‘Everything flows like this’ — Analects

The Tower of Reading 逝者如斯   This is the second chapter in Studying Short Classical Chinese Texts by Zhong Shuhe 鐘叔河,《念樓學短·論語十篇之二》。The title of Zhong’s selection of ten excerpts from the Analects of Confucius is ‘Everything Flows Like This’ 逝者如斯夫, a line from the Analects that is also the Chinese title of this chapter, sans the emphatic particle 夫 fū.… Read

A Day for Humanity — Ai Song the artist & the poet Xu Zhangrun

Xi Jinping’s Empire of Tedium 人日節   The 16th February 2024 marks the Seventh Day of the First Lunar Month of the jiachen Year of the Dragon. In China, ‘The Seventh of the First’ 正月初七 is celebrated as ‘The Festival of Humanity’ 人日節 rén rì jié, also known as 人慶節 rén qìng jié.… Read

Am I a Butterfly? — Zhuangzi

The Tower of Reading 夢為蝴蝶   This is the first of ten chapters devoted to Zhuangzi in Studying Short Classical Chinese Texts by Zhong Shuhe 鐘叔河著《念樓學短·莊子十篇·篇首》。The title of Zhong’s selections from Zhuangzi 莊子, one of most entrancing works in the Chinese tradition, is ‘Butterfly Dreaming’ 夢為蝴蝶。 *** *** Preface The Tower of Reading is a China Heritage series focussed on the work of Zhong Shuhe (鐘叔河, 1931-), one of the most influential editors and publishers in post-Mao China and a writer celebrated in his own right both as a prose stylist and as an interpreter of classical Chinese texts.… Read

Between Master & Student — The Analects

The Tower of Reading 各言爾志   This is the first chapter in Studying Short Classical Chinese Texts by Zhong Shuhe 鐘叔河,《念樓學短·論語十篇·篇首》。The title of Zhong’s selection of ten excerpts from the Analects of Confucius is ‘Everything Flows Like This’ 逝者如斯夫, itself a line from the Analects, and the title of the second chapter.… Read

The Temple & the Mastheads of China Heritage, 2016-2024

The Tower of Reading 苟日新,日日新,又日新   Today, 10 February 2024, is the first day of the first month of the Lunar New Year, the jiachen Year of the Dragon 甲辰龍年. We are replacing the masthead of China Heritage with an image that reflects the tenor of our new series The Tower of Reading 念樓, launched today (see Introducing The Tower of Reading).… Read

Introducing The Tower of Reading

Studying Short Classical Chinese Texts with
The Master of The Tower of Reading 念樓學短   Dedicated to Zhong Shuhe in celebration of Dai Qing and in memory of Huang Yongyu, Yang Jiang & Qian Zhongshu *** *** Preface The Tower of Reading is a series published by China Heritage focussed on the work of Zhong Shuhe (鐘叔河, 1931-), one of the most influential editors and publishers in post-Mao China and a writer celebrated in his own right both as a prose stylist and as an interpreter of classical Chinese texts.… Read