Plain Language Four Books of Traditional Chinese Culture Classic Reader

Author: Huang Pumin et al. (Translation and Annotation)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: August 1, 2003
Features: Since the Han Dynasty, the Spring and Autumn Annals has been regarded as the "Great Classics," while the Records of the Rites (specifically the Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean, Analects, and Mencius) were collectively referred to as the "Small Classics." The great scholar Zhu Xi of the Song Dynasty compiled and annotated these "Small Classics" into a single volume called the Four Books, which has since become the foundational text for Confucian teaching and learning. Many feudal dynasties used the Four Books and the Five Classics as the basis for imperial examinations. For thousands of years, the Four Books have been widely disseminated in China, with many of its passages becoming well-known maxims and aphorisms. Today, it remains a must-read for studying traditional Chinese culture. However, due to the archaic and difficult language of the Four Books, most readers find it challenging to understand. Therefore, our publishing house has invited several experts and scholars to translate the Four Books into colloquial Chinese and provide precise annotations for (words and phrases that are difficult to understand), making it easier for readers to read, comprehend, and absorb the essence of traditional Chinese culture. However, there are still many feudal remnants in the Four Books, and readers are encouraged to discard them.