From a typological and cross-linguistic perspective and guided by the theories of constructionalization and construction grammar, this book takes a descriptive as well as interpretive approach in examining the diachronic development of the three most representative and frequently used categories of Chinese adverbial clauses – concessive adverbial clauses, conditional adverbial clauses, and causal adverbial clauses. Based on a detailed quantitative statistical analysis of language data from different dynasties, this book tries to reveal the patterns of how the construction of Chinese adverbial clauses changed over history and to probe into the underlying motivation and mechanism. In addition, it makes a further typological exploration into Chinese adverbial clauses by discussing the commonalities and individualities of the three categories in their diachronic development. 

Xu Shijing, a PhD in linguistics and applied linguistics, works as a research assistant and master’s supervisor at Beijing Language and Culture University Press whose research interests lie in Chinese grammar, historical linguistics, and language evolution. Dr. Xu has hosted a national social science project on the diachronic development of Chinese conditional sentences from a typological perspective and several BLCU research projects. She has published more than 10 papers in a number of journals and authored several Chinese teaching materials and reference books. Ms. Xu is also a third prize winner of the 3rd Language Teaching and Research Young Talent Award. 

1. A profound study of multitudinous data;

2. An overall investigation of researches on Chinese subordinate complex sentences based on theories of typology and construction grammar;

3. A modern cross-linguistic view of the history of Chinese subordinate complex sentences;

4. An unconventional, systematic study which follows the process of formal and semantic changes happening hand in hand. 

For Chinese language researchers or students studying for a master’s or doctoral degree in relevant subjects