post-Classical Chinese language
Quick Summary
Post-Classical Chinese, which emerged around the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE), is based on dialects similar to modern North China languages. Its origins are linked to Buddhist storytelling traditions, with tales translated from Sanskrit. During the Song dynasty (960–1279), both Buddhists and Confucianists used this vernacular for polemical writings, and it also appeared in Chinese novels based on popular storytelling. By the Yuan dynasty (1206–1368), it was also used in theatre. Modern Standard Chinese has roots in written post-Classical Chinese, the spoken Mandarin of Imperial times, and the Beijing vernacular. The May Fourth Movement of 1919 marked a significant shift, with Classical Chinese being rejected as the standard written language in favor of the vernacular.1
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