Complete Yuan Qu 141

Feng Xueli / 薛鸿鹏The Commercial Press · ChinaDec 2020

3.8

Word count: 11K words
Chapters: 7

Summary

Quanyuanqu (Complete Yuan Qu) is a newly emerged literary genre, generally divided into zaju (variety plays) and sanqu (nondramatic songs). It produced great writers and many excellent works and has had a profound influence on literary history. Sanqu grew out of the popular ballads and folk tunes of the Jin dynasty; most belong to the northern style and include xiaoling (short songs) and taoshu (song suites). More than 3,800 xiaoling and over 450 taoshu survive today. There are more than 247 named authors, including 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 were often used as song lyrics for entertainers at banquets, many are erotic songs, but there are also many xiaoling on scenery, lyric expression and nostalgia for antiquity, and taoshu that satirize worldly ways 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 Return of Emperor Gaozu to His Home Village." Yuan zaju originally circulated in the Shanxi and Hebei region, and in the early Yuan...

Editor's review

This volume is one fascicle of the large critical edition The Complete Yuan Qu, reproduced or edited from the original Commercial Press (Minguo) edition, collecting Yuan sanqu and zaju works. Yuan sanqu holds a distinctive place in literary history: growing out of Jin popular songs and folk tunes, its language is colloquial and lively, its themes range from landscape, lyrical expression and nostalgia to social satire, showing both literati refinement and a wealth of urban idiom. This volume gives readers direct access to the textual context of famous pieces such as Ma Zhiyuan's Borrowing a Horse, Liu Shizhong's To the High Commissioner and Sui Jingchen's The Emperor Returns Home, and is very helpful for understanding Yuan qu's development from popular to refined and its blending of both. It is suitable as a textual basis for thematic reading of Yuan qu and for use alongside literary history courses. Note that the original edition has variant characters and layout issues; beginners should read it against annotated or anthology editions.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Students of classical Chinese literature at the university level who need to consult primary sources of Yuan qu
Enthusiasts of classical literature interested in Yuan sanqu and zaju
Scholars researching popular literature, language, and society of the Yuan dynasty
Book collectors interested in facsimile reprints of Republican-era original editions

Not a good fit for

Absolute beginners hoping for vernacular annotations and an easy introduction
Readers seeking only appreciations of famous Yuan qu pieces rather than the original textual form
Those uncomfortable with traditional vertical typesetting or facsimile formats

Reading tips

Begin with the prefatory notes and table of contents to understand the scope and editorial conventions of this volume
Start with famous pieces by Ma Zhiyuan, Sui Jingchen, and others, then gradually expand to other authors
Read alongside an annotated anthology of Yuan qu to resolve variant characters and allusion difficulties
Take reading notes organized by xiaoling, taoshu, and zaju to clarify the differences between genres

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
康进之
梁山泊李逵负荆
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FAQ

Is this volume of Quan Yuan Qu 141 suitable for absolute beginners?

Not really. This volume is based on the original Commercial Press edition from the Republican period, retaining the original layout and character forms, and lacks modern annotations. Beginners should first read an annotated anthology of Yuan qu, then come to this volume for the original text.

What is the difference between sanqu and zaju?

Sanqu are sung lyrics, including xiaoling and taoshu, and do not dramatize a story; zaju is a theatrical form with stage directions and dialogue that can be performed. Both belong to Yuan qu, but their structure and purpose differ, and this volume covers both types of works.

What should I do when I encounter variant characters while reading?

You can consult a collated edition such as Yuan Qu Xuan for comparison, or use a reference work such as the Hanyu Da Zidian. Grasp the meaning of the sentence and the qupai first; do not be overly bound by the original printed character forms.

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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.