Complete Yuan Qu 101

Feng Xueli / 薛鸿鹏The Commercial Press · ChinaJan 2021

3.4

Word count: 18K words
Chapters: 11

Summary

The Complete Yuan Qu is a newly emerging literary form, generally divided into zaju and sanqu. It produced great writers and many outstanding works, and has had a profound influence on literary history. Sanqu grew out of the popular ballads and folk tunes of the Jin dynasty; the vast majority belong to the northern qu, and include xiaoling and taoshu. More than 3,800 xiaoling and over 450 taoshu survive today. There are more than 203 named authors, among them Guan Hanqing, Ma Zhiyuan, and Bai Pu in the early period, and Qi Ji, Zhang Kejiu, Sui Jingchen, Zhang Yanghao, and Liu Shizhong in the later period. Because sanqu was often used as song lyrics for banquet entertainers, there are many sensual songs, but there are also no lack of xiaoling on scenery, lyric expression, and reminiscence of the past, as well as taoshu satirizing worldly ways and criticizing current abuses; famous examples include Ma Zhiyuan's "Borrowing a Horse," Liu Shizhong's "To High Inspector Gao," and Sui Jingchen's "The Founder Returns Home." Yuan zaju originally circulated in the Shanxi and Hebei region, and in the early Yuan flowed

Editor's review

This is one volume of the photocopied or compiled series The Complete Yuan Qu, based on the original edition published by the Commercial Press in the Republican period and of value for textual reference. Its content covers the two major branches of Yuan qu: sanqu and zaju. The sanqu section involves xiaoling and taoshu, including banquet sensual songs as well as works on scenery, lyric expression, and reminiscence of the past, and satires on worldly ways; famous pieces such as Ma Zhiyuan's "Borrowing a Horse," Liu Shizhong's "To High Inspector Gao," and Sui Jingchen's "The Founder Returns Home" are included. The zaju section shows the theatrical landscape that circulated in the Shanxi and Hebei region in the early Yuan. For readers who want to understand the evolution of Yuan qu as a literary form, its community of writers, and its types of works, this book provides a fairly systematic anthology foundation. When reading, it is advisable to compare sanqu with zaju, note the tension between the linguistic character of popular ballads and folk tunes and the tendency toward literati refinement, and also consider the stylistic differences between early writers such as Guan Hanqing, Ma Zhiyuan, and Bai Pu and later figures such as Zhang Kejiu and Zhang Yanghao, so as to appreciate the profound influence of Yuan qu on literary history.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Chinese majors interested in the literary form of Yuan qu and the context of literary history
General readers who want to understand the basic landscape of sanqu xiaoling, taoshu, and zaju
Researchers of classical literature who need information on the Republican-era Commercial Press edition for reference
Readers who enjoy famous Yuan qu writers such as Guan Hanqing, Ma Zhiyuan, and Sui Jingchen

Not a good fit for

Beginning readers expecting modern vernacular annotations and line-by-line translation
Readers interested only in Ming-Qing fiction or Tang poetry and Song ci
Specialist scholars needing a complete academic collated edition or the latest research findings

Reading tips

First read the xiaoling on scenery and reminiscence of the past, then move on to taoshu and zaju, proceeding step by step.
Compare works by early writers such as Guan Hanqing and Ma Zhiyuan with those of later figures such as Zhang Kejiu to sense the stylistic changes.
Skim banquet sensual songs and focus on taoshu that satirize worldly ways and criticize current abuses.
Take notes on colloquial expressions in popular ballads and folk tunes to help understand the linguistic character of Yuan qu.

About the publisher

The Commercial Press China · Founded in 1897

"Republic-era Commercial Press Original Editions" refers to original books printed by The Commercial Press during the Republican period, not a separate publishing house. Judging from the 300 titles held in the collection, its publishing focus centers on classical poetry and lyrics, literary appreciation, classic works, military texts, prose and miscellaneous writings, and Eastern philosophy. Representative titles include Wang Guowei's Renjian Cihua, Zhong Rong's Shipin, the lyric collections of Xin Qiji and Liu Yong, Sun Wu's The Art of War, and Lü Buwei's Xianshi Lan. Its author resources are mainly classical writers, together with modern scholars such as Li Jingbang and Guo Huaruo, whose collations and annotations are also represented, giving the list a character centered on original texts while attending to annotation and appreciation. Public information on the precise Republican-era catalog and printings is limited; this overview is based only on the titles held in the collection.

版权信息
关大王独赴单刀会
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温太真玉镜台
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FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers with no foundation in Yuan qu at all?

It can serve as an anthology for initial contact with Yuan qu, but the book may not be equipped with modern annotations and line-by-line translation. It is recommended to start with short xiaoling on scenery and reminiscence of the past, then gradually move on to taoshu and zaju; when encountering obscure words, read alongside reference works or annotated anthologies.

What is the relationship between sanqu and zaju in this book?

According to the materials, The Complete Yuan Qu is generally divided into zaju and sanqu; sanqu includes xiaoling and taoshu and mostly belongs to the northern qu. This book covers both categories. Readers may regard sanqu as short lyrical pieces and zaju as theatrical works; reading them in comparison gives a more comprehensive understanding of the generic landscape of Yuan qu.

Which representative works are included in the book?

The materials mention famous sanqu pieces such as Ma Zhiyuan's "Borrowing a Horse," Liu Shizhong's "To High Inspector Gao," and Sui Jingchen's "The Founder Returns Home," and involve writers such as Guan Hanqing, Ma Zhiyuan, Bai Pu, Zhang Kejiu, and Zhang Yanghao. The specific pieces are subject to the book's actual compilation; browse the table of contents first and then arrange a reading order.

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About the author

Feng Xueli Author

Feng Xueli is an editor engaged in the collation of ancient Chinese texts; public information about him is limited, and no authoritative record of his life, native place, dates of birth and death has been found. According to available records, in 1999 he edited the combined "Complete Tang Poems," "Complete Song Ci," and "Complete Yuan Qu," published by Inner Mongolia Cultural Press in sixteen volumes. He also co-edited "Complete Tang Poems" and "Complete Yuan Qu" with Xue Hongpeng. Fifty-six of his works are held in the collection, mainly individual volumes of the "Complete Yuan Qu" series, such as volumes 142 through 149. Classified under ancient poetry, these works reflect his focus on compiling and collating classical verse—Tang poems, Song ci, and Yuan qu—providing readers with a relatively systematic body of texts for studying ancient Chinese poetry and song.

薛鸿鹏 Author

Xue Hongpeng is an author for whom public information is currently limited; details such as nationality, dates of birth and death, and educational background are not clearly recorded. According to Chinese book databases, 55 works appear under this name, mainly in the category of classical poetry, with representative titles being volumes 142 to 149 of the Complete Yuan Qu series. These works center on the compilation and presentation of Yuan dynasty sanqu and zaju texts, systematically assembling Yuan qu literature so that readers can consult material from this period in a concentrated way. The editing style tends toward documentary organization, emphasizing textual completeness and orderly arrangement, and serves the reading and research needs of enthusiasts of classical poetry and qu studies. Owing to the lack of biographical detail, little more can be said about the author's scholarly background.