Complete Yuan Qu 104

Feng XueliThe Commercial Press · ChinaDec 2020

3.4

Word count: 23K words
Chapters: 13

Summary

Yuan Drama Complete: Volume 104. Yuan drama (qu) is a newly emerging literary form, generally divided into zaju (variety plays) and sanqu (scattered songs). It produced great writers and many outstanding works, and has exerted a profound influence on literary history. Sanqu grew out of the popular songs and folk tunes of the Jin dynasty; the vast majority belong to the northern qu tradition and include xiaoling (short lyrics) and taoshu (song suites). More than 3,800 xiaoling and over 450 taoshu survive today. There are more than 206 named authors, among them, in the early period, Guan Hanqing, Ma Zhiyuan, and Bai Pu, and in the later period, Qi Ji, Zhang Kejiu, Sui Jingchen, Zhang Yanghao, and Liu Shizhong. Because sanqu were often used as lyrics sung by singing girls at banquets, romantic songs are relatively numerous, but there is also no lack of xiaoling on scenery, lyric expression, and meditation on the past, as well as taoshu that satirize customs and criticize contemporary abuses; famous examples include Ma Zhiyuan's "Borrowing a Horse," Liu Shizhong's "To High Commissioner Gao," and Sui Jingchen's "The Emperor Gaozu Returns to His Hometown." Yuan zaju originally circulated in the Shanxi and Hebei region.

Editor's review

This volume is another installment of Complete Yuan Drama, likewise compiled from the original Republican-era Commercial Press edition, focusing on the sanqu and zaju strands of Yuan drama, a newly emerging literary form. Sanqu originated in the popular songs and folk tunes of the Jin dynasty; the vast majority belong to the northern qu tradition and are divided into xiaoling and taoshu. More than 3,800 xiaoling and over 450 taoshu survive, with more than 200 named authors: Guan Hanqing, Ma Zhiyuan, and Bai Pu in the early period, and Qiao Ji, Zhang Kejiu, Sui Jingchen, Zhang Yanghao, and Liu Shizhong in the later period, a lineup and body of work of considerable scale. Beyond romantic songs, the selections preserve works on scenery, lyric expression, and meditation on the past, as well as taoshu satirizing contemporary abuses. Masterpieces such as Ma Zhiyuan's "Borrowing a Horse," Liu Shizhong's "To High Commissioner Gao," and Sui Jingchen's "The Emperor Gaozu Returns to His Hometown" reveal the side of Yuan drama that confronts the worldly with wit and biting satire. The source material also mentions that Yuan zaju originally circulated in the Shanxi and Hebei region, offering a clue for understanding the regional roots of sanqu and drama. The text and typography of the original Republican-era edition give this volume value both for reading and for textual reference, making it suitable for use alongside companion volumes, advancing layer by layer by author and form.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with some grounding in classical Chinese who wish to continue studying Yuan sanqu
University students of classical Chinese literature using it as a supplementary reader for courses on Yuan drama
Drama researchers interested in the regional roots of Yuan zaju and sanqu
Advanced readers who enjoy popular literature and satirical themes and are willing to read primary texts

Not a good fit for

Beginner readers encountering Yuan drama for the first time who need line-by-line vernacular translation
Ordinary readers seeking only contemporary annotated anthologies or popular introductions
Readers hoping to read all complete Yuan zaju scripts in a single volume

Reading tips

Read in chronological order of authors: first Guan Hanqing, Ma Zhiyuan, and Bai Pu, then later figures such as Qiao Ji and Zhang Kejiu.
Compare xiaoling and taoshu side by side, noting differences in language and structure between the two forms in the same author's work.
When reading taoshu that satirize customs, consult material on Yuan-era society to understand their intent to criticize contemporary abuses.
Cross-reference with other volumes in the set rather than reading in isolation, building an overall understanding of Complete Yuan Drama.

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
包待制智斩鲁斋郎
楔子
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尉迟恭单鞭夺槊
楔子
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第四折

FAQ

How does this volume differ from Complete Yuan Drama 103?

Both volumes belong to the Complete Yuan Drama series and are based on the original Republican-era Commercial Press edition; both focus on sanqu while touching on the zaju strand. Specific selections and arrangement depend on the individual volume, and the source material does not list differences item by item; readers may read them in sequence as complements to each other.

How many Yuan sanqu works survive?

According to the source material, more than 3,800 xiaoling and over 450 taoshu survive, with more than 200 named authors. This quantity shows that Yuan sanqu occupies a considerable place in Yuan literature and also suggests that, beyond anthologies, much work remains for extended reading.

Which regions does the book mention as places where Yuan zaju circulated?

The source notes that Yuan zaju originally circulated in the Shanxi and Hebei region and gradually spread after the early Yuan. This regional clue helps explain the shared northern popular-song roots of sanqu and zaju; readers may deepen their understanding by drawing on knowledge of northern dialects and qupai.

Is the original Republican-era edition suitable for scholarly citation?

The original Republican-era Commercial Press edition can serve as a textual reference, but scholarly citation should verify specific page numbers, collation, and editorial notes, and cross-check against modern critical editions. For ordinary reading it can be used directly, though readers should adapt slightly to variant characters and old-style punctuation.

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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.