Morgan Evan The Chinese speaker; readings in modern Mandarin. (All parts.) Китайский разговорник; Байхуа.(Все части)

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BY THE SAME AUTHOR
A GUIDE TO
WENLI STYLES AND CHINESE IDEALS
(CHINESE AND ENGLISH TEXT)
ESSAYS, EDICTS, PROCLAMATIONS. MEMORIALS,
LETTERS, DOCUMENTS, INSCRIPTIONS,
COMMERCIAL PAPERS
Primarily this work is intended for students of Wenli. The
selectionsaretendered in the belief that they offer a help towards
further progress in Chinese Literature. Notes on Grammar and
Construction have been added to elucidate, where possible, diffi-
culties and obscurities. Anotherobject which the author had in
vieiv, was to exhibit to English Readets the Great Thoughts of
the Chinese people, both past and present. From Author's
Preface.
This is a mostexcellentcompilation ofchoice Chinese literary
documents, with translations and with valuable notes. National
Review.
Mr. Morgan in his excellent translation of these ancient
and modern essays has disclosed the mind of theChinese
We would invite special attention to that gem of literature,
"What a Child ought to Know." R.AS.Journal.
One might reach far to find a more admirable collection of
literary excerpts, as a basis for enjoyable study. Dr. John
Wherrv in The Recorder.
500 pages, 6x9 inches, bound in cloth blocked In gold on backand side
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NEW TERMS AND EXPRESSIONS
Section 1. Terms and Expressions alphabetically arranged
according to the Chinese sounds, with translation. Section 2.
Terms grouped under final terras, as ±8, ^, ^, iS. Such an
arrangement besides giving a bird's eye view of terms having a
similar ending, will enable the student the more easily to study
the method of constructing new terms, and help him to under-
stand the facility with which new ideas find expression. It will
further aid him to study the growth of Chinese historically, and
to compare the development of this with other languages. Sec-
tion 3. English words alphabetically arranged with page refer-
ences.
"Mr. Morgan's excellent little dictionary. No one will
purchase and use this booklet without a feeling akin to gratitude
to Mr. Morgan. He hasindeed supplied a 'felt want.' " Rev.
G. G. Warren.
Size 3x6 inches, 3S0 pp., full limp cloth blocked
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Shanghai: C. L,. S. Depot.
THE CHINESE SPEAKER
READINGS
MODERN MANDARIN
IN
BY
EVAN MORGAN
Pi^RTS
I-IV
SHANGHAI
CHRLSTIAK LITKKATURE SOCICTY
A.VD
KELLY AND WALSH, LTD.
1916

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INTRODUCTION
Modern Mandarin implies amongst other things the introduction of new ideas
demanding new words: suggests a more varied and complex world, and, therefore,
possibly, a more involved thought. Of the new terms some have been recovered from
old times, some have been recently coined.
The author has for many years watched tlie native press for good Mandarin
and he has been able to make a large compilation, from which the passages in this
work have been selected. The pieces, for the most part, carry their own date and
history.
The work is intended to supply students, who have spent, at least, a year
on some elementary, and progressive text book, with a more advanced coui^se
of study. Text-books, made up of sundry sentences, lose their value after one year's
study. Some more connected prose is wanted after that preliminary study. The
author feels there is a need for such a book as the one offered now. Connected
readings afford more interest, and, give a more comprehensive view of the language
to the reader. Whilst choice and detached sentences are useful in the preliminary
stages, yet it is wearisome and useless to continue too long in such a method. The
consecutive steps in an argument, the continuous march of thought in connected
sentences, are a fertile way of training the mind, and creating a comprehensive impres-
sion of the power and flexibility of a language. These are as necessary as a good
vocabulary to the Chinese Si>eaker.
The passages selected represent a style of IMandarin that would be spoken
Ijetween well educated scholars. Some may find parts of it a bit high for ordinary
work. But in that case, it is only needed to add a fi'W words, here and there,
to make the sentences more plain and clear. In any case, new terms will not be
readily understood, except by those who are accustomed to them. Of course many
new terms are really old, like ch'i tao jfjlfll which though it is as old as the hills, yet
has a new significance in modern use. The words not only bring up classical ideas
today, but cluster round the Christian Church.
