Complete Yuan Qu 115

Feng Xueli / 薛鸿鹏The Commercial Press · ChinaDec 2020

3.4

Word count: 12K words
Chapters: 8

Summary

Quanyuanqu (Complete Yuan Qu) is an emerging literary genre, generally divided into zaju (variety drama) and sanqu (nonshi songs). It produced great writers and many excellent works, with 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 mode, including xiaoling (short lyrics) and taoshu (song suites). Today more than 3,800 xiaoling and over 450 taoshu survive. There are more than 218 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 mostly used as songs for courtesans at banquets, erotic pieces are numerous, but there are also many xiaoling on scenery, lyric expression and nostalgia for the past, as well as taoshu satirizing worldly customs and criticizing contemporary abuses; famous examples include Ma Zhiyuan's "Borrowing a Horse," Liu Shizhong's "To High Inspector Gao," and Sui Jingchen's "The Emperor Gaozu Returns Home." Yuan zaju originally circulated in the Shanxi and Hebei regions, and in the early Yuan flowed

Editor's review

This volume is another fascicle in the Quanyuanqu (Complete Yuan Qu) series, continuing the editorial lineage of the original Republican-era Commercial Press edition and presenting the documentary landscape of Yuan sanqu and zaju. The materials show that surviving Yuan sanqu comprise more than 3,800 xiaoling and over 450 taoshu, with 218 named authors; the early period includes Guan Hanqing, Ma Zhiyuan and Bai Pu, while the later period includes Qi Ji, Zhang Kejiu, Sui Jingchen, Zhang Yanghao and Liu Shizhong, who together form the main creative group. The themes of sanqu range from erotic pieces sung by courtesans at banquets to xiaoling on scenery, lyric expression and nostalgia for the past, and taoshu satirizing worldly customs and criticizing contemporary abuses; Ma Zhiyuan's "Borrowing a Horse," Liu Shizhong's "To High Inspector Gao," and Sui Jingchen's "The Emperor Gaozu Returns Home" are especially well known. This book serves as a reference reader for understanding the generic classification and representative pieces of Yuan qu, and is also convenient for use alongside the previous fascicle. When reading, one should take famous authors and works as a thread, giving attention to both form and theme, and avoid merely consulting it as reference material.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who have already read other fascicles of Quanyuanqu and wish to continue consulting it
Researchers of classical literature who need Yuan qu materials based on the original Republican-era edition
Literature enthusiasts interested in the themes and author groups of Yuan sanqu
University teachers offering courses on Yuan qu, who can use it as supplementary material

Not a good fit for

Beginning readers expecting modern collation, vernacular translation and detailed appreciation
Readers who only want complete zaju scripts and have limited interest in sanqu selections
Users who need the complete general collection of all Yuan qu in one place

Reading tips

Compare the table of contents with other fascicles in the series: read the famous authors who recur first, then take up the pieces newly appearing in this volume.
Read in groups of early and later authors, observing changes in sanqu style and theme.
When reading satirical taoshu, combine them with materials on Yuan social background to understand their criticism of contemporary abuses.
Choose three to five pieces for close reading and make summaries each time, so that reference reading does not lapse into casual browsing.

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
邯郸道省悟黄粱梦
第一折
楔子
第二折
第三折
第四折
李文蔚

FAQ

What is the relationship between this volume and other fascicles of Quanyuanqu?

This book is one fascicle of the Quanyuanqu series; together with other fascicles in the series it forms collated material based on the original Republican-era Commercial Press edition. The division of specific pieces among fascicles must be checked in the table of contents; readers should not treat a single fascicle as the whole of Yuan qu. It is advisable to use it in series order or by thematic comparison.

Does the book contain only erotic sanqu?

No. The materials state clearly that because sanqu were mostly used as songs for courtesans at banquets, erotic pieces are relatively numerous, but there are also xiaoling on scenery, lyric expression and nostalgia for the past, as well as taoshu satirizing worldly customs and criticizing contemporary abuses, such as Ma Zhiyuan's "Borrowing a Horse," Liu Shizhong's "To High Inspector Gao," and Sui Jingchen's "The Emperor Gaozu Returns Home." The themes are not monolithic.

Who were the main authors of Yuan sanqu?

The materials list 218 named authors: 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. When reading, one may first grasp these representative authors and then gradually extend to others, forming a basic understanding of the creative community of Yuan sanqu.

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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.