The History of Yuefu Poetry

Author: Wu Dexin
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-03-01
Features: The Yuefu was a state-established agency responsible for collecting folk songs and overseeing music. It was first established in the early Han Dynasty and began large-scale collection of folk songs. The folk songs collected by Yuefu were called Yuefu poetry, also known as Yuefu. Later, literati of various dynasties imitated the tunes of Yuefu poetry for their own creations. Starting from the Han Dynasty, Yuefu poetry spanned nearly a thousand years, giving rise to many renowned and enduring masterpieces. Yuefu poetry is divided into two categories: Han Dynasty Yuefu, Wei-Jin Yuefu, Southern and Northern Dynasties Yuefu, and Tang Dynasty New Yuefu. Han Dynasty Yuefu consists of folk singing in orchards and forests; Wei-Jin Yuefu reflects the elegance and refinement of literary creation; Southern Dynasties Yuefu is soft, charming, and delicate; Northern Dynasties Yuefu is rugged and bold; while Tang Dynasty New Yuefu embodies grandeur and refinement. Since 1949, undergraduate Chinese majors in Chinese universities have generally studied about 10 pieces of Yuefu poetry, while graduate students in classical literature have studied about 70-80 pieces. This book selects and appropriately expands upon the pieces commonly studied by graduate students in classical literature. The included works are sufficient for a broad readership. When describing the social customs and literary life of the Han, Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties periods, the book provides detailed annotations and critiques of the selected works, enabling readers to refer to history and poetry side by side. This innovative arrangement is expected to greatly benefit readers in appreciating the works.