The unveiling ceremony for the global release of the bilingual mammoth edition of Library of Chinese Classics was held at the State Council Information Office's news release hall today.

The ceremony, titled "Introduce China to the World - the Unveiling Ceremony for the Global Publication of All-series Library of Chinese Classics," was sponsored by the series' working committee and organized by Beijing Sihai Classical Culture Communication Center along with the China Internet Information Center.

 

Altogether 92 volumes of classical literatures in 51 categories displayed the cream of the 5,000-year culture of China in this series, including such classics as Romance of the Three Kingdoms, A Dream of Red Mansions, Sunzi: The Art of War and Journey to the West among many others, running the gamut of traditional Chinese literature.

 

The series was highly praised by Ren Jiyu, a prominent scholar and honorary director of the National Library of China. He noted that due to the editors' comprehensive preparation, authoritative selection, accurate translation and excellent style, the series showcased the level of China's academic, publishing and translating ability, by abstracting 5,000 years of Chinese civilization and thus introducing China to the world.

 

The Library of Chinese Classics is a key state-sponsored publishing project. This series is both a major cultural project that, for the first time, presents to the world a systematic and complete set of selected and translated Chinese classics, and a foundation project for showcasing the very best of traditional Chinese culture.

 

The Library of Chinese Classics includes over 100 of the most representative classic works, covering literature, history, philosophy, politics, economy, military science, and science and technology. Each selection and version was chosen after careful reasoning, comparing, and proofing. Works in classical prose were first translated into modern Chinese, and then into English.  

 

Yang Muzhi, chief editor of the series and president of the China Publishing Group, said the most important thing when preparing the Library of Chinese Classics was insuring its quality -- all translations were polished by foreign experts; the fourth examination work by the work committee reinforced this, based on the third check by the publishing house. He said work has begun on the French and Spanish versions as well as the series' modern and contemporary sections -- with the project still needing more funding.

 

The 92 volumes of the series include the texts of The Analects, Laozi, Mencius, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, The Scholars, The Peony Pavilion, Romance of the Western Bower, The Complete Works of Tao Yuanming, Songs of the South, Mozi, 300 Poems of the Han, the Wei and the Six Dynasties, A Dream of Red Mansions, Journey to the West, Outlaws of the Marsh, Three Kingdoms, Sunzi: The Art of War, Sun Bin: The Art of War, Anecdotes About Spirits and Immortals, Admonitions for the Yan Clan, The Palace of Eternal Youth, Selected Plays of Guan Hanqing, Selected Tales of the Han, the Wei and the Six Dynasties, A Dream Under the Southern Bough, Creation of the Gods, The Tale of Heroic Sons and Daughters, Tending the Roots of Wisdom, Dragon-Carving and the Literary Mind, The Handan Dream, Flowers in the Mirror, The Travels of Lao Ts'an, Six Chapters of a Floating Life, Guanzi, Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals, The Six Principles of War, Wuzi and Sima's Art of War, Weiliaozi, Three Strategies of Master Huangshi and Li Weigong Answering the Questions of Emperor Tang Taizong, Yellow Emperor's Canon of Medicine-Plain Conversation, Liezi, Gems of Classical Chinese Poetry, Ruanji's Poems of Aspirations, Precious Mirror of the Four Elements, The Book of Lord Shang, 300 Tang Poems, 300 Song Poems, 300 Pieces of Yuan Opera, Amazing Tales, Series One, and Yellow Emperor's Four Canons of Medicine. 

Related reading:

Brief Introduction of the Library of Chinese Classics

Preface to the Library Of Chinese Classics

Grand Library, Great Reciting, Bring Big Joy

(China.org.cn January 12, 2007)