A Student's Dictionary of Classical and Medieval Chinese

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A Student’s Dictionary of Classical and Medieval Chinese is an essential Chinese-English reference for readers of texts from the Warring States period to the Tang dynasty. Featuring over 8,000 characters organized alphabetically by Pinyin, it serves as a practical lexicon for translating historical, literary, and religious texts from approximately 500 BCE to 1000 CE. Primarily a dictionary of individual characters (zidian 字典), it also includes numerous alliterative and echoic binomes (lianmianci 連綿詞) and precise identifications of plants, animals, and technical terms across various fields. This resource aims to support those studying texts from the specified periods without the confusion found in previous dictionaries that mixed eras and styles. The evolution of written Chinese over 3,000 years has resulted in significant differences between classical, medieval, and modern standard Chinese. This dictionary focuses on early and medieval language, clearly distinguishing meanings that emerged post-1000 CE. Users with a foundational understanding of classical grammar, whether from modern Chinese or Japanese backgrounds, will find it invaluable in addressing interpretation challenges. Advanced students will appreciate its role as a go-to reference. Additionally, the dictionary includes an index by “radical” and stroke number, along with appendices detailing reign-eras and accession dates of emperors in both Chinese and Western cale