Teaching, Language & Reference
Easy-to-Read Chinese Short Stories, Book 1
by April Zhang and Jeff Pepper
This is the first book in the series that is for Chinese learners and by Chinese learners. Early in 2021, Chinese learners worldwide were invited to participate in the first MSL Master Chinese Writing contest. Entries were limited to using 320 unique Chinese characters. Out of 82 submissions, 17 of them were ranked the highest in a public vote on Twitter. These top-ranked works are included in this book, a wonderful collection of very short stories, poems and a mini play. The 17 authors were from eight different regions and countries. Some were younger; some older. Some were still studying in schools; some were working professionals. Some had not studied Chinese for long; Some had put in many years of time and effort. Most of them were learning Chinese in a non-Chinese speaking environment. Most of them were learning Chinese as a second or a third language. Despite all their differences, they shared the passion for Chinese and they were brought together in this Chinese Writing Contest. Together, they had created worlds that were full of love, desire and ambition. From these entries, you’ll see that their Chinese language skills are varied. In their hands, the 320 characters were like a sheet of loose sand, some made a cute figurine; some made a magnificent castle; some made a powerful computer chip. Some writings were lyrical and simple, easy to understand; some used more literary language to present a complex picture. This unevenness, this natural spectrum often found in any Chinese classes, demonstrates necessary stages in learning progress. As a result, this book can be appreciated by both beginner students and advanced students. Don’t consider this book as a magnum opus. Instead, appreciate the sparkling minds and original thoughts from all these burgeoning authors. Their writing careers did not stop at 320 Chinese characters. Some of them may shine in the literary world in the future. We’ll be glad to claim the credit that we have had the first glimpse. Also, you may not like all 17 of them. That’s the way it is for everything. It’s like listening to radio. Different people prefer different songs. If you can be inspired by some, this book serves its purpose. A sample story and a free audio book are available here: https://www.mslmaster.com/index.php/chinese-textbooks/easy-to-read-series
