Traditional Chinese Childrens Primers

Traditional Chinese Childrens Primers: A Sourcebook is the first anthology of traditional Chinese childrens primers in a European language. This selection of eleven primers, spanning over two thousand years of Chinese education history, remains well-known in East Asia and the global diaspora of Confucian-heritage cultures. These primers represent an important genre of childrens literature and education materials that were employed to teach basic vocabulary, develop cultural literacy, and start students on their journey toward greater fortunes in the imperial examinations. Recent decades have seen renewed interest in traditional Chinese elementary primers in academic research and a revival of their use in schools today. As such, these primers are now widely available in anthologies, illustrated editions, and vernacular Chinese translationsand now in a scholarly edition in English. The sourcebook covers texts used over a two thousand year period, ranging from the second-century BCE Classic of Family Reverence () to the late-twentieth-century Essentials of Daily Etiquette (). The sourcebook covers a range of educational and childrens literature genres, including texts for etiquette instruction, literacy training, moral teaching, and primers in Confucian and Daoist thought. Together, these texts offer a taste of the rich cultural material that budding scholars and general readers were familiar with over the past two millennia. The Classic of Family Reverence, for example, opens a window onto early Confucian thought in ancient China, while the Extended Wise Sayings () represents the eclectic worldviews and beliefs of the seventeenth century, and Lord Wen ChangsEssay on Quiet Merits () introduces readers to the tradition of popular morality books. By providing a window into the thinkers of the past, a stepping-stone to the broader classical and literary tradition, and accessible philosophical perspectives, the primers continue to appeal to scholars, educators, and families. This first-of-a-kind sourcebook in English addresses a long-standing gap in the translation of primers and provides impetus for research in the development of character and virtues, comparative literature, and cross-cultural education studies.