Group read - San Guo Yan Yi

[Shelley]

Any one interested in taking part in a group read of San Guo Yan Yi?

 

I expect this to be long term thing. I don't want to rush through it.

 

We can use this version as it appears to be in the public domain:- http://purepen.com/sgyy

 

Any comments or suggestion?

 

 

 

 

[Bill Rogers]

Hi Shelley,

 

As I said in the other thread, I'm up for it. Thanks for starting it.

 

Bill

[character]

The In Our Time podcast on it gives some context.

[MPhillips]

I'd certainly like to.

[Basil]

I might join the group in a couple of months, I've got a bit of a backlog to get through first...

[gato]

There is old thread about reading 三国演义 from a few years ago here:
http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/14810-i-would-like-to-read-三国演义/

I have a copy of the book. If there is enough interest here, I'd be interested in joining.

[Shelley]

Good to see some interest.

 

I wasn't thinking of rushing into reading, give a bit of time to see how the idea goes down and what kind of interest we get and taking on board people's suggestions. So if you want jump in in a couple of months Basil it probably won't be to difficult to catch up.

 

I was going to use an electronic version because without some help from pleco reader this would be way beyond my skill levels. I am hoping that being difficult will push me out of my comfort zone and get my brain working

 

The podcast looks like some good background listening, I do like the In our time series.

 

Also John's wonderful website and podcasts will be helpful - http://www.3kingdomspodcast.com/2014/04/09/episode-0/

[Basil]

Thanks Shelley.

 

I'm currently inching my way through a Classical Chinese textbook. Once I've finished that I'll probably join in.

 

I prefer traditional tree sourced books. Easier on the eyes over extended periods of time. 

[Bill Rogers]

Well I dove in last night, just to the first paragraph of the first chapter. It is definitely dense, but not as dense as straght wenyanwen. It seems manageable, at least with patience. Then I checked my reading against this translation, http://threekingdoms.com/001.htm. It seems like the translation does more than translate - it fills in historical details not even mentioned in the Chinese text, I guess assuming that an educated Chinese reader would have remembered them just by association with the names that *are* in the text. Anyway, I'm glad you gave me a little push, Shelley, this looks like fun.

[xuexiansheng]

Sounds good! I'd be interested in tackling this book. It is the last of the 'four classics' I haven't read (in translation) and I think it is time to start reading them in the original. I've asked my classical Chinese teacher about the style and level, he's described it as "straightforward, terse classical that 'isn't hard to understand'." That give me hope after only working with classical for about a year and a half.

 

Looks like there is a site for a version in 繁體字：三國演義

[Shelley]

I also had a quick look at the version i am going to try reading and with help from Pleco I think I should cope, but that is the beauty of a group read we can all help each when things start getting difficult.

 

Read the first paragraph and thought ok we can do this

 

Still feel i may be punching above my weight but we will see, I won't give up till I have given it a darn good try.

 

Glad to hear your diving in Bill.

 

Think I will seriously start at the weekend and see how it goes.

[Hofmann]

Of course, it's also on Wikisource.

[Shelley]

Thanks for that link Hofmann. Will you be taking part?

[Pingfa]

I'm already 15 chapters into it but I've been reading it on and off for quite a while now. If you haven't read much 文言文 but can manage 金庸 then it may be a bit bumpy but do-able in the beginning, but you'll get into the groove of things soon enough. 

 

For the record, 三国 is my second favourite of the 四大名著 (after 水浒传. I've read both in English). Personally I think it starts off quite dry and may take some time to get into, but once it picks up it keeps it up (until a certain someone dies late into it, at least). You won't regret reading it

[Shelley]

Thanks for the encouragement, I am looking forward to the challenge, I think it will be a challenge but that's part of why I am doing it.

 

I have been studying for years and years now, felt it was time to put some of that studying to the test

[Basil]

On Friday night I read the poem and first three paragraphs. Doable. Just. Took me 45 minutes.

 

Book length divided by reading speed equals a longer reading time than it would take to get a putative GCSE in Sanguoyanyi (200 hours). Looks like at my current level, I won't be getting an A*.

[Bill Rogers]

It's pretty slow for me, too, at this point. But I remember that when I read Xi You Ji, the beginning was almost unbearably slow. Then, once I got the author's style and vocabulary in my mind, which did take some months, I could actually read fairly long stretches without a dictionary. So I wouldn't make a calculation based on dividing the length of the book by you current reading speed. At least I tell myself that if I stick with the struggle for a few months it will gradually get easier.

[MPhillips]

...

[Pingfa]

Oh yes, that reminds me, can't be forgetting this beauty:

 

滾滾長江東逝水

[Shelley]

Well that was a wonderful clip Pingfa, really brings to life those rolling waters.

 

Thank you