The series Graded Readers for Chinese Language Learners is composed of 50 books, divided into three subseries, namely folktales, literary stories and historical stories, corresponding to Levels 1-3 respectively. The rich and fun content and easy-to-understand language makes it easy for everyone, whether they are foreigners learning Chinese, children with parents of Chinese origin, ethnic minority students of the Chinese language, or even primary school students in China, to read this series. It enables the readers to gradually improve their Chinese reading skills and enhance their understanding of Chinese culture by reading and enjoying stories.

The “Folktales” subseries includes 10 stories, hence 10 books, adapted from folk legends, each book written in 20,000-30,000 Chinese characters. The titles of the 10 books are Hua Mulan, Lady White Snake, The Cow Herder and the Weaver Girl, A Golden Millet Dream, Chang’e Flying to the Moon, The Old Man under the Moon, The Butterfly Lovers, Nie Xiaoqian, Chen Shimei, and Beauty from the Painting.

In the book The Butterfly Lovers, a girl called Zhu Yingtai persuaded his parents and disguised herself as a boy to pursue studies in Hangzhou. On the way to Hangzhou, she met her future classmate Liang Shanbo. They became friends immediately. During the following three years of studying together, the two of them built a very close relationship. Zhu fell in love with Liang, but her father was determined to marry her to another man called Ma Wencai. Eventually the lovelorn Liang died of depression and Zhu was so sad that she jumped into Liang’s tomb on her way to Ma’s home. The two lovers turned into butterflies and flied away.

Ms. Chen Xianchun is a professor at Beijing Language and Culture University who has engaged in the teaching of Chinese as a foreign language since 1975, equipped with rich Chinese teaching experience. Professor Chen has made profound research into the teaching of Chinese reading and has published, in addition to more than 20 academic papers, many monographs and textbooks such as Teaching Reading and Psychology, Typical Characters and Events in Chinese Culture, A Primer on Modern Chinese Reading, An Intensive Chinese Course, and Read This Way.