Introduction to literary Chinese [PDF]

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HANDBOUND AT THE



UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO PRESS



INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY CHINESE



BY J.



BRANDT



n FREDERICK UNGAR PUBLISHING COMPANY NEW YORK



WHVERSITY OF TDRORI9



bet



Asiatic



1076432



PREFACE. Hardly does there exist another language in which the spoken style differs so much from the written style as in the Chinese language. And it would not be an exaggeration to say the spoken and that in reality there are two Chinese languages, the written. It is quite natural that every foreigner coming to China who wishes to study Chinese begins with the spoken language. Many fundamental manuals existing on this subject make the student's



But as soon as he has mastered work very easy and interesting. to some extent the spoken Chinese and tries to read the texts of the written style he at once encounters difficulties very hard to His knowledge of the spoken language is of little use overcome. to him because he meets new expressions and unfamiliar forms It is true that explanations given by his of sentence structure. Chinese teacher assist him in getting the meaning of an expression



Seldom however is his teacher able or particle in a given case. to explain to him how a particle is used or a sentence formed. for this analysis of the written style there is no work which may solve his perplexities and answer The result is that many people who numerous questions.



Furthermore systematic his



earnestly wish to study the written Chinese very soon lose their



enthusiasm and stop mid-way.



The aim of the present book is to help the students of the Chinese written style in their difficult task by guiding their first The book is composed of 40 lessons. The steps in its mastery. texts which comprise various styles of literary writing are, in the beginning, very simple. For every new character used, exare so a that given planations person who does not know Chinese at all can start studying this book. For those who know the it may be of no little value in the analysis of the written constructions to have the spoken versions which accompany the written tex.ts in the first ten lessons. The particles of



spoken Chinese



the



written style are



their



grammatical



use.



grouped



in



separate classes according to



very far from the thought that this book wi satisfy completely the acute need of a systemati manual on the Chinese written style. On the contrary, bein quite aware of the hard task which he has assumed, he forese(



The author



be



is



able to



serious defects and oversights in his work and only consoles hin self with the thought that he is on the right path, that the studj



ing of the written Chinese according to his method will not be waste of time and that in the future some other sinologues wi



develop and complete his work in those points in which he not had sufficient ability or time.



The works which have been consulted and made use preparation of this manual and to which the author indebted are enumerated in the Bibliography. It is



recommended before beginning the study



that necessary corrections be the errata.



made



in



is



h;



of in tr great)



of this boc



accordance with the



list




n



vin--- -silver).



TRANSLATION. Lucky and Bad There were



Omens



crows (who) flocked together (in a) and cawed (lit. san^) stretching (their)] court-yard (upon a) necks. hooted at them ( -^ ). (Mis) father asked (lit. (A) boy (some) tree



said),



"What



(is)



the



harm



(in) this



'JjL)?"



aid. "(I



(The) boy



have often heard people say (that when a) magpie chatters, (\\\\ brings) good luck, (an.l when a) crow ci\vs, (it brings) bad luck Today the crows have been cawing, therefore (Jb^f) 1 ha\



HA



hooted



at



experience birds,



The father said, much higher (yJfH^i)



them.'' (are)



"Man's knowledge than



(-f&)



yet (



-"*



2



.look back.



he entered (the house), (and) told



Hurriedly (%.} JJit>



3



(his)



"It (is) the shadow of your (His) sister said, a lamp, (or) going under before are standing you



elder sister.



body-



(When)



the sun, there always (J^i) torgct.



it



(



~*/\'



is



The boy then



a shadow. Cjtt)



How



understood.



is



it



that



you



10



tl.



ml Jtifc wM ~-T* m> A^v



HA I



_



3i'7o 3*7^



i-



^o^



^



?c



T



IHA



A



HK



r=i



SB



Vocabulary. fo 1



many; much; mostly;



mo



4



ink: black; obscure.



often. a



t



-'



5



1



not; out.



