{"id":2108,"date":"2024-09-16T21:54:45","date_gmt":"2024-09-16T21:54:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/?p=2108"},"modified":"2025-04-09T18:57:45","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T18:57:45","slug":"what-is-classical-chinese-and-why-is-it-important","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/2024\/09\/16\/what-is-classical-chinese-and-why-is-it-important\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Classical Chinese and Why is it Important?"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"2108\" class=\"elementor elementor-2108\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-383892d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"383892d\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-95e3d84\" data-id=\"95e3d84\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b628075 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b628075\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>Classical Chinese, also known as literary Chinese, is a form of writing that defined writing and literature in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam for centuries, but what is it? <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b2698f1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b2698f1\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e333edc\" data-id=\"e333edc\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-02918cc elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"02918cc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.23.0 - 15-07-2024 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What is Classical Chinese?<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0d62e11 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0d62e11\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d16643b\" data-id=\"d16643b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f879369 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f879369\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tClassical Chinese (<ruby>\u6587\u8a00\u6587<rt>w\u00e9n y\u00e1n w\u00e9n<\/rt><\/ruby>) is a literary language that was once used in China and across East Asia as the defacto way of communicating through writing. Its roots go back to the earliest Chinese classics, and it remained relatively unchanged for centuries. Let\u2019s take a look at some basic background information so we can understand its function and role in East Asia:\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-fbe13d1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"fbe13d1\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-616650e\" data-id=\"616650e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-168cfaa elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"168cfaa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li>Classical Chinese is written with Chinese characters, which don\u2019t explicitly tell the reader exactly how they\u2019re pronounced<\/li><li>Classical Chinese is meant to emulate the earliest Chinese texts, so it hasn\u2019t changed much over time<\/li><li>There are a multitude of dialects spoken within China, which have all been evolving over centuries<\/li><li>Communicating over long distances requires a form of writing that anyone can learn to read, regardless of dialect or language spoken<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e4af5fa elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e4af5fa\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-290b0bb\" data-id=\"290b0bb\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-765422a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"765422a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>To put it simply, Classical Chinese was useful as a language that anyone could learn to read and write, regardless of what dialect of Chinese (or any other language) they spoke.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>While spoken language changes rapidly, Classical Chinese was intentionally left as untouched as possible, so that any person could learn and use it. It\u2019s for this reason that many neighboring countries (Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, for example), adopted and used Classical Chinese as their written language, especially when communicating with China or each other. It\u2019s important to note that no one has actually \u201cspoken\u201d classical Chinese for two thousand years. Also, Classical Chinese and \u201cTraditional Chinese\u201d are completely unrelated concepts! Classical Chinese is China\u2019s ancient written language, whereas Traditional Chinese refers to Chinese characters as they existed before being simplified in the mid 20th century.<\/p>\n<p>A great way to understand how Classical Chinese was used would be to look at how Latin was used in Europe to communicate between countries who spoke different languages!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-658c663 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"658c663\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-5175d88\" data-id=\"5175d88\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-11f8207 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"11f8207\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">When was Classical Chinese used?<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-39824aa elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"39824aa\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9ac3bd6\" data-id=\"9ac3bd6\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9dbd0f6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9dbd0f6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Classical Chinese was used in China from the 5th century BCE until it was eventually replaced with vernacular Chinese (Chinese written the way it\u2019s spoken) following the May 4th Movement in 1919. This gives us an impressive 2,500 year run! Japan, Korea, and Vietnam all followed suit in the early 20th century, but for hundreds of years correspondence between these nations would have all been written in Classical Chinese.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4bedc6c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4bedc6c\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e565046\" data-id=\"e565046\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b3fb38d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b3fb38d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Character-istics of Classical Chinese<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4169f59 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4169f59\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4e8f5a1\" data-id=\"4e8f5a1\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e51d1e8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e51d1e8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Classical Chinese has many characteristics which make it very distinct from Mandarin. After all, while it can be read out loud in Mandarin (or Japanese, actually) it is its own language!