Luan Songs and Phoenix Dances
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Summary
Editor's review
The value of this book lies not only in its clear organization of historical sources but also in its perspective of interpreting music and dance within specific historical contexts and cultural institutions. It explores in detail the complex relationships between music and dance and ritual systems, politics, diplomacy, and even daily life, revealing their deeper social significance beyond mere entertainment. For example, its analysis of Han dynasty yuefu, Tang dynasty yanyue, and Song dynasty team dances vividly demonstrates shifts in aesthetic tastes and power structures across different eras.
As an editor, I believe the book’s reading value lies in its balance of professionalism and readability. It avoids overly abstruse academic discussion and, in relatively plain language, leads readers into a historical scene full of sound and color. For readers who wish to understand the essence of “refined culture” in traditional Chinese culture, or who are interested in art history and court culture, this is a reliable introductory and further-reading work. It helps us understand that those exquisite rituals and splendid performances were once important ties sustaining ancient social order and cultural identity.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers with a strong interest in ancient Chinese court culture and art history
- Readers of literature and history who wish to systematically understand the development of traditional Chinese music and dance
- Teachers and researchers in dance, music, history, or related fields
- Readers who enjoy using specific art forms as entry points to understand ancient social structures and thought
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking light entertainment fiction or popular stories
- Practitioners expecting detailed breakdowns of dance movements or tutorials for modern reconstruction
Reading tips
- Read alongside a chronology of ancient Chinese history to better grasp the historical background of the evolution of music and dance.
- While reading, pay attention to the connections between music and dance institutions and political events and diplomatic activities of the time, and appreciate their political functions.
- If interested in the music and dance of a particular dynasty, read the corresponding chapters first; it is not necessary to follow the table of contents strictly.
About the publisher
Founded in 1982, Modern Press is a Chinese publisher that serves general readers across a diverse range of subjects. Judging from its catalog, its publishing focuses on classical poetry, Eastern philosophy, psychological research and application, popular science, and modern poetry, along with history, biography, and children's books. The Book of Songs, the illustrated vernacular edition of the Classic of Mountains and Seas, The Complete Poems of Dai Wangshu, and Buddhism in the Vegetable Roots reflect efforts to make traditional culture and poetry accessible; works by Carl Gustav Jung such as The Development of Personality and Understanding Your Psychological Type, together with titles from the Ivy International Education Alliance, show sustained attention to psychology and educational reading; and Stephen Hawking's works and the illustrated two-volume Brief History of Everything and A Brief History of Time indicate a commitment to popular science. Its authors include figures such as Qu Wanli, Xu Ke, Dai Wangshu, and Jung, and its publishing emphasizes retelling classics and accessible, illustrated presentation. Because public information is limited, this summary is based only on the titles in our catalog.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 序言
- 钧天广乐 远古先秦乐舞
- 千年传承的远古三皇舞
- 龙凤图腾与龙凤舞渊源
- 上古的傩舞与六代乐舞
- 正声雅音 汉魏相和大曲
- 相和大曲的兴起与发展
- 相和大曲艺术特色与演变
- 轻歌曼舞 六朝清商大曲
- 清商曲中的吴声和西曲
- 各具特色的众多优秀曲目
- 翩翩歌舞 唐代歌舞大曲
- 唐代燕乐的发展与其兴盛
- 霓裳羽衣曲与宫廷乐舞
- 燕乐的机构和众多名家
- 袅袅余音 宋元杂剧大曲
- 宋代大曲出现新的变体
- 大曲逐渐融入进杂剧
- 继承大曲的辉煌元杂剧
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About the author
Xiao Dongfa (1949–2016), whose ancestral home was Tianjin and who was born in Shenyang, was a professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Journalism and Communication, Peking University, and director of its Institute of Modern Publishing. An important scholar in editing and publishing studies, he focused on the history of Chinese books, publishing history, and yearbook studies. He edited the History of Chinese Editing and Publishing and Chinese Libraries of Book Collecting, and led the National Social Science Fund key project A General History of Chinese Publishing, laying a solid foundation for the organization and narration of Chinese publishing history. Beyond academic writing, he attended to Peking University's institutional history and humanistic traditions, writing works such as Character: From the Imperial University to Old Peking University, Exemplars: Former Residences and Anecdotes of Peking University Notables, and Scenes: Yanyuan Landscapes and Cultural Heritage, which recount campus memories and personal stories with warmth. His works also touch on the four treasures of the study, garden architecture, and academic writing standards. Some 491 of his titles are held in the library, spanning language and culture, biography, and architecture, and combining scholarly rigor with accessible readability.
Yi Shucheng is an author with limited publicly available information; the name appears in Chinese book credits, but details such as biography, nationality, and dates of birth and death cannot presently be verified. The collection contains nine of the author's works, spanning common categories including culture, inspirational growth, and social science. Representative titles include Songs of the Luan and Feng, Ancient Taxes and Corvée, and Rule of Law Under Heaven. Judging from the titles and subjects, the writing touches on traditional culture, institutional knowledge, and personal development, covering both ancient tax and labor systems and ideas of rule of law and regional culture. Some titles recur across entries, suggesting related themes may have been published in multiple editions or series. Lacking the author's own statements or outside commentary, a specific assessment of style and readership impact is difficult, and this profile can only sketch a general picture based on the works themselves.
