Timeless Classics of Ancient China

Explore full English translations of China’s most celebrated literary treasures: the Four Great Novels, legendary military treatises, and foundational philosophical texts. Read online for free.

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The Journey to the West
History

The Journey to the West

Wu Chengen · 100 chapters

Journey to the West 'is the first ancient Chinese romantic episodic novel about gods and demons. The earliest version of 'Journey to the West' was 'Newly Engraved Official Board Characters of Journey to the West' by Shide Hall in Jinling in the...
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms
History

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Luo Guanzhong · 120 chapters

Romance of the Three Kingdoms (also known as Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms or Popular Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms) is a long-form historical romance novel written by the late Yuan and early Ming dynasty novelist Luo Guanzhong. It is based...
The Water Margin
History

The Water Margin

Shi Nai'an · 120 chapters

The Water Margin 'is a long novel written by Shi Nai'an in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties (most of the existing editions are signed by Shi Nai'an or Luo Guanzhong, or both). It is the first episodic novel written in vernacular Chinese in...
The Dream of Red Mansion
History

The Dream of Red Mansion

Cao Xueqin · 120 chapters

The Dream of Red Mansion, an ancient Chinese long fictional novel in the chapter-style genre, is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. The widely circulated version consists of 120 chapters, with the first 80 chapters...
Tao Te Ching
Classics

Tao Te Ching

Laozi · 81 chapters

Tao Te Ching, a philosophical work composed by Laozi during the Spring and Autumn period, is also known as De Dao Jing, Dao De Zhen Jing, Laozi, Five Thousand Words, or Laozi's Five Thousand Characters. Written before the divergence of the Hundred...
The Art of War
Military

The Art of War

Sun Tzu · 13 chapters

The Art of War, also known as Wu Sunzi's Art of War, Sunzi, or Sun Wu's Art of War, is one of the ancient Chinese military treatises. It is the earliest extant military book in China and one of the earliest military works in the world, revered as the

The Military Tactics of Sima
Military

The Military Tactics of Sima

Tian RangJu · 5 chapters

Sima's Rules of War was first recorded in the Treatise on Literature section of The Book of Han, classified under the category of rites and titled Military Rites: Sima's Rules of War, totaling 155 chapters. After the Han Dynasty, the book underwent...
Six Strategies
Military

Six Strategies

Jiang Ziya · 60 chapters

Six Tactics of War, traditionally attributed to Jiang Wang (also known as Taigong or Dangzi Ya), comprises sixty chapters in the extant version, totaling nearly 20,000 words, and is divided into six volumes: Tactics of the Civil, Tactics of the...
The Military Strategies of Wu Qi
Military

The Military Strategies of Wu Qi

Wu Qi · 6 chapters

Wu Qi's Military Strategy, also known as The Art of War by Wu Zi, is a pivotal military treatise penned by the renowned general Wu Qi of the Warring States period. It stands as one of the representative works reflecting ancient military...
The Analects of Confucius
Classics

The Analects of Confucius

Confucius · 20 chapters

The Analects of Confucius (Lún Yǔ) is a collection of quotes compiled by the disciples and second-generation disciples of Confucius, a thinker and educator during the Spring and Autumn Period, recording the words and deeds of Confucius and his...
The Thirty-Six Stratagems
Military

The Thirty-Six Stratagems

Anonymous · 36 chapters

The Thirty-Six Stratagems, also known as the Thirty-Six Schemes, is a collected military work of thirty-six ancient Chinese military strategies. It is also a military studies work based on ancient military thought and the summarized experience of...
The Great Learning
Classics

The Great Learning

zengzi · 1 chapters

The Great Learning is a prose essay expounding on the Confucian ideas of self-cultivation, family regulation, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world. Originally the 42nd chapter of The Book of Rites compiled by Dai De, it is...
The Doctrine of the Mean
Classics

The Doctrine of the Mean

Zisi · 1 chapters

The Doctrine of the Mean represents the moral standard of Confucianism, adhered to and esteemed by Confucian scholars throughout history. Also known as 'zhongyong,' where 'zhong' signifies moderation and 'yong' denotes common practice or constancy,...
The Works of Mencius
Classics

The Works of Mencius

Mencius · 1 chapters

Mencius, a classic work of Confucianism, was composed by Mencius and his disciples, including Wan Zhang and Gongsun Chou, during the mid-Warring States period. It was first mentioned in Zhao Qi's 'Preface to Mencius,' which states, 'This book was...
The Book of Songs
Classics

The Book of Songs

Anonymous · 1 chapters

The Book of Songs, the inception of ancient Chinese poetry and the earliest anthology of poems, collects 311 poems dating from the early Western Zhou Dynasty to the mid-Spring and Autumn Period (11th century BC to 6th century BC). Among them, six are

The Way of the General
Military

The Way of the General

Zhuge Liang · 0 chapters

Jiangyuan (The Garden of Generals) is an ancient Chinese military work devoted specifically to the way of being a general. It is also known as Zhuge Liang Jiangyuan, Wuhou Jiangyuan, Xinshu (Book of the Heart), Wuhou Xinshu, Xinshu (New Book), and...

Recently Updated Chapters

The Thirty-Six Stratagems

Chapter 36 · The Best Stratagem Is to Run Away

Tao Te Ching

Chapter 81 · Humility and selflessness in the Tao

The Military Tactics of Sima

Chapter 5 · The Command of Multitudes

Six Strategies

Chapter 60 · Quan Tao: Infantry Combat

The Military Strategies of Wu Qi

Chapter 2 · Judge Enemy's Intentions

The Book of Songs

Chapter 1 · A graceful lady, a gentleman is fond of pleasure

The Works of Mencius

Chapter 1 · king hui of liang

The Doctrine of the Mean

Chapter 1 · The Art of Harmonious Balance

The Great Learning

Chapter 1 · virtue

The Analects of Confucius

Chapter 5 · On Virtue and Governance (Gongye Chang)

The Art of War

Chapter 13 · The Use of Spies

The Dream of Red Mansion

Chapter 117 · Barring the Transcendent, Two Beauties Guard the Jade; Joyfully Gathering with Wicked Sons, One Alone Inherits the House

The Water Margin

Chapter 18 · The Beautiful Beard Wisely Restrains the Winged Tiger; Song Gongming Secretly Releases Chao the Heavenly King

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 88 · Crossing River Lu-The Mang King Is Bound The Second Time; Recognizing A Pretended Surrender-Meng Huo Is Captured The Third Time.

The Journey to the West

Chapter 1 · The Divine Root Conceives and the Spring Breaks Forth;