Eye movement pattern of reading Chinese Classics

Abstract This article explores the use of eye movement technology in studying the reading pattern of Chinese classical text. Written in a character-based ancient language, Classical Chinese or wenyanwen, the Chinese classics are known to be difficult to apprehend for most contemporary readers. In this study, a new character-oriented eye movement technology, Region of Interest in Reading (ROIR), was invented to detect readers’ attention allocation in reading. Based on ROIRs, first fixation duration, gaze duration, and total fixation duration were formulated to discuss readers’ cognitive processes and reading patterns when reading Classical Chinese text. The empirical study was conducted using Tao Te Ching (道德经) as the reading material. The study provides foundational technology for the construction of Chinese-oriented eye movement control model, and the findings also shed light on the teaching of Chinese Classics.