written Chinese is a language only for the use of really educated people. In short, written Chinese, classical Chinese is difficult because it is the language of really educated people and real education is a difficult thing but as the Greek proverb says, "all beautiful things are difficult."
But before I conclude, let me here give another specimen of written Chinese to illustrate what I mean by simplicity and depth of feeling which is to be found even in the Classica Minora, literature written in official uniform Chinese. It is a poem of four lines by a modern poet written on New year's eve. The words in Chinese are:—
示 內
莫 道 家 貧 卒 歲 難
北 風 曾 過 幾 番 寒
明 年 桃 柳 堂 前 樹
還 汝 春 光 滿 眼 看
which, translated word for word, mean:—
Don't say home poor pass year hard,
North wind has blown many times cold,
Next year peach willow hall front trees
Pay-back you spring light full eyes see.
A free translation would be something like this:
TO MY WIFE.
Fret not,—though poor we yet can pass the year;
Let the north wind blow ne'er so chill and drear,
Next year when peach and willow are in bloom,
You'll yet see Spring and sunlight in our home.
