An Outline of Ci Poetry

刘熙载Nanhai Publication Company · ChinaJul 2024

3.8

Word count: 7.4K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Lyric songs: in antiquity they were poems, in modern times they are ci. Thus the Guan Ju and Lu Ming both took sound from words. In ci, however, words come from sound; hence ci is the study of sound.

Editor's review

Ci Gai is an important late-Qing work on ci by the scholar Liu Xizai. It is brief yet penetrating. Starting from the fundamental judgment that "ci is the study of sound," it traces the genre back to the tradition of ancient poetic lyrics and stresses that ci is not merely text on the page but is closely bound up with prosody, performance, and the rhythm of feeling. Liu Xizai is not content with excerpting lines and commenting on them; he seeks to distinguish the origins and development of the genre, its orthodox and variant forms, and the relative quality of its styles, often capturing the essence of a poet's manner in a few words, so that the reading gives a sense of mastering complexity through simplicity. This 2024 Nanhai Publishing House edition makes it easy for contemporary readers to encounter this classic of traditional ci scholarship anew. It is suitable as an advanced reader after an introduction to ci studies, and also for reading alongside specific ci works: read the original first, then see how Liu evaluates it, and one can more truly appreciate the critical eye of traditional ci scholarship, with its emphasis on sound and feeling and on meaning and character. The discussions are concise, with occasional aphoristic judgments; readers need not agree with them all, and can use them to train their own critical appreciation.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who have read a certain amount of Tang and Song ci and wish to understand traditional ci criticism
University students of Chinese studying ancient literary theory or ci studies
Poetry lovers who enjoy short, note-style criticism and value insight and judgment
Teachers of Chinese who need supplementary knowledge of the origins and development of the ci genre

Not a good fit for

Readers with no foundation in reading ci who are new to classical poetry
Readers seeking a systematic history of ci or line-by-line appreciative explanations
Researchers who prefer long-form argument and require a rigorous modern scholarly framework

Reading tips

Begin with famous ci by poets you already know, then compare the relevant comments in the book to appreciate its critical perspective.
Keep a pen at hand and note the book's judgmental aphorisms; after finishing, review whether you agree.
Read alongside an anthology of ci or a reference work on ci prosody, and look up prosodic terms as they arise.
The book is short; read it closely in two or three sittings, leaving time after each for reflection and comparison.

About the publisher

Nanhai Publication Company China · Founded in 1988

Nanhai Publication Company is a comprehensive publisher known for its literature and arts titles, covering fields such as classical poetry, martial arts fiction, and folk literature. Judging from the more than 1,600 books in the database, the company has released classical poetic works including the Nineteen Old Poems and the Nine Songs, as well as multiple volumes of Huanzhulouzhu's series The Swordsmen of Mount Shu, along with related writings by authors such as Guan Hanqing, Qu Yuan, Zuo Si, and Wang Zhihuan. Its publishing character lies in balancing the organization of classic texts with the dissemination of popular literature, placing poetry anthologies alongside long martial arts novels and presenting a relatively diverse literary profile. Public information is limited, and further details about its editorial practices and series planning remain to be supplemented.

版权信息
词概 [清] 刘熙载

FAQ

Can I read Ci Gai directly without any foundation in ci studies?

It is not really advisable to start from zero. The book deals with the origins and development of the genre, prosody, and evaluations of ci poets through the ages; without some accumulated reading of ci, one may remember only abstract judgments without grasping what they refer to. It is better to read several dozen famous Tang and Song ci first, then come to this book.

How should "ci is the study of sound" be understood?

This is Liu Xizai's summary of the nature of ci: roughly, that ci is closely related to music and prosody, unlike ordinary poetry and prose in which words are primary. Readers may understand it in light of the tradition that ci was originally sung to music; it need not be taken as a strict modern disciplinary definition.

Is this book suitable as an introductory textbook for ci studies?

It is better suited as an advanced reader after an introduction. The book consists mostly of concise aphorisms and lacks systematic exposition, so beginners may find it hard to grasp the overall thread. With some foundation in ci, one can better appreciate its characteristic critical approach of mastering complexity through simplicity.

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About the author

刘熙载 Author

Liu Xizai was a Qing-dynasty literary critic. Public information about his life and official career is limited, and existing accounts rest mainly on his transmitted works. Four of his works are held in this collection: Yigai Cigai, Yigai Ciqu Gai, Shigai, and Cigai, all of which are evaluative studies of poetry, prose, ci, and qu, showing that his scholarly focus lay in the forms, compositional methods, and appreciation of these genres. His criticism usually begins with specific works, distinguishing generic features, tonal and verbal rules, and relative levels of artistic conception; his language is concise and his judgments clear, carrying the systematic awareness and philosophical reflection characteristic of traditional Chinese literary theory. His works are classified under literary appreciation and Eastern philosophy, indicating that his discussions combine aesthetic evaluation with theoretical generalization. Liu Xizai's literary criticism is frequently cited in later ci studies and literary criticism, making him an important reference for understanding the Qing tradition of ci and qu criticism.