Affecting Contemporary Chinese People: Philosophical and Beautiful Writings

Author: Jia Pingwa
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Contemporary Reading Classics, a collaboration of 490 renowned Chinese and foreign writers, showcasing 650 exquisite works from around the world. This book selects 217 philosophical and aesthetic essays from modern and contemporary Chinese writers, each a rare gem and model. The Chinese language is one of the most beautiful and written languages in the world. Since ancient times, the Chinese have wisely distinguished spoken language from written characters and language. The ancients understood that language would change significantly with the times, while characters remained relatively stable. Therefore, despite the diverse dialects across China and the evolution of language over different eras, classical Chinese has preserved the essence of Chinese culture, serving as a bond for the Chinese nation. However, since the May Fourth Movement, with the rise of vernacular Chinese, traditional classical Chinese gradually "" ( means "" in Chinese, which should be translated as "" in English) from the tools of everyday written expression, replaced by vernacular Chinese, known as modern Chinese. As a result, excellent vernacular Chinese models have become a major cultural cornerstone and new bond for the Chinese nation. Fortunately, after nearly a century of accumulation, modern Chinese has built a rich "linguistic heritage," providing contemporary Chinese with an excellent and abundant language library. This series of Contemporary Reading Classics, selected and edited by the renowned modern writer and essayist Jia Pingwa, is precisely such an outstanding example of modern Chinese text. It serves as a Chinese language textbook for students, a source for learning "standard Chinese" in contemporary China, and an essential read for writing enthusiasts as the wellspring of modern Chinese. The book includes many micro-fiction pieces published in the Beauty of Literature magazine since its inception, such as Moving Towards the Light, Why Does Success Come So Late?, The Lost Phone Book, The Half-Closed Door, and The Last Competitor.