How did Classical Chinese differ from baihua, the vernacular written style?

Classical Chinese and baihua differed primarily in their accessibility, purpose, and linguistic structure.

Classical Chinese, also known as wenyan, served as the standard written language for approximately 2,000 years until the early 20th century. It was an artificial construct that remained largely static over time, relying on fixed word order and rhythmical, parallel passages. Because the spoken language evolved continuously while the written idiom did not, Classical Chinese eventually became difficult to understand when read aloud. It was primarily the language of elite literature, philosophy, and official documentation.123

In contrast, baihua is a vernacular style of Chinese that mirrors spoken language. It emerged from earlier traditions, such as Buddhist storytelling and popular novels, before being championed by intellectuals like Hu Shi during the 1917 literary movement. The movement sought to replace the difficult classical style with baihua to make written communication more accessible to the common people. Following the May Fourth Movement, baihua became the standard for textbooks, media, and public documents, fundamentally transforming Chinese cultural life.435