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-23c4945 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"23c4945\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-48f44f1\" data-id=\"48f44f1\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e3a3e9f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e3a3e9f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Distinct particles<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5623d9c elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5623d9c\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f349a88\" data-id=\"f349a88\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9fe3735 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9fe3735\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Classical Chinese is littered with fancy particles that serve grammatical functions. Some of the most common include:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f4db6b5 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f4db6b5\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-24a1ba2\" data-id=\"24a1ba2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fb61225 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fb61225\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul>\n \t<li><strong><ruby>\u4e4b<rt>zh\u012b<\/rt><\/ruby><\/strong>: Possessive particle or 3rd person pronoun<\/li>\n \t<li><strong><ruby>\u4e4e<rt>h\u016b<\/rt><\/ruby><\/strong>: Indicates a question or location<\/li>\n \t<li><strong><ruby>\u8005<rt>zh\u011b<\/rt><\/ruby><\/strong>: Used to indicate a class of persons or things<\/li>\n \t<li><strong><ruby>\u4e5f<rt>y\u011b<\/rt><\/ruby><\/strong>: Used to indicate a judgment or explanation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b06dddd elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b06dddd\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-01c12c2\" data-id=\"01c12c2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f37e0b0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f37e0b0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>These particles can still be found in Mandarin to some capacity, but they\u2019re so prevalent in Classical Chinese that there\u2019s even a word \u201c\u4e4b\u4e4e\u8005\u4e5f\u201d which refers to literary jargon or archaisms.<\/p><p>See if you can spot some in this sentence!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-fbf5c4f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"fbf5c4f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bdb9416\" data-id=\"bdb9416\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-016d28c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"016d28c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong><ruby>\u592b\u5b50\u4e4b\u6c42\u4e4b\u4e5f<rt>f\u016b z\u01d0 zh\u012b qi\u00fa zh\u012b y\u011b<\/rt><\/ruby>\u3001<ruby>\u5176\u8af8\u7570\u4e4e\u4eba\u4e4b\u6c42\u4e4b\u8207<rt>q\u00ed zh\u016b y\u00ec h\u016b r\u00e9n zh\u012b qi\u00fa zh\u012b y\u00fa<\/rt><\/ruby>\u3002<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c24754b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c24754b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d8b5849\" data-id=\"d8b5849\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-548c549 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"548c549\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u201cHis way of obtaining [it] differs from that of other people.\u201d<br \/>-Analects of Confucius<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6232957 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6232957\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1b2116f\" data-id=\"1b2116f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-040c738 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"040c738\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Words are usually one character<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7a43914 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7a43914\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e827592\" data-id=\"e827592\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-975ca2c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"975ca2c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Unlike Mandarin, which has countless words composed of two or more characters, Classical Chinese usually sticks to one. Here are some examples:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-359b0a6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"359b0a6\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9d788c7\" data-id=\"9d788c7\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e87dac8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e87dac8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul>\n \t<li><ruby>\u77e5\u9053<rt>zh\u012b d\u00e0o<\/rt><\/ruby> &gt; <strong><ruby>\u77e5<rt>zh\u012b<\/rt><\/ruby><\/strong> (to know)<\/li>\n \t<li><ruby>\u5b89\u975c<rt>\u0101n j\u00ecng<\/rt><\/ruby> &gt; <strong><ruby>\u975c<rt>j\u00ecng<\/rt><\/ruby> <\/strong>(quiet)<\/li>\n \t<li><ruby>\u958b\u59cb<rt>k\u0101i sh\u01d0<\/rt><\/ruby> &gt;<strong><ruby>\u59cb<rt>sh\u01d0<\/rt><\/ruby> <\/strong>(to begin)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2085e27 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2085e27\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ab0d122\" data-id=\"ab0d122\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b787267 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b787267\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>As you can see, a lot of Mandarin words with two characters will often contain a character that might\u2019ve been used on its own to mean the same thing in Classical Chinese, but this isn\u2019t always the case!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7d45019 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7d45019\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-db85632\" data-id=\"db85632\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0cef115 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0cef115\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Concise and to the point<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7feb5d8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7feb5d8\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6cdd725\" data-id=\"6cdd725\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a0706d6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a0706d6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Interestingly enough, Classical Chinese can be difficult to understand precisely because it uses words so sparingly. When translated directly into English word by word, it can read almost \u201ccaveman-like\u201d. What\u2019s funny is that Classical Chinese is often translated into very wordy English to capture the literary feel of it, so English translations often end up significantly longer and more complicated than the original.