Why proofreaders
This library promises three things: original text first, our own translation second, and the source named on every page. A translation is a claim, and a claim without anyone checking it is just an opinion. The verified seal is only worth what the people who earn it are willing to verify.
We are looking for volunteers who will read the classical Chinese against our English, catch what a machine cannot - nuance, idiom, tone - and help us keep every page honest.
What you'd do · 做什麼
- Proofread translations - read a hexagram, a chapter, or a passage against our English rendering.
- Check glossary consistency - the same term must carry the same English everywhere (our glossary is the standard).
- Flag uncertain passages - where a character is missing or disputed, we mark it rather than hide it.
- Suggest, not rewrite - proposals come with a note; a human decides. That is how the seal stays earned.
Who we're looking for · 我們需要誰
You need any one of these - not all:
- Reading knowledge of classical Chinese - you can read 文言 and want to improve the English it becomes.
- Strong English + genuine interest - you may not know 文言 yet, but you care whether the English is natural and true; you can learn the Chinese as you go.
- Native English taste - the final read that makes the rendering sound like English, not translation.
No paid work, no corporate strings, no deadlines beyond your own comfort. Just careful, credited effort.
What you get · 回報
- Named credit & a verified seal - your name goes on every page you worked on, beside the seal you helped earn.
- Your own private seal · 你的私人印章 - every volunteer receives a personal seal in the library's seal style: a character you choose, stamped as "your name · 印". It starts as a digital SVG you can use anywhere, and it can grow into a real one.
- Real depth in the classics - proofreading one hexagram against the original teaches more than a dozen casual reads. This is the kind of hands-on access to the source texts that paid metaphysics courses rarely give you.
- A proofreader's role in the community - a named role in the library's Discord, early access to new translations and tools, and a place among people who care about the same rare topic.
- Contributor's record - a verifiable record of what you proofread, dated and credited; useful in a portfolio or CV, and honest - we only count work that passed review.
- Thank-you copies - after a set number of accepted reviews, the library's premium translations and reports come to you free.
- A public good - this library is free and source-verifiable; your work makes it trustworthy for every reader who comes after.
The role, the early access, and the thank-you copies grow with the community. What never changes is the credit and the seal - they are yours from your first accepted review.
The seal, and how it grows · 印章三階
- 銅 · Digital seal - your first accepted review earns your digital "XX印" SVG, ready to use anywhere.
- 石 · Carved seal - 10 accepted reviews earn a real carved seal in traditional seal stone (青田 or Shoushan stone), carved and mailed to you, wherever you are.
- 玉 · Jade seal - 30 accepted reviews, or completing a whole text, earn a jade seal - the highest honour in the seal tradition - permanent top billing on the contributors wall, and the library's premium works free.
How it works · 流程
- Claim a text - pick a hexagram, chapter, or passage from the work-in-progress list below.
- Compare and annotate - read the original against our translation; note what should change and why.
- Submit your notes - they go to the review queue.
- Review and seal - an editor reviews; accepted changes are applied, and the page's verified seal is updated with your name.
Work in progress · 待校對清單
What is claimable right now. Each task is real classical text waiting for a careful eye; pick one, read the original against our English, and submit your notes.
How to join · 加入
Write to us with a sentence about which of the three profiles fits you and which text you would like to start with. We answer everyone, and the first text usually goes out the same week.
The library - the original texts, our translations, the glossary, and the introductory articles - is free, forever. Its finances are fully public: donations and expenses are itemised monthly.
The same team also builds paid products on top of it: structured courses, personalized reports, and curated editions. That is a commercial venture, and its accounts are not public - profits are not disclosed, and we do not publish a reinvestment ratio or amount.
What that means for you: your volunteer work is never sold as-is. And if you want to participate in the paid side - building courses, assessment reports, custom services, or tooling - you are paid by contribution. You don't wait to see money come back; you join in and take a share. The full terms are in the Contributor Agreement.
Email hello@chineseastrologylibrary.org →
(The library's contact address is confirmed once the domain goes live; until then the address above is the intended one.)