Song of Biyu
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Beginners in classical literature interested in Southern Dynasties yuefu and Wusheng songs
- Undergraduates who need close readings of minor yuefu titles to supplement their research materials
- Readers who enjoy approaching literary-historical questions through a single short poem
- Editors and researchers engaged in collating ancient texts and interested in the sources of yuefu title explanations
Not a good fit for
- Readers expecting lengthy scholarly examination or a systematic general history of yuefu
- Readers who want only modern vernacular appreciation and are uncomfortable with classical Chinese and documentary leads
- General readers of leisure seeking plot-driven stories or novelistic narrative
Reading tips
- Read the song text through first, then return to the title explanation, distinguishing the text from later accounts.
- Read against the relevant volumes of the Yuefu Shiji, noting Guo Maoqian's classificatory choices and title annotations.
- Keep a pen at hand to note doubtful points such as titles and authorship, and verify them together after reading.
- Read alongside selected Wusheng songs of the same period to appreciate the place of minor titles within the yuefu system.
About the publisher
Bashu Publishing House is a publisher centered on collating and publishing classical Chinese cultural texts, with its main publishing areas covering classical literature, Eastern philosophy, ancient poetry, and educational classics. Its library currently holds 1,075 titles, including representative works such as Dream of the Red Chamber, the Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Gathering, Renjian Cihua, and Out to the Frontier, involving authors such as Cao Xueqin, Wang Xizhi, Wang Guowei, Wang Changling, Liu Xie, and Yan Yu. These reflect the publisher's focus on literary classics, poetry criticism, and philosophical readings. Its publishing character lies in working around ancient texts and canonical works, with attention to textual collation and presentation. Public information on its more detailed publishing background and series plans is limited; this introduction is based only on the library's book information.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 樵翁 蒋吉
- 四老庙 蒋吉
- 昭君冢 蒋吉
- 闻歌竹枝 蒋吉
- 重门曲 周濆
- 山下水 周濆
- 逢邻女 周濆
- 废宅 周濆
- 卷七百七十二
- 奉和登会昌山应制（一作钱起诗） 赵起
- 冬日与群公泛舟焦山 王瓒
- 度揭鸿岭（漳州） 慕容韦
- 湘江 黄文
- 题龙阳县青草湖 唐温如
- 訾家洲 欧阳宾
- 题吉州龙溪 何敬
- 过睦州青溪渡 杨彝
- 阖闾城怀古 裴瑶
- 苇谷 郑玉
- 登岳阳楼 麻温其
- 经望湖驿 韦镒
- 杪秋洞庭怀王道士 谢太虚
- 君山祠 周岳秀
- 新乐府 马逢
- 部落曲 马逢
- 从军 马逢
- 宫词二首（一作顾况诗） 马逢
- 卷七百七十三
- 长门失宠 萧意
- 下山逢故夫 徐之才
- 虏患 张陵
- 夏日闺怨 蔡瑰
- 咏破扇 唐怡
- 述怀 唐怡
- 咏烛寄人 潘求仁
- 薛王花烛行 阎德隐
- 三月歌 阎德隐
- 妾薄命 刘元叔
- 古别离 常理
- 妾薄命 常理
- 虞姬怨 冯待征
- 越谿怨 冷朝光
- 吴宫怨 卫万
- 春游吟 李章
- 婕妤怨 王沈
- 夜夜曲 王偃
- 明君词 王偃
- 拟古东飞伯劳歌 李暇
- 怨诗三首 李暇
FAQ
Is "Biyu Ge" a poem title or a tune title?
Is this book suitable for someone with no background in yuefu?
How much yuefu knowledge is needed before reading this book?
Comments
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About the author
Sun Chuo's biographical details are now lost; all that is known is that he was a poet of ancient times, and one work of his, the "Song of Biyu," is included in the collection. Because public records are limited, his native place, courtesy name, dates of birth and death, and official career cannot be established, and literary history contains no systematic account of his oeuvre. Judging from the surviving work, the "Song of Biyu" belongs to the yuefu strand of ancient poetry, voicing a woman's feelings in clear, simple language and a lilting rhythm, and using natural imagery to set off the speaker's mood; it reflects the fresh, gentle style typical of Southern Dynasties yuefu folk songs. The song circulated fairly widely and is often treated as a sample of the love theme in ancient yuefu. Sun Chuo is remembered through this piece, while his overall output and literary standing await further textual discoveries and scholarly study.
