Complete Yuan Qu 14

Feng Xueli / 薛鸿鹏The Commercial Press · ChinaJan 2021

3.7

Word count: 17K words
Chapters: 8

Summary

Quanyuanqu (The Complete Yuan Qu) is a newly emerging literary genre, generally divided into zaju (variety drama) and sanqu (lyric songs). It produced great writers and many excellent works, exerting 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, including xiaoling (short lyrics) and taoshu (song suites). More than 3,800 xiaoling and over 450 taoshu survive today. There are more than 245 named authors, among them, in the early period, Guan Hanqing, Ma Zhiyuan, and Bai Pu, and in the later period, Qiao Ji (printed as Qi Ji), Zhang Kejiu, Sui Jingchen, Zhang Yanghao, and Liu Shizhong. Because sanqu was often used as song lyrics for entertainers at banquets, amorous songs are numerous, but there is also no lack of xiaoling on scenery, lyric expression, and nostalgia for antiquity, as well as taoshu satirizing worldly ways 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 Founder's Return to His Native Village." Yuan zaju originally circulated in the Shanxi and Hebei regions; in the early Yuan it spread [text corrupt]

Editor's review

This volume is the fourteenth fascicle of the large comprehensive collection Quanyuanqu, reproduced from the original edition published by the Commercial Press in the Republican period, and has value as a textual reference. Yuan qu has long been mentioned in the same breath as Tang poetry and Song ci, yet for a long time lacked a complete chronological compendium; this fascicle brings sanqu and zaju together in one collection, making it easier for readers to grasp the overall shape of Yuan qu. It includes famous pieces such as "Borrowing a Horse," "To High Inspector Gao," and "The Founder's Return to His Native Village," and also collects a large number of xiaoling and taoshu, covering works on scenery, lyric expression, nostalgia for antiquity, and social satire, which can correct the one-sided impression that "Yuan qu is mostly amorous songs." This book is better suited as a reference work for browsing and for thematic study than as a popular read from beginning to end. For researchers, the photographic reproduction of the original edition preserves the old layout and original ordering, and can be cross-referenced with modern edited editions; for enthusiasts, it is best to read the famous pieces first, then gradually expand along author lines. When reading, one should note the typesetting characteristics of the Republican-period original and errors in some characters, and it is best to use it alongside collation results.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students of ancient literature who need a comprehensive Yuan qu collection as a base text for papers and coursework
Researchers of classical drama interested in the textual appearance of the Commercial Press original edition from the Republican period
Yuan qu enthusiasts who wish to systematically browse famous sanqu xiaoling and taoshu
Libraries and reference rooms, as a reference work in the collection of Yuan qu documents

Not a good fit for

General readers new to Yuan qu, who will find it difficult without annotations and vernacular paraphrase
Readers seeking only light entertainment, as the whole book is large in scale and not a continuous narrative
Readers accustomed to modern typeset collated editions, who may be uncomfortable with the layout of a photographic reproduction of the original edition

Reading tips

First read the preface and general table of contents to understand this fascicle's place in the whole work and the range of authors included
Begin with famous pieces such as "Borrowing a Horse" and "The Founder's Return to His Native Village," then expand reading in author order
Prepare reference works on historical and modern place names, official titles, and colloquial expressions, consulting them while reading to reduce obstacles to understanding
Read alongside modern collated and annotated editions, and promptly compare variant readings when encountering doubtful characters

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
岳伯川
吕洞宾度铁拐李岳
第一折
第二折
楔子
第三折
第四折

FAQ

Is this fourteenth fascicle suitable for reading from beginning to end?

Not necessarily. As one fascicle of a comprehensive collection, it is better suited to browsing by author or piece, reading the famous works first and then expanding according to interest. Reading straight through can be tiring because of its large scale and lack of annotations.

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

According to the material, Yuan qu is generally divided into zaju and sanqu. Sanqu originated from the popular songs and folk tunes of the Jin dynasty, mostly belongs to the northern qu tradition, and includes xiaoling and taoshu; zaju is a form of drama that originally circulated in the Shanxi and Hebei regions. The two have different systems, and readers can grasp them separately by category.

What should be noted when reading the photographic reproduction of the Republican-period original?

The layout of the original differs from modern typeset editions, and individual characters may contain errors or old forms. It is advisable to use it alongside modern edited editions and to consult collation notes where something is puzzling; the reproduced text should not be regarded as definitive in every case.

Is Yuan qu mostly amorous songs?

The material notes that sanqu was often used as song lyrics for entertainers at banquets, so amorous songs are numerous, but there is also no lack of xiaoling on scenery, lyric expression, and nostalgia for antiquity, and taoshu satirizing worldly ways and criticizing contemporary abuses, such as "Borrowing a Horse," "To High Inspector Gao," and "The Founder's Return to His Native Village." Readers should attend to both types and avoid overgeneralizing.

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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.