Hocbigg - Classical Chinese
Contents
Summary
The Classical Chinese curriculum is a complete education in Classical Chinese (文言文) using online materials.
The focus is on reading comprehension, grammatical mastery, textual analysis, and cultural/historical context, with balanced attention to theory (grammar and philology), practice (translation and reading), and synthesis (interpretation and application).
The resource page can be found here: classical-chinese/resources.
Organization
This repository is organized into 2 main components:
- Core Curriculum (this page): the foundational knowledge of the field;
- Advanced Topics: focused study in specific areas;
Process: Learners may work through the curriculum independently or collaboratively, and either sequentially or selectively.
- For simplicity, courses in the Core Curriculum are ordered according to their prerequisites.
- The Core Curriculum provides a shared foundation and is intended to be completed in full.
- Advanced Topics are optional; learners are encouraged to select one area of focus and complete all courses within that topic.
Note: When there are courses or books that don't fit into the curriculum but are otherwise of high quality, they belong in extras/courses, extras/readings.
Communities
- Forums: Chinese-Forums (Classical Chinese section)
- Subreddits: r/classicalchinese
- Discord servers: Classical East Asian Languages
- You can also interact through GitHub issues. If there is a problem with a course, or a change needs to be made to the curriculum, this is the place to start the conversation. Read more here.
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Join our Discord server (for discussions around this and other curricula):
Curriculum
- Foundations of Classical Chinese
- Core Classical Chinese Texts
- Literary Culture
- Later Intellectual Traditions
How to use this curriculum
Core
These four sections form the essential foundation. Work through them one after another — do not skip or jump ahead.
-
I. Foundations of Classical Chinese
Start here. This part teaches you how to read and understand the language itself. -
II. Core Classical Chinese Texts
Next, read the most influential early texts that shaped the entire tradition. Finish both subsections (3 and 4) before moving on. -
III. Literary Culture
Then move into the major literary forms (poetry and prose). Complete both subsections (5 and 6). -
IV. Later Intellectual Traditions (only the first subsection: Song Thought)
Finish the curriculum by studying how the earlier ideas were reinterpreted in later centuries. Read the “Song Thought” part of section 7.
Once you have completed this Core path, you will have a coherent, well-rounded understanding of Classical Chinese language, major texts, literary tradition, and its intellectual development — equivalent to the core of an undergraduate major.
Advanced
After finishing the Core path, choose one or both of the following tracks depending on your interests:
- Advanced Daoism (the second part of section 7): Choose this track if you are especially drawn to philosophical imagination, paradox, and non-Confucian ways of thinking.
- Deeper focus on poetry: Return to section 5 and read more widely in Tang poetry (or continue with other poets) if you love concise, emotional, and imagistic writing.
Foundations of Classical Chinese
1. Core Language System
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introductory Grammar | It teaches you the basic sentence structures and rules needed to read classical texts without modern Chinese grammar getting in the way. | Paul Rouzer – A New Practical Primer of Literary Chinese (Harvard University Press preview & details) (Archive.org borrow may be available in some regions; full free access limited) | — |
| Particles & Syntax | It helps you understand how small words and word order create meaning in classical sentences. | — | Wikibooks: Classical Chinese |
| Lexicon & Word Meanings | It gives you the precise classical meanings of characters, which are often very different from modern usage. | — | Chinese Text Project Dictionary |
2. Reading & Parsing Skills
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graded Reading | It builds your ability to read real classical sentences step by step with increasing difficulty. | Rouzer (same as above) | — |
| Annotated Classical Texts | It shows you how experts explain difficult passages, so you can learn to understand them yourself. | — | Chinese Text Project (ctext.org) |
| Parallel Translations | It lets you compare the original text with clear English versions to quickly grasp meaning and style. | — | CTP + Legge & Watson public-domain translations |
Core Classical Chinese Texts
3. Early Prose and Thought (Pre-Qin)
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Confucius, Mozi, Laozi, Zhuangzi | These texts form the foundation of Chinese philosophy and give you the core ideas that shaped Chinese thought for over 2000 years. | Ivanhoe & Van Norden – Readings in Classical Chinese Philosophy | Chinese Text Project |
| Grammar in Context | It teaches you how classical grammar actually works in famous real texts instead of abstract rules. | Fuller – Introduction to Literary Chinese (Archive.org borrow) | — |
4. Qin–Han Historical and Administrative Prose
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shiji, Hanshu | They are the most important historical works in Chinese tradition and teach you how early historians narrated events and people. | Selections from Records of the Grand Historian (Burton Watson translation, Qin dynasty focus; Han volumes also available) | Chinese Text Project |
| Historiographic Style | It helps you recognize the special narrative techniques and language used in official Chinese historical writing. | — | CUHK Classics of Chinese Humanities (Coursera) |
Literary Culture
5. Poetry
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shi, Yuefu, Ci | These forms contain some of the most beautiful and emotionally powerful expressions in Chinese literature. | Stephen Owen – Anthology | Paula Varsano YouTube (lecture series on Classical Chinese Poetry) |
| Tang Poetry | Tang poems represent the highest achievement in Chinese poetic art and give you mastery of concise, vivid imagery. | Li Bai & Du Fu (public-domain selections) | Chinese Text Project |
6. Prose and Literary Style
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guwen (Ancient-Style Prose) | It teaches you the clear, elegant prose style that became the model for serious writing for over a thousand years. | Han Yu & Liu Zongyuan (Archive.org selections) (collections including their works) | CUHK Coursera |
Later Intellectual Traditions
7. Neo-Confucianism and Daoism
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|---|
| Song Thought | It shows how later thinkers reinterpreted and deepened classical Confucian ideas into a complete philosophical system. | Sources of Chinese Tradition Vol. 1 | CUHK Coursera |
| Advanced Daoism | It gives you deeper insight into Daoist philosophy through its most sophisticated and imaginative text. | Zhuangzi (Watson) (full translation) | Chinese Text Project |
Final Projects
Project Options:
- Annotated translation of a medium-length text (e.g., one Zhuangzi chapter or Tang poem cycle, 2000–5000 characters).
- Research essay comparing themes across texts (e.g., "Concepts of Dao in Laozi and Zhuangzi").
- Critical edition/exegesis of a short passage with commentary.
Congratulations
After completing the requirements of the curriculum above, you will have completed the equivalent of a full bachelor's degree in Classical Chinese. Congratulations!