Classical Chinese is characterized by its succinctness. Some of its grammar is different from those of modern Chinese; some even contains allusions carrying a deeper meaning. In this book, 170 commonly used quotes in classical Chinese have been selected, and it is hoped that through the annotations, readers will not only gain an understanding of the life attitudes and values of the people in the past, but will also be able to grasp the meaning and usage of these verses, so that they can be applied in daily life.

This book consists of 16 themes; under each theme there are “explanation of words”, “modern translation”, “stories”, “contemporary interpretation” and “example sentences”. Some stories are taken from historical events and some from current affairs.