Classical Bibliography for Chinese Historiography

Princeton University

General dictionaries

  • Ci hai 辭 海. Compiled by Shu Xincheng 舒 新 城 and others. Shanghai: Zhonghua shu ju, 1937. Frequently reprinted. New version revised by Ci hai bian ji wei yuan hui. Xianggang: Zhonghua shu ju, 1989.
  • Ci yuan 辭 源. Compiled by Lu Erkui 陸 爾 奎 and others. Shanghai: Commercial Press, 1955. Frequently reprinted. New version revised by Guangdong, Guangxi, Hunan, Henan Ci yuan xiu ding zu, and Shang wu yin shu guan bian ji bu. 4 vols. Beijing: Shang wu yin shu guan, 1979-1984.
  • Courveur, Seraphin, Dictionnaire classique de la langue chinoise. Hsienhsien: Press de la Mission Catholique, 1890. Taipei reprint, 1966.
  • Dai Kanwa jiten 大 漢 和 辭 典 (Encyclopedic Chinese-Japanese Dictionary) 13 vols. Compiled by Morohashi Tetsuji 諸 橋 轍 次. Tokyo: Taishukan shoten, 1955-60. The best multi-volume Chinese-Japanese dictionary of classical Chinese. Biased toward philosophy, religion, and Buddhism in particular.
  • Giles, Herbert Allen, Chinese-English Dictionary. 2 vols. Shanghai: Kelly & Walsh, 1912 (Later editions in 1 vol).
  • Guo yu ci dian 國 語 辭 典. Compiled by the Zhongguo ci dian bian zuan chu 中 國 辭 典 編 纂 處. 8 vols. Shanghai: Commerical Press 1948. Taipei reprint in 4 vols.
  • Guo, Zhengzhong 郭 正 忠, Zhongguo quan heng du liang san zhi shi si shi ji 中 國 權 衡 度 量 三 至 十 四 世 紀 (Chinese Weights and Measures: 3rd to 14th centuries). Beijing: She hui ke xue, 1993.
  • Han yu da ci dian 漢 語 大 辭 典 Complied by Luo Zhufeng 羅 竹 風 Shanghai: Shanghai ci shu chu ban she, 1987.
  • Han yu da zi dian 漢 語 大 字 典. Compiled by Han yu da zi dian wei yuan hui. Wuhan: Hubei ci shu chu ban she, 1986.
  • Mathews, Robert Henry, Mathews’ Chinese-English Dictionary. Rev. ed. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1944. Dated, and no longer recommended for specialists or beginners.
  • Qiu, Guangming 丘光明, Zhongguo li dai du liang heng kao 中 國 歷 代 度 量 衡 考 (Study of historical weights and measures in China through the dynasties). Beijing: Ke xue, 1992. Another standard and comprehensive study of historical weights and measures.
  • For Chinese weights and measures, see Wu, Chengluo, 1937: Zhongguo du liang heng shi 中 國 度 量 衡 史 (History of Chinese metrology). 2d printing, Shanghai: Commercial Press, 1957. Wu gives detailed tables with citations for every type of measure.
  • Zhong wen da ci dian 中 文 大 辭 典 (Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Chinese Language). Compiled under the direction of Zhang Qiyun 張 其 昀. 40 vols. Taipei: The Institute of Advanced Chinese Studies, 1962. Represents a Chinese translation of the Dai Kanwa jiten 大 漢 和 辭 典.

Archives