//



2



nothing;



with-



^ ;o



to increase; to benefit;

(Let) passers-by



(lit. is).



who was an



was passing under that



a wall (near by) they wrote



illiterate



below) a



(lit.



be careful".



man (^?T3&^-^) "l^SBX J XEJ



By mistake



a nd) hurt his leg.



he trod on the pit(He) shouted loudly



he was dragged out, somebody



(



II



)



point-



ed to the inscription on the wall (and) told him (~/O (about



The villager then (7&) said with a sigh, "If read



(lit.



if



(to



I



knew



me)!"



characters),



how could



I



it).



had been able to



this



have happened



iS



?K



? :



& %



IS]



IB]



M 7k as



7k



*



wi



tlf-



m



T-



ttm^



-V



Z.



7R



*



T ira



Vocabulary. z



-4



lao



JH



^'o 8 (239)



~H^



shen*



Q -^ -A> ,,,-.



HE



r



aged; old. thirst.



ytn



extreme; very; a superlative particle (vid. lesson V). chien 4 to see; to appre-



s



to drink; to swallow.



(4^7) pro deep; found; very; extremely.



ch'ien 3



s/w. (332) superficial; vulgar. to chickexhaust; *



water. pot; a vase; a cup.



to wish; to desire.



sficn 1



hend. shui*



4



ut-



most. -f-t



li*



strength; force; power.



shift1



exhaust chieh-H 4 to one's full strength. shen 1 (824) - to stretch; to



At* -ft



*W/v Afa



to



hui 4



jg



ISM?



a beak; a mouth.



chung



a servant; a soldier. finish; to die. Final-



-JJH"



-tit



fg



'^ j^n



rfs*



1&



the middle; within. chung*to hit



the center; to succeed.



to get; to acquire; to



let



to look up; (308) face upwards; to raise. chief; shou*the head; first; leader.



yang



4 -;'o



fan



as; as if;



to



1



tz 'u



chi"1



fei



hsieri* (5)



mouth.



Jo



and



remainder;



sur-



second;



(83)



next



in



A



time; a turn. to accumulate;



then; thereupon; a particle consequential



sui*



fly



cam'



Rank;



to go



to de-



to go away;



-chuto



3



to pile up. 1 to ascend; to rise. sheng



part. l



4 -



order.



tofly.



ch'u



return; on



plus; balance



con-



to



-to



ten.



(31)



y'u



think;



(215)



shih*



-t



Aw 1 careless; indifferent. Suddenly; instantly.



.



past;



come back.



Like.



if.



3



wang-fan



sider.



/



go;



the contrary.



3



ssu i



l



to



(71)



gone; formerly.



attain /jYrt



1



wang*



ly.



4J3



into;



hand over.



Read



To



throw at or



fo



t'oii*



extend



n& H 9C



stone; rock; miner-



al.



away. t



(vid. lesson



Mg



XVII).



to loosen; to undo. To explain To get rid of; to get free from.



chieh*



official



title.



Notes. here



a superlative particle which



is



indicates the highest degree of a quality, st^te, or action. Similar examples.



very



much



like,



quite right. "



very unsuitable



-



20 (4;tt



m^Jtf



hsiang



1



^



there



mean;



(nig chicn*



-



^vWri* -y TV\ B/V
ttT to dul.



of



t'icH- iiii*



of tin-



I.u .state.



-vulgar; simple.



name of a at



(391)



to



to speak; (617) To be called. say.



five.



1



to grieve; to



Here:



duke



The



feudal state.



the of the



mourn.



name of a Lu state.



-public; just; equit-



able.



man.



/)7/Av. Sir;



Mr.



