Complete Yuan Qu 142

Feng Xueli / 薛鸿鹏The Commercial Press · ChinaJan 2021

3.8

Word count: 16K words
Chapters: 8

Summary

Quanyuanqu (Complete Yuan Qu) is a newly emerged literary genre, generally divided into zaju (Yuan drama) and sanqu (Yuan lyric songs). It produced great writers and many outstanding works, and has had a profound influence on literary history. Sanqu grew out of the popular ballads 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 248 named authors, among them 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 lyrics sung by entertainers at banquets, erotic songs are numerous, but there is also no lack of xiaoling on scenery, lyrical 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 Founder's Return to His Home Village." Yuan zaju originally circulated in the Shanxi and Hebei region, and in the early Yuan flowed

Editor's review

This volume continues the editorial format of Quanyuanqu, using the original Commercial Press (Minguo) edition as its base text to present the textual appearance of Yuan sanqu and zaju. Sources indicate that more than 3,800 xiaoling and over 450 taoshu of Yuan sanqu survive, with more than 240 named authors: Guan Hanqing, Ma Zhiyuan, and Bai Pu in the early period; Zhang Kejiu, Sui Jingchen, Zhang Yanghao, Liu Shizhong, and others in the later period—constituting the basic genealogy of Yuan qu composition. The value of this volume lies in providing a reading text close to the original edition, allowing readers to experience the dimensions of sanqu beyond banquet-entertainer lyrics—scenery, lyrical expression, nostalgia for antiquity, and satire of the world—and to trace the distribution of a single author's works across different volumes. It is suitable for thematic study and edition comparison, but the photographic reprint of the original edition poses a certain barrier for first-time readers; use alongside a collated and annotated edition is recommended.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Researchers of classical literature who need to compare original Yuan qu texts
Members of Yuan qu reading groups conducting volume-by-volume study
Library and textual-organization professionals interested in Republican-era original editions
Self-learners of classical literature with some grounding in literary Chinese

Not a good fit for

Beginner readers who need modern Chinese translation and detailed annotation
Casual readers who only want a selection of famous Yuan qu pieces
Those who have difficulty reading photographic reprints in traditional characters and layout

Reading tips

First check the volume's table of contents and author distribution, and build an author–genre index
Each time, read one or two authors' xiaoling and taoshu side by side to perceive stylistic differences
Read satirical taoshu such as "To High Commissioner Gao" alongside scenic xiaoling
Record variant readings in the original edition and compare them with current collated editions to form edition notes

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
孟汉卿
张孔目智勘魔合罗
楔子
第一折
第二折
第三折
第四折

FAQ

What is the difference between Quanyuanqu 141 and 142?

The two are adjacent volumes in the same series, with a consistent format but different ranges of works and authors. Sources show a slight difference in author counts—247 in one, 248 in the other. Specific contents should be based on each volume's table of contents.

Is Yuan sanqu only erotic songs?

No. Although sanqu were often used as banquet-entertainer lyrics and erotic songs are numerous, xiaoling on scenery, lyrical expression, and nostalgia for antiquity, and taoshu satirizing worldly ways and criticizing contemporary abuses, are equally abundant; Ma Zhiyuan's "Borrowing a Horse" and Liu Shizhong's "To High Commissioner Gao" are representative examples.

What is the reading value of the original Commercial Press (Minguo) edition?

The original edition preserves an earlier editorial appearance, layout, and character forms, and can be used for edition comparison and textual research; it also gives a direct sense of modern publishing's role in transmitting Yuan qu. But it is not convenient for first reading and should be used together with modern annotated editions.

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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.