Compilation of Popular Expressions

翟灏Jun 2024

4.0

Word count: 163K words
Chapters: 28

Summary

The intellectual traditions of China are of long standing and remarkable originality, inventiveness, and literary quality. Early forms of thought are highly distinctive: religious and theological writings, classical medical texts, ancient military treatises, Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist, and other schools of thought, feng shui and metaphysical studies, the Twenty-Four Histories, and works on customs and local geography are all vast and profound in content. This series, "Essence of Chinese Classical Culture: Original Texts," preserves the appearance of the original books and focuses on preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers can cultivate their temperament and subtly appreciate the classics of Chinese learning.

Editor's review

Tongsu Bian is a notebook-style work by Zhai Hao that collects and explains colloquial sayings, dialect terms, and everyday expressions. Its strength lies in tracing seemingly ordinary words to their sources and arranging examples in parallel, letting readers see the documentary lineage and linguistic shifts behind common sayings. It is not a lofty scholarly treatise on exegesis but closer to a language-and-culture reference that can be searched, browsed, and read with notes taken along the way. This edition belongs to the "Classic Chinese Studies Essence Cultural Original Texts" series, preserving the original book's appearance and focusing on conserving and transmitting traditional thought and culture; its reading value thus lies both in the content itself and in observing ancient social life and habits of expression through the entries. It suits readers interested in Chinese vocabulary, folk expressions, and classical notebooks, and also serves writers, editors, and language teachers as a source of reference clues. It is best treated as a desk book that is both utilitarian and enjoyable—skipping among entries, comparing, and excerpting is more effective than forcing a cover-to-cover read.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in Chinese colloquial sayings, dialect, and the origins of vocabulary
Language teachers and editors who need to check word usage and documentary references
Readers of history and literature who enjoy classical notebooks, folk expressions, and language culture
Readers of traditional culture willing to browse by entry and keep reading notes

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking a systematic modern Chinese lexicology textbook
Beginners needing complete vernacular translations and detailed annotations for every entry
Those expecting a coherent, readable popular storybook

Reading tips

Begin by browsing the table of contents or index, start with sayings you already know, then gradually expand to related entries.
Keep a notebook recording entries, sources, and examples for later reference in writing or teaching.
When encountering obscure terms, cross-check with classical texts and reference works rather than rushing to read the whole book at once.
Read in thematic groups—titles and forms of address, customs, everyday objects—to observe the relationship between vocabulary and life.

版权信息
卷一天文
卷二地理
卷三时间
卷四伦常
卷五仕进
卷六政治
卷七文学
卷八武功
卷十夜不收
卷十一品目
卷十二行事
卷十三工夫
卷十四
卷十五
卷十六
卷十七
卷十八
卷十九神鬼
卷二十
卷二十一
卷二十二
卷二十三饮食
卷二十四
卷二十五
卷二十六
卷二十七
卷二十八故事

FAQ

What kind of book is Tongsu Bian?

It collects and explains colloquial sayings, dialect, and everyday expressions, emphasizing the tracing of word origins and the parallel arrangement of documentary examples. It has the character of a notebook and a compilation of materials, suited to browsing and reference rather than systematic study.

Is this edition suitable for readers with no grounding in classical Chinese?

Not very. The series description states that it preserves the original book's appearance and focuses on conserving and transmitting traditional culture, so reading may require some classical Chinese ability and the use of reference works.

How can one read Tongsu Bian efficiently?

It is advisable to skip among entries, starting with familiar sayings, recording sources and examples, and then expanding to related entries. Treat it as a desk reference; this is more effective than reading from beginning to end.

What can readers gain from this book?

They can learn the documentary lineage of colloquial sayings, dialect, and everyday expressions, observe habits of expression in ancient social life, and find reference clues for writing, editing, and language teaching.

Comments

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About the author

翟灏 Author

Zhai Hao was a Qing-dynasty scholar whose biographical details are scarce in publicly available sources; neither his dates nor his native place and official career can be firmly established. He is known to later generations chiefly through his book Tongsu Bian, and another work, Taiyang Biji, also survives, with three of his works held in the collection. In subject matter, Tongsu Bian gathers colloquial expressions, dialect terms, and common sayings from successive eras, classifying them and tracing their origins and development; it combines a compilation of linguistic materials with folklore research and remains a useful reference for the study of Chinese colloquial expressions and Qing-era popular vocabulary. Taiyang Biji concerns observations of Taiwan and preserves some records of local customs. Zhai Hao's writing emphasizes documentary organization and evidential scholarship, in a plain and practical style without rhetorical embellishment. His works are occasionally cited by later scholars of linguistics and local history, marking him as a scholar distinguished by solid command of source materials.