A



gentle-



27



/w



1



a



a



man;



Read



/'



husband. initial an



to contest.



particle; a final particle.



yung*



demonstrative pronoun. t'ou* (j$i)the head; the top; the chief; the best. .4



tai*



to



(334)



courage;



(594)



brave. shitf



to



food. 1 hsiang



wear on the



head. To sustain.



to



eat;



mutual;



drink; recipro-



cal. 1



a conical cap. The kuan comb or crest of bird. wen 1 elegant. The writ1



ten language;



t



heroic.



literary;



ssu 1



civil.



ch'eng



g



l



to



prop



up;



wu



man-



to



dawn; morn-



ch'eri* (355)



bird's spur;



hsin 4 to belie-ve; confidence.



distant. 8



control;



ing,



a



(641)



to



age.



to stretch out.



ch'ti^



4



to call; to hsiang-hu convoke. duty; loyal; faithful;



military; war-like.



shih*



real;



truth;



genuine; true;



truly. *



to



(59o)



kou 4 (601)



oppose;



to



meet with;



to see.



enemy.



Notes. being



an emphasis



to



J



oined



and therefore



it,



in



to



noun



a



such cases



ex-



is



plained as a demonstrative pronoun. Similar examples. '



pfnTiLSi^^.xvH* I



J



-J



not study (that)



(/K



hsiao*



%l



shih 1



my



children,



,/ N-



Book



of Poetry? to learn;



f



small; 131 hsueh^



poetry; the



Book



(jMiPi* center).



does, he to



is



to



:



study; J^ tt



of Poetry).



that



when he



why do you



man seldom



speaks;



sure to hit the point.



be certain; surely; |-H



chung*



to



hit



the



-



man,



for that



1



(Jt for;



fei Jfglj uJpy



for



whom



-



not;



-*?



4



to



mourn;



an



is



am



I



if



then should



here



t'ung



-



I



not



mourn



to



mourn?



expletive;



wei 4 >0j



who?



^ffr shui*



rfr*



erh"1



i"J



Hie



here: "then").



b



'



tK M^SJ-^



2



-



-



-



these three cases



In



ffifr



used to



is



-=3



^H



form gerunds:



jX"



Ril J*"* IfEl :



2



-



XRf^CTCiL'H



^j ;^



i.



"Wearing the comb upon



2.



"Stretching out spurs on his



3.



"Daring



head."



his



feet.''



to fight."



Similar examples. :



mtf3j'^



ploughing and sowing are



lS^-Jt* I/'ltC'ffj



the business of farmers.



(jt



to plough;



keng*



agriculture;



t}U -4^.



j^



chung



1



to sow;



farmer;



nung^-fu



nung*



|gj



"^^



shih*



affair).



~M* ^flr^fii



4



,-rfl



this is the first difficult point



-



in the matter.



nan*



(JH



difficult;



AMt pan*



transact). to



benefit



the



state



by



(PI) satisfying the people. Jsy/4



4



to benefit;



CI



if



.'*.*



*



a country; a state;



enough; to satisfy;



tsu*



FS



miri*



7?r|



particle,



F^fi i'-2y



helre



the people). a consequential



is



"and then", "and therefore'



1



.



Similar examples.



-----



if



the



ruler



(



treats



)



_fc



the aged folk as he ought to treat them, the people then will



become



(the first



hsing



filial.



J



is



used as a verb:



"to treat as old;



4 here: to become; ^%& hsiao



1



^7T*



'



AV ~5? l



pi|:;



r4



~'"? nt



cnaracter



is



|



correct).



here -*? forms an adjective from



h



/c-xx



~f



c



^ w5



^* s



the whole empire turns to him



upright, therefore C



filial).



as



F ff[i"^~K^^!/^



j



/"



LZi



I



love



that which



(lit.



I



love are only books). '



can d0



CCTtilinl



!



'



will do.



who great ministers serve



arc called



their prince in accordance with



virtue. ch'en-



minister;



~tf -^*



-M



to serve.



shih*



tao*



y^i



righteousness; virtue; a way). -



Compare the present



IM J75rtjfe ---



Compare lesson



-



^



---



adjective clause



"There



is



need of



it".



'



nerc



Jiff



lesson,



II, i,



w



'



I,



note



note a



.



u.



tn tne ver k



JB



forms an



:



nothing needful to



me



in



it",



"I have no



.



