Introduction to Literary Chinese - Lesson 13, Text 4
Adapted from the 1927 book by J. Brandt
Grammatical section
THE INTENSIFYING-CONJUNCTIVE PARTICLES
The intensifying-conjunctive particles, like the conjunctive particles, serve to join individual words and sentences. And yet there is a considerable difference between these two groups. The intensifying-conjunctive particles are used when only one subject is discussed, and when the words that follow after an intensifying-conjunctive particle introduce a new quality of the subject or a new development of the matter in question. These particles can be translated by the expressions: “and also”, “moreover”, etc.
These particles are:
而 且 而且 並 又
Examples of using the intensifying-conjunctive particles:
① 老而無子
Old and childless.
② 道遠而生
The road is long and unknown.
③ 此女敏而美麗
That girl is clever and beautiful.
④ 學而時習之
To learn (a thing) and constantly practise it.
⑤ 其意善且深突
This idea is excellent and also profound.
⑥ 異端如盜賊水火凡盜賊水火害止及身異端之害害及人心
Heterodox doctrines are like robbers and brigands or fire and water. Moreover in the case of fire and water, or robbers and brigands, the injury only affects (lit. reaches to) the body; but in the case of the injury done by heterodox doctrines, the injury affects men's hearts.
⑦ 不但無益而且有害
Not only is it of no benefit, but also it is harmful.
⑧ 且該員於洋務情形。最爲熟悉
Moreover the said officer is very well acquainted with conditions of foreign affairs.
⑨ 本大臣當經照會該領事官。並派委員向其當面告知。
I thereupon wrote officially to the said consul, and at the same time sent a deputy to inform him (of the matter) personally。
⑩ 並飾該道前赴各屬親查
At the same time I ordered the said Tao-t'ai to proceed to each place in his jurisdiction and to make personal investigation (道 for 道台 tao-t'ai, an official ranking during the Manchu dynasty).
⑪ 已蒙賜面又蒙駕臨
I have already been favored with your letter and also honored with your visit.
⑫ 此道較近又無險危
This road is shorter and not dangerous.