Chinese Reader.
21 Essential Bible Stories
Twenty-one foundational stories from the 1919 Chinese Union Version in a three-row layout — characters, pinyin, and a literal English gloss — so you read real Mandarin from the first line.
220 pages · Paperback & Kindle · Beginner–intermediate
— Genesis 1:1 in the 1919 Chinese Union Version — the first line of the collection
Twenty-one stories.
Foundational narratives from the translation that shaped modern Chinese.
The 1919 Chinese Union Version is a landmark of modern Chinese — the translation that helped shape the written language of the twentieth century. These twenty-one familiar narratives let you engage with that classic text while your attention stays on the Mandarin, not the plot.
Every page carries three rows: the original characters, pinyin for pronunciation, and a literal English gloss. Nothing sends you to a dictionary; the syntax, rhythm and logic of Chinese reveal themselves line by line. Doré's engravings accompany each story, giving the volume its classic character.
- 01Three-row layoutCharacters, pinyin, English gloss — on every page
- 02The 1919 Union VersionThe classic text that influenced modern Chinese literature
- 0321 foundational storiesFrom the Creation through the Gospels
- 04Doré engravingsHistorical plates accompanying every story
Why this edition.
Pinyin on every character
The middle row gives you the pronunciation of every single character, so reading aloud is possible from day one.
A text of real standing
The Union Version is studied as literature in its own right — you learn Mandarin from a text that shaped it.
Linguistic architecture
The literal gloss shows how Chinese builds meaning — particles, measure words, word order — through thousands of worked examples.
— Genesis 1:1–2 in the 1919 Chinese Union Version, with pinyin
The details.
- Series
- The Chinese Reader
- Language pair
- Mandarin–English interlinear, with pinyin
- Format
- Paperback & Kindle
- Print length
- 220 pages
- Source text
- 1919 Chinese Union Version
- Illustrations
- Gustave Doré
- Level
- Beginner–intermediate (HSK 2–4)
- Published
- June 2026
- ASIN
- B0H5RMTTGJ
More from the press.
Every edition is glossed by hand, word by word, and printed on demand by Amazon.
Read Chinese Reader with every word translated beneath the original.
Buy on Amazon