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-2127fe0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"2127fe0\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-147282a\" data-id=\"147282a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6a027eb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6a027eb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong><ruby>\u5343\u91cc\u4e4b\u884c\u59cb\u65bc\u8db3\u4e0b<rt>qi\u0101n l\u01d0 zh\u012b x\u00edng sh\u01d0 y\u00fa z\u00fa xi\u00e0<\/rt><\/ruby>\u3002<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8fca624 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8fca624\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a91aea5\" data-id=\"a91aea5\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c41bc1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2c41bc1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>| Thousand | mile | of | journey | begin | at | foot | down | .<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-212967f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"212967f\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-94b6208\" data-id=\"94b6208\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-13d6a54 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"13d6a54\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>&#8220;A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.&#8221;<br \/>-Dao De Jing<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-76e9629 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"76e9629\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b0de2fd\" data-id=\"b0de2fd\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f18ebc6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f18ebc6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>As you can see, the English translation for this famous aphorism almost has to work harder than the original to make it \u201csound fancy\u201d. This is a fun quirk of Classical Chinese, but this very pared down and direct style of writing can actually be incredibly difficult to understand when the subject matter gets more complicated.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-89c04f6 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"89c04f6\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4121b77\" data-id=\"4121b77\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8b8ca51 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8b8ca51\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Classical Chinese in the modern world\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1aa9898 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1aa9898\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-98fd23f\" data-id=\"98fd23f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8470440 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8470440\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Nowadays, Classical Chinese is still taught in schools in China and Japan and is considered an important part of education. On top of its cultural and literary value, Classical Chinese is also baked into many sayings, idioms, and expressions, which are often quotes from important pieces of literature and used in daily life. In the case of Mandarin, more technical or literary writing also tends to lean more towards Classical Chinese grammar and vocabulary. You can think of the \u201ctechnicality\u201d scale of Chinese as a slider between colloquial, casual Chinese and rigid Classical Chinese:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e2fa8c8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e2fa8c8\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-bbe66bf\" data-id=\"bbe66bf\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b70455d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b70455d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong><ruby>\u9019\u500b\u4e8b\u60c5\u771f\u6c92\u610f\u601d<rt>zh\u00e8 ge sh\u00ec q\u00edng zh\u0113n m\u00e9i y\u00ec si<\/rt><\/ruby>\u3002<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ea8b7d3 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ea8b7d3\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-21606c8\" data-id=\"21606c8\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d4658ec elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d4658ec\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u201cThis stuff is boring.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f5f9917 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f5f9917\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6bc10a0\" data-id=\"6bc10a0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-36253f5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"36253f5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong><ruby>\u9019\u4ef6\u4e8b\u6c92\u6709\u610f\u7fa9<rt>zh\u00e8 ji\u00e0n sh\u00ec m\u00e9i y\u01d2u y\u00ec y\u00ec<\/rt><\/ruby>\u3002<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-8271e1e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"8271e1e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b66db2e\" data-id=\"b66db2e\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3dda601 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3dda601\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u201cThis matter is meaningless.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-280ceac elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"280ceac\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0d8154a\" data-id=\"0d8154a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-baa6113 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"baa6113\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong><ruby>\u6b64\u4e8b\u6beb\u7121\u610f\u7fa9<rt>c\u01d0 sh\u00ec h\u00e1o w\u00fa y\u00ec y\u00ec<\/rt><\/ruby>\u3002<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-007db00 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"007db00\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-addea82\" data-id=\"addea82\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ef878a8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ef878a8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>\u201cThis affair is veritably bereft of meaning.