"The True Story of Ah Q" is written in what is known as Pai-hua, or the colloquial style, which is very nearly an exact representation of Mandarin, the language spoken in Peking and throughout much of China, especially in the northern parts, and considered the official language. Its easy flow and natural expression is in marked contrast to the old classic style, Wên-li, which, though more concise and usually more polished and beautiful, is, nevertheless, difficult to understand because it is filled with classical references, etc., which make reading a trial for those who have not studied after the classic manner for some years. Although this old style stands on merits of its own, still it is generally admitted that the colloquial Pai-hua is more easily learned by the masses; hence, it is more democratic in spirit than the old style, which demands so much time in the learning that it seems to be meant only for the chosen few.
The translator has followed the Chinese text as carefully as the differences of the two languages permit, realizing that many people would wish to compare the English with the original Chinese.
