Middle school students must learn classical Chinese poems

Author: Ji Hengquan, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2000-10-01
Features: The "Recommended Ancient Poems and Prose for Memorization" appendix in both the "Trial Revision Edition of the Teaching Syllabus for Compulsory Education in Primary Schools" and the "Trial Revision Edition of the Teaching Syllabus for Compulsory Education in Junior High Schools," formulated by the Ministry of Education of China, have been officially promulgated. This is a pioneering achievement. The authors sincerely welcome it. This is of great importance for further strengthening patriotic education and the education of outstanding traditional Chinese culture, cultivating moral character, fostering aesthetic ability, and comprehensively improving the quality of primary and secondary school students. It also holds profound significance for improving the Chinese language education in primary and secondary schools.
To meet the needs of primary and secondary schools, the authors have compiled three small books—Essential Ancient Poems for Primary School Students, Essential Ancient Poems for Junior High School Students, and Essential Classical Chinese for Junior High School Students—to present to readers. The ancient poems and prose selected in these three books are based on the recommended lists from the two syllabi. The original list was arranged in chronological order according to historical development. Considering the comprehension and acceptance abilities of primary and secondary school students, the authors have reorganized these must-remember poems into three age groups for primary school (low, middle, and high) and no age groups for junior high school, striving for a gradual progression from simple to complex to facilitate memorization and understanding by young students.
To assist students in reading and memorizing the original ancient texts, the authors have not only added Pinyin annotations but also compiled "Read Along" (for primary school) and "Translation" (for junior high). The translations are written in modern Chinese while striving to preserve the original poetic imagery and maintaining a roughly rhyming structure for ease of recitation. Reading these translations may help students better understand the original poems, making memorization easier. Additionally, the authors have included "Help with Comprehension" (for primary school) and "Clarifying Doubts" (for junior high), as well as "Guide to Appreciation" (for primary school) and "Analysis and Appreciation" (for junior high). The former provides annotations for difficult words and phrases in the original poems, while the latter offers concise explanations and analyses. These sections are not intended for students to fully grasp but serve as references for teachers and parents when guiding students in their studies.
The final section of Essential Ancient Poems for Primary School Students—"Let’s Think About It," "Let’s Do It," or "Let’s Try It"—is a small attempt to adapt to the characteristics of young students, blending memorization with fun and thought. The junior high school edition of ancient poems includes only the first four sections, and the classical Chinese is not translated into modern Chinese. This approach saves space and reduces the burden on students.