Readings in Modern Chinese

Author: Liu Jian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: When did Modern Chinese begin? When did it end? In other words, where is the boundary between Modern Chinese and Ancient Chinese, or between Modern Chinese and Late Ancient Chinese? This is an issue that has not been seriously discussed. This Readings in Modern Chinese primarily selects and annotates works from the late Tang and Five Dynasties to the Ming Dynasty; it also includes several passages from before the 9th century, such as The Stories of the World, The Hundred Parables, and The Indictment of Liu Zheng, all of which contain colloquial elements. Compared to the later selections, these passages can reveal some aspects of linguistic gradual change. The editor provides brief introductions before each work, which are similar to the explanatory bibliographies mentioned earlier, helping readers understand the value of these works as research materials for Modern Chinese studies. The annotations for each piece are primarily lexical, but also touch on some grammatical issues. Compiling such a readings is an attempt. The author hopes this is a beneficial start, and that in the near future, more works on Modern Chinese will be published, making our research on the history of the Chinese language more comprehensive.