本书是为海外古代汉语学习者编写的入门教材。全书共20课，精选中国古代自先秦至明清的经典诗文，并以汉语拼音标注课文和补充阅读的古文读音。每篇选文都有繁体原文对照、现代汉语对译、英文翻译，并对重点词语用中英文加以注释。每课的语法/知识部分，用大量例句集中讲解古代汉语中重要的语法现象；文化常识部分中英文对照，介绍与本课相关的文化常识。
　　随书附赠练习参考答案1册及录音MP3 1盘。（录音光盘由白云出岫朗读）

                            推介    RECOMMENDATIONS

　　本书内容所收辑者，实在包含了上自先秦之诗、骚、诸子，中含唐、宋之诗、文、词、曲，下及明清之小品散文的多种内容，既有兼容并包之广，且有明白之历史系统与源流可循。教学者手此一卷，自可引领青年学生对传统文化得一普遍之认识，何况所选录之篇章分别皆附有原作之汉语拼音，又附有现代汉语与英语之译文，且兼及古汉语之语法与知识，对课文中之每一词语亦皆附有中、英文之注释，并且附有补充之材料。我在观览之下，深感此书不仅可供海外人士学习古汉语之用，亦可供国内青年学生学习古汉语及传统文化之用。何况还可以同时藉此以学习英语，可谓一举而数得，料必为国内之家长与同学之所欢迎也。 
                              ——叶嘉莹 （中国古典诗词专家、著名学者）

　　Ying Tian’s Introduction to Classical Chinese is a ground breaking new approach to learning the classical Chinese language systematically, through thoroughly annotated, explicated and analyzed texts of well-known poetry, essays and philosophical discourse.  
                              —Dr. Jan Walls  (Retired professor at Simon Fraser University, scholar and translator of classical Chinese)


　　This is an ideal textbook for teaching classical Chinese. Some of the features of the book that I like most of all are (1) detailed notes on classical Chinese grammar, (2) accurate translations of the original texts, (3) selection of a wide range of texts from the earliest periods until the last imperial dynasty, and (4) plentiful exercises designed to help students master grammar patterns and new vocabulary.
                              —Dr. Jerry Schmidt (Professor at University of British Columbia, scholar and translator of classical Chinese)