three major stars of the Three Stars 參宿|参宿[Shen1 xiu4] Chinese constellation / the belt of Orion / three spirits 福[fu2], 祿|禄[lu4], and 壽|寿[shou4] associated with the Three Stars 參宿|参宿[Shen1 xiu4] Chinese constellation
the not-very-distant past / modern times, excluding recent decades / (in the context of Chinese history) the period from the Opium Wars until the May 4th Movement (mid-19th century to 1919) / capitalist times (pre-1949)
transliteration (rendering phonetic value, e.g. of English words in Chinese characters) / characters giving phonetic value of Chinese word or name (when the correct characters may be unknown) / transcription (linguistics) / to transcribe phonetic symbols
Zhonghua, historical and cultural term for China, often used to denote Chinese civilization and identity (as in 中華文化|中华文化[Zhong1hua2 wen2hua4] "Chinese culture") / used in the official name of the Republic of China, 中華民國|中华民国[Zhong1hua2 Min2guo2]
single-character headword (in a dictionary) / first character of a Chinese word / the top part (esp. a radical) of a Chinese character / the initial of a Chinese syllable
Chinese language (Mandarin), emphasizing its national nature / Chinese as a primary or secondary school subject / Chinese in the context of the Nationalist Government / Guoyu, book of historical narrative c. 10th-5th century BC
combined ideogram (one of the Six Methods 六書|六书[liu4 shu1] of forming Chinese characters) / Chinese character that combines the meanings of existing elements / also known as joint ideogram or associative compound / to comprehend without being told explicitly / to cotton on / knowing (smile, glance etc)
Three Kingdoms period (220-280) in Chinese history / any of several Three Kingdoms periods in Korean history, esp. from 1st century AD to unification under Silla 新羅|新罗[Xin1luo2] in 658
dramatic form consisting of historical narration / history as jocular narrative / to stretch history for a joking story / amusing story with strained interpretations of history / to make an unreasonable comparison in jest
the Twenty-Four Histories (25 or 26 in modern editions), collection of books on Chinese dynastic history from 3000 BC till 17th century / fig. a long and complicated story
one's age, according to the traditional Chinese method of reckoning (i.e. the number of Chinese calendar years in which one has lived) – In this system, a person's age at birth is one, and increases by one at the beginning of the first solar term 立春[Li4 chun1] each year, rather than on one's birthday. / contrasted with 實歲|实岁[shi2 sui4]
the Book of History, one of the Five Classics of Confucianism 五經|五经[Wu3 jing1], a compendium of documents which make up the oldest extant texts of Chinese history, from legendary times down to the time of Confucius, also known as 尚書經|尚书经[Shang4 shu1 jing1], 尚書|尚书[Shang4 shu1], 書|书[Shu1]
second of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shi2 tian1 gan1] / second in order / letter "B" or Roman "II" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etc / second party (in legal contract, usually 乙方[yi3 fang1], as opposed to 甲方[jia3 fang1]) / ethyl / bent / winding / radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 5) / ancient Chinese compass point: 105°
Five Dynasties, period of history between the fall of the Tang dynasty (907) and the founding of the Song dynasty (960), when five would-be dynasties were established in quick succession in North China
Zuo Zhuan or Tsochuan, Mr Zuo's Annals or Mr Zuo's commentary on 春秋[Chun1 qiu1], early history c. 400 BC attributed to famous blind historian Zuo Qiuming 左丘明[Zuo3 Qiu1 ming2]
Six Classics, namely: Book of Songs 詩經|诗经[Shi1 jing1], Book of History 尚書|尚书[Shang4 shu1], Book of Rites 儀禮|仪礼[Yi2 li3], the lost Book of Music 樂經|乐经[Yue4 jing1], Book of Changes 易經|易经[Yi4 jing1], Spring and Autumn Annals 春秋[Chun1 qiu1]
History of the Three Kingdoms, fourth of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er4 shi2 si4 Shi3], composed by Chen Shou 陳壽|陈寿[Chen2 Shou4] in 289 during Jin Dynasty 晉朝|晋朝[Jin4 chao2], 65 scrolls
History of the Former Han Dynasty, second of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er4 shi2 si4 Shi3], composed by Ban Gu 班固[Ban1 Gu4] in 82 during Eastern Han (later Han), 100 scrolls
A Mirror for the Wise Ruler (or Comprehensive Mirror for Aid in Government), a vast chronological general history, written by 司馬光|司马光[Si1 ma3 Guang1] Sima Guang (1019-1089) and collaborators during the Northern Song in 1084, covering the period 403 BC-959 AD, 294 scrolls
Rehe, Qing dynasty province abolished in 1955 and divided among Hebei, Liaoning and Inner Mongolia / refers to the Qing imperial resort at Chengde / see also 避暑山莊|避暑山庄[bi4 shu3 shan1 zhuang1] (history)
The four tones
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