35 Similar G>:anp!o3. '



" loush



'



'



""



is



a MSC> he



-



fife



too, n.is that s///



Wf jlX



2



which he cannot do.



though;



/? ]iff yf\^lT!



"



"



"



Jftt klicHg



sage; holy).



sure ly



tncre



"



4



-3>



is



something of which



you are not aware.



N



-/



k



L-



a " tbat



"F



hehas



-



-*



/^jri-jO] A TTfffj"



-



-



-



-



"V u



nou



live



'



at



otllii.'h.



build walls and



is



He



of the Ch'i state.



>fr



of



any use



to you."



and ("7^) he did not



builtl



43



**



>M>



Zols I



tr 88



$



T



n



ru ic



mi



J.M



iirjl:



is:



>it5



fld



A n ft!



I



ffl



(Hj



Jii^



77-.J



fe



%&



fill



MB if*



i*r



fc si ^r Towfc f ft ft! i 5fe.1fcSUi



^ W & W



$. ^o^f



A



tin



It



ffl



M



.



ffffe



ote



i@ fijol" ia



ii



fl



^ll



ffe



-fFl



ILL



ft:



ft^



SI



Jft



*A n^ Ub 'Hi



i!



/^i



f\o*M $& Si



ffi



*T



^



A



i^*



->



T-*



y^



^yj.



XV



AyXO ^^^



A



H



c



44



Vocabulary. g



Jb,



to wrangle; to con-



chcng*



;



/



the donkey-boy.



-/w



test. 8



to



j>'/7



4^.



-a



hsing-jen?



II



traveller.



To be



to.



give



with.



And; with. By an interrogaReadjyjJ 1



f3&



tive particle.



to rent; to lease,



lin*



ch'ien 2 (332) gjji



^ -t



/M 3 (207)



a donkey.



shu 3 (788) to belong to; connected with; subordinate to.



square. A place; a A recipe. Still; region. then; just.



fang



1



a'o 3



.||L



shtt 1



>T*J



^ jg^ ^ |&fr



,/Jfc.



v^



wt



to seek; to



hunt



there



not;



is



1



to



fall prostrate; to fit? lie in ambush. To suf-



A summer



CHft



pi* (158)



to



ft



chui l



so.



to follow; to pursue.



scarcely.



conceal;



to catch;



ao



l



(5 19)



-vexed;



angry;



to regiet.



P^



ao-sang



1



low-



vexed;



spirited.



only; hardly;



to



altogether;



to seize.



avoid; to flee



5 to be right; thus; ;wn However; but.



(561)



to go to



Ease.



huo* (/m 4 ) (58)



from.



shade.



to



decade.



Rg



chin 9 (106)



yield;



collectively.



to



Pi*



run away;



excess.



not;



all;



the belly.



fo "**



i



nothing.



3



JKK



to.



1 ching (228) to be frightened; to cause alarm.



%--



/w (544)



&J^ *



for.



j^Vj {



fer.



**-



me; my.



jang* (369)give way.



yin* (435) shade; shelter; to protect.



mo



I;



the heat of summer;



hot. 4



copper coin;



money.



to



kuci l to back.



To



belong



to.



return;



to



go



restore.



To



empty; vacant; gue; abstract.



va-



//s/7



1



45



Notes.



"



"



d c.



ff|



PI



HJi "/' ceft



~T



"



'



~/^



'



lesson ni>



Coni P are lesson



'



c.



Compare



ierc



i



rt



IM ^dlt^y iSJIii



s



a



si S



n



f



l>



2



2>



notc



d>



notec.



>



the possessive case.



note



Compare



lesson II,



Compare



lesson



Compare



lesson III,



Compare



lesson



I, i,



notch.



Compare



lesson



I, r,



noted.



i,



I, 3.



note



a.



a.



2.



TRANSLATION. Quarrel about a Shadow



A



traveller hired a



donkey and went on



long journey. The (The traveller and the Then (but) could not find (it).



to be (very)



day just happened donkey-boy) looked for shade, ( "77:.)



a



hot.



(they) crept un