ABSTRACT
The Chinese lexicographical culture has its deep roots in the socio-cultural settings which called forth reading primers written for school children in the Western Zhou Dynasty. When Chinese history stepped into the Ming Dynasty, the Chinese traditional culture was declining and was undergoing a transition towards modern culture. The transitional Ming and Qing cultures were characterized by cultural autocracy and the extremely cruel literacy inquisition on the one hand, and the promotion of practical learning and western learning and the sum-up of achievements in traditional Chinese civilization and the liberal academic studies on the other hand. Chinese bilingual lexicography originated from preaching Buddhism, which was introduced into China in the late Western Han Dynasty. Lexicographical researches were carried out in greater depth and in a more systematic fashion. The features of the dictionary were explored more thoroughly.