INTRODUCTION
11
Primaril}' these passages have been selected for the Mandarin but indirectly
:
the subject matter too has been kept in view. The subjects are all up to date
dealing with what is vital and pressing in life. These cannot but be of great
interest to the enquiring student. Thus there will be found in these pages many
views of life in its various aspects, many phases of thought, and traditional ideas
tiiat cannot fail to strike the reader as unique and original.
The author has no doubt that many mistakes lie crouching in various corners.
Some errors remain through inadvertence, some through pure ignorance: and one
may seek shelter under the great name of Dr. Johnson, who when asked by a lad}', how
he came to explain the word pastern as meaning the knee of a horse, replied at once
"pure ignorance, Madam!"
Some suggestions on the general question of translation may be profitably
introduced at this point.
The Chinese have been accustomed to pack their complicated thoughts into
—
AVen li; and the ordinary, simple, every day idea into the colloquial. There is a
tendency now to express the more complex ideas in the colloquial form as will
be seen in this volume. Hence the sentences sometimes are, or seem to be longer,
and more involved, than those of earlier days. This constitutes an added difficulty in
translation.
The order of words in a new language sometimes are confusing to the student.
Tlie inverted order is not peculiar to Chinese. It is so in every language, even
the most closely allied languages. And the order in Cliinene does not differ more,
from the order in English, than do other languages differ from it, in this respect.
Why there should be this different order, it is difficult to say. Some attribute it to
food, habits and climate. The elements of psychology too may have been a deter-
mining influence. In any case the origin and causes for these differences lie in the
lap of history. But it is an interesting study, and well worthy of the student's
attention and thought. Generally speaking in studying Chinese we are dealing with
a primitive speech, and the order of words often remain as they were impressed on
the mind, and vision of primitive people. It is evident that national temperament
will also have had much to do in determining the form and order of sjwech.
Should the different order, or, multiplicity of words, or, the comjilexity of
the sentence cause any difficulty, the sentence or passage should be read over once
or twice to get the rhythm and familiarity with t!ie character. This will help to
clarify the words, and give each its proper place. In any case, a preliminary reading
of the whole piece is advisable before beginning the work of translation.
—
It should be remembered thatlittlewords, such as called usually, emptywords,
really fill a definite place in composition. They should be looked upon as forming a
IKTRODUCTION 111
part in the structure of the sentence, and in analysis it sliould be aslccd what
function they fulfil. Some are connectives; some are prepositions; some are inter-
rogatives; some may indicate mood or tense; and some may fill the function cor-
responding to the prefix, or suffix in English, and so on. A list of many of these
words has been added in Part I"\'.
Sometimes the Chinese dispense with connectives whore they would be used in
English and vice versa. Keep this in mind and make a note of such sentences.
It is not always easy to determine where to place the full stop and break
up sentences. But initial or terminal words, or the meaning, or the general idea
should generally help to determine this. And so, in translating, it is Avell to pick
out first the main clause, and tlien the subject and main verb; subsidiary words
and clauses after. Sometimes too it is a help to write down a literal translation Of
each word.
No word should be approached with the preconceived idea that it means only
what you have been accustomed to think it means. Approach words always with an
open mind. For it often is a cause of ditHculty that the student endeavours to
insert into a word he meets with, in a new connection, a meaning he has been
used to, but which will not fit that word in this particular passage. To take a very
simi)le example the beginner is told that ;^ is a verb and means is: but sometimes
this preconceived knowledge of it does not fit in, and so difficulty arises. Sliili of
course means many things. It is a verb: a demonstrative adjective: a pronoun and
—^A M\— :
so on. Again and fSC i pan has difl:'erent meanings in these two
phrases. Therefore the same words should not be translated by the same English
word in every case. They contain shades of meanings that demand different words iu
English.
"When the subject comes before the predicate it will be generally found the
mood—is indicative: but when subject is not stated it is participial, conditional etc. For
^T
Ex: -{fe^T li"^ l"is ^^'- Beiny, when, if.
Many other suggestiojis will be found in the Annotations and other parts of
the book.
It was intended to insert an outline of grammar in this work, but that grew
to such dimensions that it had to be abandoned as an integral part of this book.
The author has to thank Rev. H. R. Williamson, B. D. for his valuable
additions t/i the notes in Chapter VIII : Miss Thomas, Shantung, for additions and
suggestions to the annotiitions in Chapter I, in addition to her work on the analysis:
as well as other friends. He is also much indebted to Dr. Matcer's Mandarin Lessons.