Chinese Bilingual Bible

Rating:
Summary: Available in different versions
Review: Check to see that ISBN matches your requirements

ISBN 9622934579 - TCV Traditional script Hardback
ISBN 9622934773 - TCV Simplified script Paperback
ISBN 9622937772 - TCV Traditional script TEV bilingual Hardback
ISBN 9622930093 - Union Traditional script [Shangti edition]
ISBN 9813099917 - Union Simplified script Paperback
ISBN 9813099844 - Union Simplified script Hardback
ISBN unknown - Union Traditional script NIV bilingual Hardback

NOTE:

There are three main versions
- Chinese Union Version CU [hehe-ben] published by the Chinese Govt inside China
- Chinese Union Version New Punctuation CUNP [xinbiaodian hehe-ben] published by UBS
- Today's Chinese Version TCV [xiandai-ben] published by UBS in HK, Taiwan and Singapore
- Chinese Living Bible CLB [tangdai-ben] published by IBS in America
These versions are equivalent to RSV, TEV, and Living Bible respectively. The 'new punctuation' version of the Union is not significantly different from the old Union version. PRC Christians tend to strongly prefer the old CU, which is freely available throughout China, but the TCV is a lot easier to read. The CLB is a paraphrase. There are also specialist editions such as NIV-CU, TEV-TCV parallel texts, New Testaments with pinyin superscript and CU or TCV Study Bibles.

There are two scripts
- traditional [fanti hanzi] used in Hong Kong and Taiwan and by overseas Chinese communities.
- simplified [jianti hanzi] used in the PRC and being introduced in Singapore.
Both script types may be printed vertically (read top-to-bottom) or horizontally (left-to-right).

Chinese Bibles are available as Shen Editions or Shangti Editions. Shangti means an edition printed with two characters 'Shang Di' for "God", a Shen Edition means an edition printed with a blank space followed by one character 'Shen' for "God". If not specified it will usually be a Shen Edition. What the difference is between the two terms is open to debate.

Fortunately at least there is no written difference between Cantonese and Mandarin. This distinction is only relevant to audio tapes. Hong Kong Cantonese read traditional script. Over the border in Guangzhou PRC Cantonese read simplified script. Likewise in Beijing they speak Putonghua (their name for Mandarin) but read the same simplified scipt as Guangzhou, and Taiwanese speak Kuoyu (another name for Mandarin) but read the traditional script like Hong Kong. Confusingly the Union Version is sometimes known as the 'Kuoyu Bible' in Hong Kong even though there it is usually read out loud as Cantonese.

Rating:
Summary: TEV / Today's Chinese Version
Review: This is the TEV/TCV hardback yellow parallel text. It is only available with traditional (HK,Taiwan) characters not simplified characters (PRC). In any case the TCV is not used inside China where the old Union Version is freely and cheaply available from book kiosks at official churches. The TCV is a paraphrase ("the meek will inherit what God has promised"), but a lot easier to read than the Union for those from a non-Christian background.

The TCV is the "xiandai-ben", the Union the "hehe-ben".