Wine-Side Ci Poems
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Summary
Xiang Ziyin, a poet of the late Northern and early Southern Song, styled Bogong and known as the Recluse of Xianglin, was a lifelong patriot who staunchly resisted the Jin invasion. Dismissed from office for opposing Qin Hui's peace policy, he withdrew into seclusion for the rest of his days. A man of refined literary gifts, he excelled above all at ci. His work, divided by the fall of the North, shows a marked change in style: before the crossing his poems dealt mainly with love and parting, in a clear, delicate, gentle vein; afterward they turned vigorous and grand, with many pieces mourning the lost homeland. His work accordingly falls into two volumes, "New Lyrics from South of the River" and "Old Lyrics from North of the River," with the "new lyrics" the greater achievement.
Editor's review
Xiang Ziyin was a patriotic scholar-official of the late Northern and early Southern Song. He resisted the Jin armies and was dismissed for opposing the peace policy, then lived in seclusion. His ci poetry divides sharply at the fall of the North: before the crossing, it mostly treats love and parting in a clear, delicate, gentle style; afterward it turns vigorous and grand, with many poems mourning the lost homeland. The collection itself is divided into "New Lyrics from South of the River" and "Old Lyrics from North of the River," and the "new lyrics" are the greater achievement. The value of this collection lies not only in the contrast between its earlier and later styles, but also in the way one eyewitness's brush reflects the cataclysm of the age in personal feeling and creative work. It rewards close reading by anyone interested in the Southern Crossing transformation of Song ci and in the sensibility of the loyalist exile.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in the Southern Crossing transformation of Song ci and the loyalist sensibility
- Enthusiasts who want to know Xiang Ziyin and his poetry and broaden their reading of Song ci
- Scholarly readers concerned with how national catastrophe shapes literary creation
- Readers who enjoy reading the clear and graceful alongside the vigorous and somber
Not a good fit for
- Readers who prefer only the great masters of the bold and unconstrained school and have limited interest in minor poets
- Beginners who want modern vernacular translation and annotation with line-by-line explanation
- Readers seeking light entertainment who would rather avoid themes of national grief
Reading tips
- Read the two volumes in order, "Old Lyrics from North of the River" then "New Lyrics from South of the River," comparing the shift in style.
- Read the new lyrics against the history of the Southern Crossing to grasp what the longing for the homeland specifically refers to.
- Pick works from the earlier and later periods on the same or similar themes and read them side by side to observe the difference in tone.
- When reciting, note the traces of imagery moving from delicate to vigorous, and keep brief notes.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 江南新词
- 满庭芳
- 满庭芳
- 蓦山溪
- 蓦山溪
- 蓦山溪
- 水龙吟
- 水龙吟
- 八声甘州
- 八声甘州
- 水调歌头
- 水调歌头
- 水调歌头
- 洞仙歌
- 满江红
- 虞美人
- 虞美人
- 虞美人
- 虞美人
- 蝶恋花
- 蝶恋花
- 鹧鸪天
- 鹧鸪天
- 鹧鸪天
- 鹧鸪天
- 鹧鸪天
- 鹧鸪天
- 鹧鸪天
- 鹧鸪天
- 鹧鸪天
- 鹧鸪天
- 鹧鸪天
- 鹧鸪天
- 减字木兰花
- 减字木兰花
- 阮郎归
- 秦楼月
- 少年游
- 西江月
- 西江月
- 西江月
- 西江月
- 西江月
- 西江月
- 南乡子
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 生查子
- 生查子
- 生查子
- 临江仙
- 七娘子
- 减字木兰花
- 减字木兰花
- 清平乐
- 清平乐
- 清平乐
- 清平乐
- 清平乐
- 清平乐
- 更漏子
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 点绛唇
- 采桑子
- 一落索
- 如梦令（二首）
- 卜算子
- 卜算子
- 卜算子
- 卜算子
- 卜算子
- 三字令
- 长相思
- 南歌子
- 减字木兰花
- 南歌子
- 南歌子
- 南歌子
- 桂殿秋
- 朝中措
- 菩萨蛮
- 好事近
- 好事近
- 减字木兰花
- 减字木兰花
- 减字木兰花
- 减字木兰花
- 减字木兰花
- 减字木兰花
- 江北旧词
- 满庭芳
- 水调歌头
- 梅花引
- 梅花引
- 殢人娇
- 玉楼春
- 玉楼春
- 鹧鸪天
- 鹧鸪天
- 鹧鸪天
- 鹧鸪天
- 鹧鸪天
- 踏莎行
- 鹊桥仙
- 虞美人
- 虞美人
- 虞美人
- 虞美人
- 更漏子
- 更漏子
- 鹊桥仙
- 南歌子
- 鹊桥仙
- 南歌子
- 南歌子
- 卜算子
- 菩萨蛮
- 菩萨蛮
- 菩萨蛮
- 南歌子
- 减字木兰花
- 秦楼月
- 生查子
- 生查子
- 生查子
- 生查子
- 生查子
- 生查子
- 望江南
- 浣溪沙
- 西江月
- 点绛唇
- 丑奴儿
- 如梦令
- 好事近
- 好事近
- 采桑子
- 清平乐
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 浣溪沙
- 相见欢
- 相见欢
- 相见欢
FAQ
Why is Xiang Ziyin's ci divided into "New Lyrics from South of the River" and "Old Lyrics from North of the River"?
According to the source, his writing changed markedly at the Southern Crossing, and the collection is divided into two volumes accordingly. The "old lyrics" were mostly written before the crossing, chiefly on love and parting in a clear, delicate, gentle style; the "new lyrics" come after the crossing, turn vigorous and grand, often mourn the homeland, and are the greater achievement.
Can I understand this collection without knowing this period of history?
Largely yes, but knowing about the Jingkang catastrophe, the Song court's flight south, and Xiang Ziyin's resistance to the Jin and dismissal for opposing peace talks will make it easier to understand the longing for the homeland and the grief in the "new lyrics." A brief look at the history of the Southern Crossing before reading is recommended.
What is the place of Xiang Ziyin's ci in Song poetry?
The source does not assess his place in literary history. What is certain is that his work spans the period before and after the Southern Crossing, with a clear difference in style between the two periods and the "new lyrics" the greater achievement, offering a concrete and vivid case for observing how a turning point in the age changes poetic style.
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About the author
向子諲
Author
Xiang Ziyin was a Song-dynasty ci poet, represented by his collection Jiubian ci (Words by the Wine's Edge). This library holds one work by him, classified under classical poetry. Public information on his courtesy name, native place, dates of birth and death, and official career is limited, so no inferences are made here. Judging from the collection's title and the surviving lyrics, his subjects mostly center on banquets, poetic exchanges, seasonal scenes, and everyday reflections. His language is clear and fluent, his sentiment graceful without excessive polish, showing the Song literati lyric's attention to mood and musicality. Xiang Ziyin was not a founder of a school in the evolution of Song ci, yet his work offers a concrete sample for observing literati life and emotional expression around the time of the Southern Crossing and can serve as reference for students of Song lyric history.
