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An Encyclopaedia on Chinese History and Literature
The text Sanjizian 三字鑒 "Three-Characters Mirror" is an imitation of the famous primer Sanzijing 三字經 that was written by the Qing period 清 (1644-1911) scholar Yu Maoxun 余懋勛 and commented by Chen Qiyuan 陳起元 (fl. 1669?). It is 2,700-characters long and narrates the history of China.
日月明，江山辨。 五行生，萬物變。 [...] |
When the primordial chaos emerged, qian (Heaven) and kun (the Earth) provided stability. Sun and moon shone bright, and the rivers and mountains became distinguishable. The Five Agents started to work, and the ten thousand beings were created. |
| 我孔子，生東鲁， 作《春秋》，嚴筆削， 寓褒貶，别善惡。 [...] |
Our [Saint] Confucius was born east in the state of Lu. He determined the [wordings of the] Five Classics and transmitted the thousand [rituals] from antiquity. He compiled the Spring-and-Autumn Annals by severely cutting short [superfluous text] of the brush, bringing forward praise and critique, and discerning between good and evil. |
| 唐高祖，乃李淵， 生成紀，都長安。 至太宗，求上理， 始開科，取賢士， 得學士，十八人。 [...] |
The High Ancestor of the Tang dynasty was Li Yuan (r. 618-626). He was born in Chengji and founded his capital seat in Chang'an. Emperor Taizong (r. 626-649) finally sought to bring order into the government. He founded the state examinations to gain worthy ministers, and so produced 18 academicians [who served him]. |