Classical Prose
Beyond poetry — the great essays, letters, and prose masterpieces of classical Chinese literature
8 articles
Sun Tzu's Art of War: The Complete Guide for Modern Readers
The world's most famous military text — what it actually says, how it's been misused, and why it matters beyond warfare.
The Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese Literature
Journey to the West, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, and Dream of the Red Chamber — the novels every Chinese person knows.
Zhuangzi's Butterfly Dream: The Most Famous Thought Experiment in Chinese Philosophy
Am I a man dreaming I'm a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming I'm a man? The 2,300-year-old question that still has no answer.
Classical Chinese Prose: The Essays That Shaped a Civilization
Chinese prose is not just poetry's less glamorous sibling. The great prose writers — Han Yu, Liu Zongyuan, Su Shi, Ouyang Xiu — created works that are as...
The Eight Masters of Tang and Song Prose
The Eight Masters of Tang and Song Prose
Ouyang Xiu and The Drunkard's Pavilion: Getting Drunk on Mountains
One of China's most celebrated prose pieces was written by a demoted official who claimed the mountains made him drunk — not the wine.
Shiji: Sima Qian Masterpiece of Historical Writing
Sima Qian Masterpiece of Historical Writing
Zuozhuan: China First Great Historical Narrative
China First Great Historical Narrative