intended for Ancient Chinese course study and exam review, and its content presumably covers basic areas such as classical vocabulary, grammar, characters, and reading practice. The division into two volumes makes it convenient for semester-by-semester or topic-by-topic use. The writing orientation is practical and teaching-oriented, with chapter arrangements and explanations centered on classroom needs, making it suitable as supplementary reading for relevant university courses or for self-study and exam preparation. Because no reliable public sources are available regarding the author's life, education, or positions, no inferences are made here; readers may consult the textbook's structure and format to gain a basic understanding of his work in preparing Ancient Chinese teaching materials.

刘子瑜 Author

Liu Ziyu: publicly available information is limited, and the confirmable details come mainly from two representative works, Ancient Chinese (Volume One) and Ancient Chinese (Volume Two). In library classifications, these two works fall under language and writing as well as examinations, indicating that their content both presents systematic instruction in ancient Chinese knowledge and takes into account learners' revision and exam preparation needs. Judging from the titles and classifications, the books address beginning and intermediate readers of ancient Chinese and may cover basic areas such as script, phonology, vocabulary, grammar, and selected texts, with an emphasis on understanding and using classical Chinese materials. Divided into two volumes, the work is convenient for teaching arrangements and self-study, and is suitable as a course textbook or examination reference. Because details of the author's life and academic background are currently unavailable, no speculation is made here; this note briefly introduces the subject matter and purpose of the works for readers' reference.