Notebook selections to read

Author: Lu Shuxiang (Compiler)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1992-01-01
Features: The motivation for compiling this book is to provide reading materials for young learners of classical Chinese. Current Chinese language textbooks, due to various constraints, often select classical Chinese passages that pay little attention to the learners' interests. Meanwhile, the selections in textbooks are mostly from specialized books or collections, with a preference for archaic styles, which are suitable or should be read but not necessarily imitated. The authors of these notes did not deliberately write for literary effect; they simply wrote when inspired, producing "substance-over-form" texts with a more straightforward and natural style, closer to modern language, and easier to learn. If modern youth still have a need to write classical Chinese, this style of writing might be more useful. I hope this book can make some supplementary and corrective contributions in both content and language. The notes vary in type, and a rough standard was set during selection: supernatural tales, legends, and fiction were excluded, as were works on textual criticism, historical research, poetry discussions, and literary reviews. The exclusion of the former is not out of a desire to dispel superstition but rather because Six Dynasties supernatural tales and Tang Dynasty legends can be selected separately, and others have already done a better job. The exclusion of the latter is because the content may not be appreciated by young readers, and the language is often rigid and uninteresting. Therefore, the selected pieces mostly deal with human emotions, describe natural phenomena, record humorous anecdotes of the time, or narrate local customs, directly engaging with real life. These texts seem to form a certain unity. The (free-style notes) also consider this type as their main form. The book includes nine types of notes, selecting nearly one hundred entries. Brief annotations are provided after each piece, though there may be shortcomings in their detail. Some common expressions are explained, while obscure terms that can be easily found in dictionaries are sometimes omitted, differing from traditional annotations. Additionally, a "Discussion" section is included, mostly aimed at connecting readers' experiences, observations, and reading materials, hoping to cultivate a better reading habit. Written over time and originally published as fillers in Chinese language magazines, this collection is now being published as a standalone volume. The preface explains the background of its compilation.