Complete Collection of Chinese Proverbs (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Wen Duanzheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: Proverbs are divided into three major categories: proverbial sayings (expressive proverbs), alliterative sayings (quoting proverbs), and idiomatic expressions (descriptive proverbs). Proverbial sayings convey reasoning or judgments and impart knowledge or experience. This book is divided into two parts. The upper part collects approximately 100,000 proverbial sayings commonly used in spoken language, while the lower part lists about 13,000 entries (excluding variants) and compiles proverbial sayings. The entries in both parts are primarily arranged in phonetic order. For entries with the same first character, they are ordered by stroke count, with fewer strokes listed first. For entries with the same first character, they are arranged by the phonetic order of the second character, and so on. Entries with the same first character, similar structural forms, and basic meanings but minor differences in expression are treated as main entries, with earlier or more common variants listed as subentries or variants. In the upper part, subentries are indented one level below the main entries, while in the lower part, variants are appended to the main entries in the form "× quoted as '××'". The upper part generally does not include phonetic annotations or definitions, but explanatory notes are provided for entries that are difficult to understand. In the lower part, the source of entries is often marked as "Source," while "Source of" is used when the corresponding phrase in the source differs significantly from the entry. Examples from ancient (before the Qing Dynasty, including the Qing Dynasty) classics are included as much as possible, while contemporary examples focus on famous works by renowned authors. Generally, only one example from earlier works or commonly used entries is cited, while other sources are listed with "Also found in" indicating the book title, chapter name, or section. At the end of the book, a "Bibliography" and a "Pinyin Index" are appended.