The world of Chinese literature offers a lot of gems, including both classics and contemporary options. And good news for Chinese learners: there are also Chinese versions of some excellent English novels you may already be familiar with.
Here’s a list of the 20 best Chinese books for intermediate and advanced learners covering fantasy, sci-fi, poetry and more.
If you’re not quite ready to jump into a novel or longer piece of literature, check out these Chinese books for beginners first.
Depicting the Mongolian tribe as the wolf and the Chinese farmers as the sheep, Wolf Totem provides us with a realistic view of the lives of the people belonging to two different nations.
“The Wolf Totem” also gives us a preview of each of their culture, lifestyle and beliefs.
If you’re intrigued by cryptology, the Secret Service and thrill-seeking adventures then, be sure to pick up this book.
“Decode” depicts the story of a genius who was recruited by the Chinese secret service and praised because of his extraordinary skills but later shunned due to a simple mistake.
“Tongwan City” combines fragments of China’s history, culture and religion in this bestselling novel.
Comparing the patience of a Buddhist monk and the recklessness of a Hun warlord, the story teaches us the most effective way of building an empire, one that will last throughout its legacy.
The first novel in a trilogy, “Three-Body Problem,” tells the story of an alien race struggling for survival and the search for their last hope to save their race, eventually landing on Earth.
Based on a true story, this novel depicts the harsh reality that unfolded in China after the AIDS epidemic ravaged a small town as a result of blood-selling businesses.
The story is told through the voice of a dead child—his father one of the most dangerous blood buyers. His grandfather was pained by the loss of his grandson and ashamed by his own son’s part in his death.
“To Live” focuses on the life of Fugui, a former wealthy landowner turned peasant during the 20th century.
The novel vividly depicts the impact of political upheavals in China’s history on individuals and the resilience many Chinese had to develop in the face of adversity.
If you’re at least at an intermediate level, you’ll enjoy this book’s rich prose, vivid characters and thought-provoking narrative.
This is a classic Chinese literary masterpiece from the 16th century. It has been adapted many times, including into the manga/anime series Dragon Ball.
The novel follows the adventures of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, as he accompanies the monk Xuanzang on a pilgrimage.
Filled with mythological elements, this allegorical tale explores themes of enlightenment, virtue and the triumph of good over evil.
“Tao Te Ching” is a foundational text of Taoism and an ancient Chinese classic offering timeless wisdom.
It offers profound insights into the philosophy of living in harmony with the Tao, the fundamental force of the universe. Written in poetic verses, it encourages a path of inner virtue and understanding.
The bilingual edition linked above has English and Chinese side by side.
Yu Hua is an influential Chinese author who bravely critiques society through satirical storytelling.
This novel is set against the backdrop of mid-20th-century China during Mao’s Cultural Revolution. It follows the life of Xu Sanguan, who must sell his own blood to support his family.
Yu Hua’s work stands as a powerful testament to resilience during a difficult time in history.
This is a collection of beautiful Chinese poems by the highly talented Buddhist poet Hanshan and two of his very close friends who were also gifted poets.
This particular book has received top reviews for its excellent translations that make all of the poems very understandable and easy to read (not to mention inspiring).
This captivating Chinese fantasy novel is set in a richly imagined world of gods and magic. It blends humor, romance and adventure and has gained immense popularity.
The story follows Xie Lian, a fallen god seeking redemption, as he navigates political intrigue, divine mysteries and unexpected alliances.
“Red Sorghum” is a powerful Chinese novel set against the backdrop of war and revolution.
It explores the intertwined lives of characters in a rural sorghum wine distillery, capturing the brutal realities of war and the indomitable spirit of the Chinese people.
Mo Yan’s lyrical prose and evocative storytelling create a mesmerizing tale and a look into Chinese history.
Why You Should Start Reading Chinese Books
It enhances your vocabulary. Reading a Chinese novel helps you see and learn a variety of Chinese characters, which not only expands your vocabulary but also demonstrates their structure in sentences.
It helps retain what you’ve learned. Language learners often forget what they’ve learned as time progresses. If you’re not immersing yourself in the language daily, it can be tricky to recall certain words or phrases. To avoid this, it’s best to pick up a book occasionally and immerse yourself through reading.
It helps improve your sentence structure. Books provide you with a variety of sentences—narrative, descriptive, informative and conversations. You’ll benefit from reading, and you’ll get a stronger sense of the different ways to position your characters.
It’s fun and relaxing. There’s nothing more relaxing than reading a book. Grab a copy of the latest novel by your favorite author translated into Mandarin, and have fun learning the language.
You can do it anywhere, at any time. Whether you’re reading your favorite Chinese novel on your Kindle, on your laptop, or physically holding a book in your hand—reading can be done anywhere, at any time.
Tips on How to Learn Chinese Through Books
Read out loud. When you pick up a Chinese book to read, practice pronouncing the characters by reading the text out loud. It not only improves your concentration but also helps you retain what you’ve read.
Look for context clues. Instead of searching for the meaning of the Chinese characters each time you stumble upon an unfamiliar word, look for context clues instead. If the same word keeps reappearing, look it up to confirm its meaning.
Then, find the word in use in other Chinese content, like the videos on FluentU. The more you use new words in use naturally, the better you’ll learn them.
FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.
You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.
Stick to the Chinese text. Don’t depend on the English translation. The purpose of picking up a Chinese novel is to read the content in its intended language—Chinese—and learn as you’re reading.
Read and reread. Practice makes perfect! It’s such a cliché but still very much applicable to all of us. While reading in a new language may be challenging, it helps you retain information to memory that you’ll be able to recall later. And, it’s all a part of the learning process.
Whether you’re a fiction fan or you prefer non-fiction, there’s something on this list for everyone.
Choose an option or two and enjoy reading some of the best Chinese books of all time!
If you want to continue learning Chinese with interactive and authentic Chinese content, then you'll love FluentU.
FluentU naturally eases you into learning Chinese language. Native Chinese content comes within reach, and you'll learn Chinese as it's spoken in real life.
FluentU has a wide range of contemporary videos—like dramas, TV shows, commercials and music videos.
FluentU brings these native Chinese videos within reach via interactive captions. You can tap on any word to instantly look it up. All words have carefully written definitions and examples that will help you understand how a word is used. Tap to add words you'd like to review to a vocab list.
FluentU's Learn Mode turns every video into a language learning lesson. You can always swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you're learning.
The best part is that FluentU always keeps track of your vocabulary. It customizes quizzes to focus on areas that need attention and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You have a 100% personalized experience.
