A Dictionary of Appreciation for Three Hundred Yuanqu Poems

Author: Su Shusen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: To benefit readers, innovate, and continue to expand, Shanghai Popular Literature Press, with the Literary Appreciation Dictionary represented by The Anthology of Tang Poetry Appreciation, has maintained its style and brand with a count of three hundred. It draws inspiration from the tradition of the Book of Songs with its three hundred poems and the essence of Three Hundred Tang Poems by Qing Dynasty’s Hengtang Retired Scholar, while also incorporating other selected works. It avoids formal categorization, selecting only outstanding works, presenting one volume each for Tang poetry, Song lyrics, and Yuan qu, showcasing the pinnacle of Chinese lyrical literature. It also invites renowned domestic scholars to write exquisite appreciation articles, explaining historical contexts and interpreting artistic features with advanced literary concepts, evaluating literary achievements. The Anthology of Yuan Qu Appreciation Dictionary is one of these volumes.
[The Tune of Yue] Little Peach Blossom
The city is filled with smoke and water, the moon faintly visible.
A person leans on a lotus boat, singing.
I remember meeting on the Yue River,
Beyond the Three Hunan Provinces,
Gazing at the distant blue clouds in vain, filled with longing.
The beauty laughs,
Like a lotus flower,
Affection is short, but lotus roots are long.
Little Peach Blossom is one of the commonly used tunes in Yue opera. Yang Guo was an early Yuan Dynasty qu poet known for his literary skills and expertise in lefu (lyric poetry) (Biography of Yuan Dynasty). He wrote eleven Little Peach Blossoms, eight of which appeared in Yanchun Baiyue, without titles, and three in Taiping Yuefu, titled Cai Lian Nu. His qu is highly poetic. Tahuo Zhengyin Pu describes his qu as "like fragrant flowers and willows," which aligns with his style.
During this period, qu evolved from lefu folk songs and Song Dynasty lyrics, retaining strong influences of folk songs and Song lyrics. This piece praises romantic love, evolving from the Cai Lian Qu of the Southern Dynasties. The boat mentioned is the mulan (lotus) boat, the stream is the Ruo Ye River, the beauty resembles a lotus flower, and the affection is like lotus roots—all borrowed from phrases like "Cenyang’s daughters with flowers in their hair, rowing fragrant boats together" (Rong Yu), "On the banks of Ruo Ye, cai lian women laugh and chat among the lotuses" (Li Bai), "Lotus flowers in disarray with faces, lotus leaves mixed with fragrance" (Liang Yuandi), and "Holding lotus in love with garden water, picking lotus roots, twisting silk long" (Lu Sitao). The poet sets the scene in a Jiangnan water town, using cai lian (lotus picking) and singing as mediums to skillfully express the mutual affection of young lovers.
At the beginning of the qu, the poet places his protagonist in a tranquil setting with the moon on the willow branches and mist over the river. A beautifully decorated boat is dimly visible, with someone leaning on the railing, singing and confiding. The figure is familiar, and the voice is familiar. Suddenly, the protagonist recalls, "Could this be the beauty I met by the Ruo Ye River?" The Ruo Ye is a small stream at the foot of the Yue Mountains (now Shaoxing, Zhejiang), traditionally said to be where Xi Shi washed silk, hence also called Huan Sha Xi. While not necessarily literal, readers immediately associate the Ruo Ye with the legendary Xi Shi, adding to the beauty’s enchanting allure.
If the first three lines are the protagonist’s sight, sound, experience, and memory, then the lines "Beyond the Three Hunan Provinces, gazing at distant blue clouds in vain, filled with longing" reveal his deep affection and longing for his beloved. They vividly depict the vastness of time and space, a masterful artistic design in spatial-temporal arrangement. "Remembering our meeting" spans the long years from their first encounter on the Ruo Ye to their reunion in the river city, while "Beyond the Three Hunan Provinces" bridges the thousands of mountains and rivers between Wu-Yue and Jing-Xiang. During this time, there is no news of each other—only longing as the wind blows. The poet divides time and space, yet hides their literal meaning in endless sorrow, enriching the qu’s layers, depth, and artistic conception, leaving readers with boundless imagination.
At the end of the qu, there is a great leap in meaning, connecting the mutual confession of the lovers. "The beauty laughs, ‘Like a lotus flower, affection is short, but lotus roots are long.’" This smile carries complex emotions like reproach and tenderness. She does not believe that distance can sever their bond or that time can dull their love. Using the artistic techniques of folk songs, she responds with vivid metaphors and subtle language: "My love is like a lotus, pure despite the mud," but she fears that his love may fade like a "lonely lotus" (lit. "reproachful lotus") when beauty fades. Her love is like lotus roots, unbroken, but she wonders if he is fickle, lacking deep affection. Through two metaphors and one implied meaning, the language is dense with information, reflecting rich aesthetic charm and offering readers profound beauty and imagination.
The density of language is a common sign and rule of poetic language beauty. This is also the reason why this xiao ling (short qu) has achieved immortal artistic vitality. (Yang Chunchun) P1-2