Old lessons, new implications

Abstract This article examines the historical development of Chinese pronunciation instruction with a focus on tone and sentence-level prosody, drawing on a review of early Chinese textbooks. Based on authorship, target learners, and instructional characteristics of the Chinese sound system, the development of Chinese textbooks is divided into three periods in this study: the Early Period (before 1948), the Transitional Period (1948–1979), and the Modern Period (1980 onward). Focusing primarily on early-period textbooks, the study examines three aspects: tone presentation, sentence-level prosody, and pedagogical guidance. Key issues, such as the third-tone problem, are highlighted for their influence on modern instruction. A longitudinal comparison identifies major trends across periods and considers potential implications for the design of contemporary and future Chinese pronunciation textbooks.