Complete Yuan Qu 110

Feng Xueli / 薛鸿鹏The Commercial Press · ChinaDec 2020

3.4

Word count: 32K words
Chapters: 13

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 songs 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 213 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, many are love songs, but there are also xiaoling on scenery, lyric expression and nostalgia for the past, and taoshu that satirize the ways of the world and criticize current abuses; famous examples include Ma Zhiyuan's "Borrowing a Horse," Liu Shizhong's "To Superior Supervisor Gao," and Sui Jingchen's "The Emperor Returns Home." Yuan zaju originally circulated in the Shanxi and Hebei region, and in the early Yuan period spread

Editor's review

This volume is the 110th in The Complete Yuan Qu series, produced from a photographic reprint of the original Republican-era Commercial Press edition, and focuses on the two literary forms of Yuan sanqu and zaju. The sanqu section covers xiaoling and taoshu and includes early writers such as Guan Hanqing, Ma Zhiyuan and Bai Pu, as well as later masters such as Zhang Kejiu, Sui Jingchen and Zhang Yanghao; its subjects range from banquet love songs to landscape writing, lyric expression and satirical verse on the world, while the zaju section explains its regions of circulation and early dissemination. As a volume in a large general collection, its value lies in providing readers with a relatively original and systematic textual presentation, making it suitable as a desk reference for studying Yuan qu. When reading, one should closely read individual pieces and note the language style of sanqu, in which elegance and vulgarity coexist, as well as the narrative expansiveness of taoshu. For readers interested in Yuan literature, ancient drama or textual scholarship, this volume can serve as one entry point for reading The Complete Yuan Qu; general readers can also select passages by famous authors and works to experience the direct and crisp expression of Yuan qu.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students of ancient literature who need to consult original Yuan qu texts and authors' works
Yuan qu enthusiasts who wish to systematically understand the landscape of sanqu xiaoling and taoshu
Drama researchers concerned with the circulation and textual organization of Yuan zaju
Library and textual organization staff who need volumes for reference collection

Not a good fit for

General recreational readers seeking light storytelling
Beginners who only need modern vernacular appreciation and annotations
Readers uninterested in ancient dramatic literary forms

Reading tips

Begin with famous xiaoling, then compare them with taoshu to appreciate the levels of sanqu from short pieces to expansive writing.
Mark dialect and colloquial expressions and padding words as you read, to better grasp the linguistic features of Yuan qu.
Read alongside relevant chapters of literary history to understand the works within the social and cultural context of the Yuan dynasty.
If using it for reference, first locate authors through the table of contents, then read several works by the same author together.

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
看钱奴买冤家债主
楔子
第一折
第二折
第三折
第四折
崔府君断冤家债主
楔子
第一折
第二折
第三折
第四折

FAQ

Does this volume mainly collect sanqu or zaju?

According to the source description, The Complete Yuan Qu is generally divided into zaju and sanqu; this volume covers sanqu xiaoling and taoshu and explains the regions and circulation of zaju. For specific pieces, consult the volume's table of contents; readers are advised to look at the contents first and then arrange their reading order.

Can I read it directly without a foundation in Yuan qu?

You can try, but it will be somewhat difficult. The book preserves the appearance of the original printed text, with many dialect expressions and padding words. It is advisable to start with xiaoling by famous authors such as Ma Zhiyuan and Zhang Yanghao, and read alongside a literary history or annotated edition to gradually become accustomed to the expressive style of Yuan qu.

Does sanqu consist only of love songs?

Not at all. The source notes that because sanqu were often used as lyrics sung by singing girls at banquets, there are many love songs, but there are also xiaoling on scenery, lyric expression and nostalgia for the past, as well as taoshu that satirize the ways of the world and criticize current abuses, such as Ma Zhiyuan's "Borrowing a Horse," Liu Shizhong's "To Superior Supervisor Gao," and Sui Jingchen's "The Emperor Returns Home"; the subjects are quite diverse.

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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.