An Introduction to Reading Classical Chinese Prose

Name: An Introduction to Reading Classical Chinese Prose
ISBN: 9787532555246

鲍善淳Shanghai Classics Publishing House · ChinaFeb 2025

3.9

Word count: 72K words
Chapters: 27
ISBN: 9787532555246

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Summary

Starting from the most basic and essential knowledge, Reading Classical Chinese Prose: A Primer proceeds from the simple to the profound in an engaging, accessible manner, and seeks to draw out general rules that let readers see the whole picture at a glance and extend their understanding from one point to another. To illustrate its points, nearly every chapter provides examples to resolve difficulties, and key sections include detailed tables that reduce complexity to simplicity. In short, its high concentration of knowledge means that a single volume in hand lets readers readily overcome difficulties in reading classical poetry and prose.

Editor's review

As a classic primer published by Shanghai Classics Publishing House, Reading Classical Chinese Prose: A Primer has only grown in value with the passage of time. With a deep grounding in philology, Mr. Bao Shanchun turns the arduous task of reading classical Chinese into a clear, followable path—and this ability to reduce complexity to simplicity is precisely the book's core strength. It does not simply list classical prose pieces with annotations; it systematically builds a framework of thinking for understanding classical Chinese, advancing layer by layer from textual exegesis and syntactic structure to stylistic features and cultural background.

In an age dominated by fragmented reading, this book offers a methodology of "slow reading." It teaches readers not how to "speed-read" a classical text but how to cultivate the ability to converse with ancient texts and to understand the historical evolution and intellectual threads behind words and phrases. Its explanations of function words and special sentence patterns are especially refined, effectively helping readers surmount the structural barriers between classical and modern Chinese.

Compared with similar primers, the book's distinctiveness lies in its balance: it retains academic rigor (evident in its textual sourcing and analysis) without losing pedagogical approachability (through numerous apt examples). It is like a patient guide who both points out the path and warns of wrong turns, so that beginners, before encountering classics such as the Zuo Commentary or the Records of the Grand Historian, first acquire reliable "navigation tools." For readers who genuinely wish to open the door to classical literature rather than merely dip a toe in, this book offers a durable key.

Who it's for

A good fit for

High school or university students interested in learning classical Chinese but lacking a systematic method
Working professionals who wish to improve their grounding in classical Chinese and deepen their understanding of traditional culture
Primary and secondary school language teachers seeking more effective references for teaching classical Chinese
Enthusiasts with some reading background who wish to move from word-level exegesis to a deeper understanding of texts

Not a good fit for

Test-takers seeking quick exam techniques and short-term score boosts
Casual readers expecting abundant entertaining stories or easy vernacular translations

Reading tips

Read in chapter order; the first three chapters on characters and vocabulary are especially important and should not be skipped
Keep a notebook while reading to practice distinguishing word meanings and analyzing sentence patterns using the book's examples
After each chapter, try punctuating a short, unpunctuated classical text (such as a Ming or Qing note) to test what you have learned

About the publisher

Shanghai Classics Publishing House China · Founded in 1956

Shanghai Classics Publishing House is a professional publisher centered on the collation of ancient texts and academic research works. Its publishing areas cover historical readings, classical poetry, folk literature, literary appreciation, canonical works, and Eastern philosophy. Its books include Chen Yinke's A Brief Discussion of the Origins of the Sui and Tang Institutions, Xin Qiji's Chronological Annotated Edition of Jiaxuan's Ci (Simplified Edition), Tang Xianzu's The Peony Pavilion, Liu Xie's The Literary Mind and the Carving of Dragons, as well as New Annotations to Three Hundred Tang Poems (Collector's Edition), Annotated Edition of Han Changli's Collected Works (Simplified Edition, 3 volumes), and Youyang Zazu. Its authors include Chen Yinke, Xin Qiji, Tang Xianzu, Liu Xie, Deng Guangming, Hengtang Tuishi, Han Yu, and Ma Qichang. In terms of publishing characteristics, the house emphasizes collation, annotation, and compilation of ancient texts alongside academic research works, and continues to issue simplified and collector's editions that balance scholarship and accessibility. Public information about the publisher's fuller publishing profile is limited.

版权信息
前言
引言
一、识字与通读
（一）识字
（二）通读
二、确切理解古文词义
（一）分解与合解
（二）古文一词多义
（三）词义的古今
三、认识古文用词的特点
（一）实词用法灵活
（二）虚词古今殊异
四、了解古今句法的差别
（一）古今不同的词序
（二）常见的词语省略
（三）古文的固定句式
五、熟悉古人的行文习惯
（一）用词委婉
（二）援用故实
（三）引经据典
（四）变文避复
（五）词语割裂
（六）避讳改字
六、在阅读实践中提高
（一）熟读与深思
（二）正确使用旧注

FAQ

How does this book differ from Wang Li's Ancient Chinese?

Reading Classical Chinese Prose: A Primer focuses more on guiding reading methods and clearing away common obstacles; it is concise and takes a more specific angle. Ancient Chinese is a systematic textbook covering literary history, selected readings, and general surveys, with a broader framework. This book can serve as a precursor or supplement to the former.

Can readers with no grounding in classical Chinese understand it?

The book is designed precisely for readers with no or weak foundations. The author starts from the basics—the form, sound, and meaning of Chinese characters and the differences between classical and modern word meanings—and proceeds step by step. As long as you can understand modern Chinese and patiently follow the author's reasoning, you can certainly get started.

Are the book's examples too outdated?

Most examples are drawn from core classics such as the Analects and the Records of the Grand Historian, which form the "common foundation" of classical Chinese and are by no means outdated. Mastering these classic examples gives you the general ability to interpret a wider range of classical texts. The method of analyzing these examples is what deserves the most attention for its contemporary value.

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About the author

鲍善淳 Author

Bao Shanchun is an author about whom little public information is available. One work by this author is held in the collection, Reading Classical Chinese: An Introduction. Judging from its title and its usual classification under literary appreciation, the book is intended for beginners in classical Chinese reading, helping them overcome the threshold of literary Chinese and understand the wording, structure, and meaning of ancient texts. Bao Shanchun's writing style is likely plain and clear, progressing from the simple to the deeper, with an emphasis on practical guidance rather than abstruse textual scholarship, making the book suitable as a companion for beginners. Because reliable records of birth and death dates, nationality, education, and career are unavailable, no speculation is offered here. On the available evidence, Bao Shanchun's visible contribution centers on popularizing classical Chinese and on methods of reading, offering beginners an accessible entry point and a place among similar introductory works.