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6721d54 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6721d54\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-098df14\" data-id=\"098df14\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-462d5a5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"462d5a5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Note how in order to capture the \u201cclassical-ness\u201d of the formal writing, the English gets longer and more verbose, while the Chinese gets shorter and more concise.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-60a183e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"60a183e\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-38293b9\" data-id=\"38293b9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0ea8e2a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"0ea8e2a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Value of Classical Chinese\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-501d512 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"501d512\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-229809a\" data-id=\"229809a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-730a520 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"730a520\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Essentially, pretty much anything put to writing in China before the early 20th century was written in Classical Chinese. That means that over 2000 years of poetry, literature, stories, history, and correspondence with other East Asian countries has been written down in one language. Classical Chinese might be challenging to learn, but when compared to Europe\u2019s convoluted linguistic history, it\u2019s truly amazing how much this literary language has to offer. Learners of Classical Chinese will be able to read letters written from Ghengis Khan to the Emperor of Japan, ancient books of divination, works of profound philosophy, calligraphy, and journals written by people centuries ago\u2013there really isn\u2019t a more accessible window into the past than Classical Chinese.<\/p><p>On top of the cultural value of Classical Chinese, its tendency to rear its head in technical Chinese also makes it a valuable challenge for learners of Mandarin. After all, if you have some basic Classical knowhow, fancy Mandarin won\u2019t scare you anymore!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-bcdf000 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"bcdf000\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-79db875\" data-id=\"79db875\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a2a61ec elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a2a61ec\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How do I learn it?<\/h3>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-b839dae elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"b839dae\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e7c46e0\" data-id=\"e7c46e0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-64fcac7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"64fcac7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>A foundation in Mandarin is extremely important when trying to tackle Classical Chinese, especially when you consider that learning material in English is much harder to find than Mandarin resources. That being said, one good way to attack Classical Chinese is to pick a text that interests you, and find a translation in either Mandarin or your native language. Usually, Classical Chinese is much easier to decipher when you already know what it means. Once you know the meaning of a sentence, going in and picking it apart to understand what\u2019s happening can be a fun and rewarding challenge!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-05d454a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"05d454a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ace980f\" data-id=\"ace980f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44536fd elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"44536fd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Pave the way to classical mastery!\n<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-9b3d498 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9b3d498\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-89236d0\" data-id=\"89236d0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-99b5171 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"99b5171\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>While we don\u2019t offer texts written in Classical Chinese, you can check out&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.outlier-linguistics.com\/products\/intro-literary-classical-chinese?srsltid=AfmBOoosLNCJefeGsDWbwtEGalfjRdJ4t2DIaPO3PunjDzwCv05SrWsw\" target=\"_blank\">Outlier Linguistic&#8217;s Intro to Literary\/Classical Chinese course<\/a>. If you are interested in Chinese literature, dive into the adaptations of ancient Chinese stories on Du Chinese.&nbsp;<span style=\"font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight );\">Why not read our take on&nbsp;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/lessons\/courses\/117-hua-mulan\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight );\">Mulan<\/a><span style=\"font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight );\">,&nbsp;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/lessons\/courses\/28-three-kingdoms-1-the-beauty-trap\" target=\"_blank\" style=\"font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight );\">Romance of the Three Kingdoms<\/a><span style=\"font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; font-weight: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-weight );\">, or other important pieces of Chinese literature!<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Classical Chinese, also known as literary Chinese, is a form of writing that defined writing and literature in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam for centuries, but what is it? What is Classical Chinese? Classical Chinese (\u6587\u8a00\u6587w\u00e9n y\u00e1n w\u00e9n) is a literary language that was once used in China and across East Asia as the defacto&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2130,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false},"categories":[2,5,6],"tags":[14,17,19],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Classical-Chinese.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2108"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2108"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2108\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2701,"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2108\/revisions\/2701"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2108"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2108"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/duchinese.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}