Lamenting Parting

Name: Lamenting Parting
ISBN: 9787503484797

陈铎 / 尚化启China Culture and History Press · ChinaOct 2024

3.1

Word count: 121K words
Chapters: 16
ISBN: 9787503484797

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Summary

The Xuzhou Ming and Qing Ten Cultural Celebrities Series collects the works of ten historical and cultural figures from Xuzhou during the Ming and Qing dynasties: Zhang Zhenguan, a jinshi of the Wanli reign; Chen Duo, a master of Ming sanqu known as the "King of Music"; Yan Ermei and Wan Shouqi, juren of the Chongzhen reign and renowned loyalist poets; Li Pan, a zhuangyuan and poet of the Kangxi reign; Zhang Zhupo, a Qing commentator on Jin Ping Mei; Li Wei, Minister of War and Viceroy of Zhili during the Yongzheng reign; Sun Yunjin, a bagong of the Daoguang reign, juren of the Xianfeng reign, and poet; Zhang Boying, a juren of the Guangxu reign and calligrapher; and Zhou Xiangjun, a scholar and poet of the late Qing and early Republic. This volume is one of the series.

Editor's review

As one volume of the Xuzhou Ming and Qing Ten Cultural Celebrities Series, this book presents the works of Chen Duo, a master of Ming sanqu, together with related editorial content by Shang Huaqi. Chen Duo, known as the "King of Music," wrote sanqu on themes close to everyday urban life, in a brisk and witty language that offers an important entry into the character of Ming sanqu. The book's value lies not only in providing readable texts but also in bringing a local literary master long overlooked by general readers back into view. Introductory notes may help readers grasp the author's life and background. It serves well as an introductory or supplementary reader for Ming and Qing literature and sanqu studies, and for local culture enthusiasts tracing such figures. Readers need not aim to finish it all; begin with short qupai, savor their colloquial rhythm and emotional turns, then return to the notes and background for a more solid grasp.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in Ming sanqu and popular literature
University teachers and students studying Ming and Qing literature and local documents
Local culture enthusiasts interested in Xuzhou's historical and cultural figures
Readers who enjoy the flavor of classical Chinese through short verse forms

Not a good fit for

Readers who want only coherent long novels or modern prose
Readers impatient with qupai, dialect, and heavy reliance on annotations
Readers expecting a systematic biography or complete literary history

Reading tips

Start with short qupai, reading them one by one, marking unfamiliar colloquial expressions and looking them up together.
Read alongside materials on Ming social and cultural history to understand the sanqu's popular flavor.
Read a few pieces each week and jot down favorite lines, avoiding forcing through it all at once.
After finishing, try rewriting one or two pieces in modern colloquial Chinese to test whether you have truly understood them.

About the publisher

China Culture and History Press China · Founded in 1980

China Culture and History Press has long devoted itself to modern and contemporary literature and culture-and-history reading matter, with publishing directions centered on classic works, social novels, prose and miscellaneous writings, and Eastern philosophy, alongside culture-and-history periodicals such as Zongheng. Among the more than 1,500 titles in the collection, representative books include Zhang Henshui's Ti Xiao Yin Yuan, Lu Xun's Complete Classic Works (10 volumes) and Wild Grass, and Lao She's Four Generations Under One Roof series and the boxed set of Lao She's Classic Works (10 volumes), while its author resources are concentrated on figures such as Zhang Henshui, Lu Xun, Lao She and Sima Qian. Its publishing character lies in solid editorial work on culture-and-history source texts and in issuing famous authors' works in sets, balancing the readability of individual texts with the systematic presentation of complete collections for focused reading and collecting. Beyond these directions, public information on the press's contemporary original publishing is limited, so it is not elaborated here.

版权信息
作者简介
《徐州明清十人文苹》编辑委员会
江山有待文献千秋
概述
梨云寄傲
秋碧轩稿
可雪斋稿
月香亭稿
滑稽余韵
散曲辑补
草堂余意卷上
草堂余意卷下
诗（词）拾珍
纳锦郎传奇
附编

FAQ

Can I read this book without any background in sanqu?

Yes, but slow down. Sanqu often uses colloquial language, slang, and qupai forms; on first reading, do not insist on understanding every allusion—grasp the tone and situation first, then consult the notes. Begin with short, accessible pieces and gradually grow familiar with the conventions.

What is Chen Duo's place in literary history?

Chen Duo is a renowned Ming sanqu writer known as the "King of Music." His works are distinguished by wide-ranging themes and lively language, and he is representative of Ming sanqu development. As one volume of the Xuzhou Ming and Qing figures series, this book helps readers approach him from the perspective of local documents.

Is this book suitable for reading straight through?

There is no need to force a straight read. A sanqu collection is better suited to selective and repeated reading, grouped by theme or qupai. If time is limited, read the most accessible pieces first to build a feel for the language, then expand—more effective than plowing through page by page.

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About the author

陈铎 Author

Chen Duo is an author about whom the Chinese book database holds very limited information. Only one work by this author, Yuan Bie (Regret at Parting), is currently included, and nothing is recorded about dates of birth and death, place of origin, or life experience; publicly available material is scarce. Judging from the title Yuan Bie, the work most likely centers on parting and longing, a melancholy theme common in traditional poetry and prose and carrying a lyric, reflective tone. The database classifies it as a classic work, suggesting that it is representative in subject matter or style and may be distinguished by restrained language and delicate emotional description. Because no further verifiable sources are available, this introduction does not overreach in assessing the author's full body of work, literary standing, or historical influence; it presents only the basic picture of this author and the surviving work as recorded, for readers' reference, in the hope that fuller materials may come to light.

尚化启 Author

Shang Huaqi's biographical information is very limited in publicly available sources. All that is currently known is that one work is attributed to this name, namely Yuan Bie (Lamenting Parting). Judging from the title, the work likely belongs to the realm of classical literature, taking up the theme of separation, which is closely related to the familiar motifs of longing and sorrow at parting in traditional culture. Since the author's nationality, dates of birth and death, courtesy name, and specific life experiences cannot be verified, it is impossible to infer the era or creative background, nor to determine whether Yuan Bie is a poem, ci, qu, or another literary form. Under the present conditions, the work can only be viewed within the common category of "classic works." Readers who wish to learn more about Shang Huaqi must rely on further discovery and collation of documents; in the absence of solid evidence, excessive speculation about the author's life and literary standing should be avoided.