Classics at a Glance: A Journey Through Classical Novels for Middle School Students

Author: Wu Chucai
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: This book, due to the short and concise selected articles, many of which are widely acclaimed and easy to memorize, has been favored by readers for nearly three centuries since its publication and has also been widely circulated among the general public. The compilers of Guwen Guanzhi were Wu Chengquan and Wu Daizhu, cousins from Shanyin (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang) in the early Qing Dynasty. Chengquan, styled Chucai, dedicated his life to studying classical Chinese and had a fondness for reading classics and historical texts. In 1676 (the 15th year of the Kangxi reign), he assisted his teacher in teaching his older brother's son in Fuzhou, and later devoted his entire life to teaching. In addition to participating in the compilation of Guwen Guanzhi, he also collaborated with Zhou Zhijiang and Zhou Zhican to compile a popular historical reader, Gangjian Yizhi Lù, using Zhu Xi's Tongjian Gangmu style. Daizhu, styled Diao Hou, was also a lover of "ancient studies" and possessed outstanding talent. His main life experience was teaching alongside his older brother in their hometown. Guwen Guanzhi is a collection of exquisite classical Chinese selected with a sharp perspective, the most brilliant, valuable, and representative works from the vast Chinese literary sea. Thus, this book is also the most outstanding classical Chinese selection.