Qin Guan Collection

Author: Qin Guan
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Qin Guan (1049-1100), styled Shaoyou, also known as Tai xu, and styled Hangu Jushi. Scholars referred to him as Huaihai Jushi. He was from Gaoyou, Yangzhou (now part of Jiangsu Province). At the age of fifteen, he lost his father and supported his mother at home, studying classics, history, and military texts. In 1085 (the eighth year of Yuanfeng), he passed the imperial examination and was appointed as the chief clerk of Dinghai and the professor of Caizhou. In the early years of Yuanyou (1086), Su Shi recommended Shaoyou to the court for his excellence, appointing him as a doctoral scholar at the Imperial Academy. Later, he was transferred to the position of compiler at the National History Institute, participating in the compilation of the " of Emperor Shenzong." He was a close associate of Huang Tingjian, Chao Buzhi, and Zhang Lei, studying under Su Shi, and was known as one of the "Four Scholars of Su's Gate." In the early years of Shaosheng (1094), he was dismissed for his association with the Yuanyou faction and served as the assistant magistrate of Hangzhou. He was later to oversee Chuzhou, Chenzhou, Hengzhou, and Leizhou. Upon Emperor Huizong's accession to the throne, he was transferred to the inner court and appointed as Xuandekang. He was later sent back north but died on the way in Tengzhou. Qin Guan was a young man of great talent and ambition, with a passion for grandeur and extraordinary achievements. His literary works were filled with enthusiasm and emotion. In 1077 (the tenth year of Xining), he visited Su Shi in Xuzhou and wrote the "Huanglou Fu" the following year, which impressed Su Shi as having the talent of Qu Yuan and Song Yu. In 1084 (the seventh year of Yuanfeng), he compiled a ten-volume collection of his poems and prose, which Su Shi recommended to Wang Anshi. Wang Anshi praised his works for their freshness and elegance, comparing them to the style of Bao and Xie. With the guidance of renowned teachers and the collaboration of fellow scholars, coupled with his innate talent, his literary achievements were outstanding. He wrote the "Huaihai Collection" in forty volumes, supplemented by a "Posthumous Collection" in six volumes. His collection of lyrics is titled "Huaihai Ci," also known as "Huaihai Jushi Changduanju." Xu Peijun's annotated edition of "Huaihai Jushi Changduanju" extensively collects various versions for collation and annotation, including a chronology, biographical essays, and historical critiques, making it the most comprehensive. Qin Guan was already renowned in his time and hailed as the "master of modern lyrics" (Chen Shidao, "Houshan Shihua"). In Huai and Chu regions, he was particularly revered. Later scholars even called him the "greatest lyricist of the Song Dynasty" (Li, "Yucun Cihua"). His lyrics inherited the legacy of "Huajian" and "Zunqian," combining the strengths of Liu Yong and Su Shi while forging a fresh style. His works often focus on emotion, blending personal sentiments with romantic themes. His lyrics are elegant and refined, with a melancholic and evocative tone, making him a master of lyrical poetry. His influence on later figures like Zhou Bangyan and Li Qingzhao was profound. Qin Guan's works include the "Huaihai Collection" and "Huaihai Jushi Changduanju." "Huaihai Jushi Changduanju": Also known as "Huaihai Ci."
Commentaries on Qin Guan:
(Zhu Xiaozang) Recent authors cannot match Shaoyou. Even those who cannot read can recognize that his words are naturally beautiful.
(Chao Wujao) Su Shi's words excel in emotion, while Qiqing excels in emotion. Only Shaoyou balances both.
(Cai Boshi) The only modern masters of lyrics are Qin Qi and Huang Jiu, surpassing the Tang dynasty.
(Chen Houshan) Qin's lyrics focus on emotion but lack historical references, like a poor family's beautiful woman—though exquisite, she lacks the elegance of wealth.
(Li Yian) Shaoyou's lyrics are graceful, but his style is too weak.
(Hu Yuanren) Qin Shaoyou's lyrics are elegant and refined, with a strong character. His clarity never breaks the flow, and the longer one reads, the more one appreciates it.
(Zhang Shuxia) Shaoyou's lyrics excel in both emotion and rhyme, surpassing Su and Huang. Though less widely circulated, he is a master of lyrical poetry.
("Siku Tizhi") Shaoyou is indeed a master, opening the way for Zhou Bangyan and guiding future generations. His distant ancestors were Wen and Wei, capturing their essence without imitating their form, marking a transformation in lyrics. Yet this transformation remains proper, so critics do not fault it but rather see it as inevitable. Later scholars often compare Qin and Liu, but Liu, in turn, is merely a slave to Qin—how can they be compared?
The Japanese National Diet Library holds a Song Dynasty edition of "Huaihai Jushi Changduanju" from the Gaoyou Military Academy in the Diandao era, the most complete Song edition known to date. This book uses this edition as its base, with annotations referencing other versions. Qin Guan's prose and poetry also use the Diandao edition as their base. During the annotation process, we consulted and incorporated the extensive research of predecessors and contemporaries, for which we express our sincere gratitude. To assist readers, the book includes a "Brief Chronology of Qin Guan," "Major Documents on Qin Guan Studies," and famous quotes from his poems and lyrics.