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Author: Wang Zhuo (Song Dynasty) et al. Compiled, Chen Yingjie Edited and Annotated
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-07-01
Features: The book consists of five volumes. Volume 1 primarily discusses music, narrating the evolution and development of song forms from ancient times to the Han, Wei, Tang, and Song dynasties. Volume 2 focuses on Ci (a classical Chinese poetic form), critically evaluating the works of Ci poets from the Five Dynasties to the early Southern Song Dynasty. It meticulously examines historical anecdotes, analyzes stylistic trends, and offers profound insights. Wang Zhuo's principles for evaluating Ci are twofold: elegance and refinement, and freedom from the constraints of musical theory. Applying these standards, he highly regards Su Shi while criticizing Liu Yong. He describes Su Shi as "not one who is truly immersed in musical theory, yet occasionally composing songs that open new horizons and inspire writers to rise to greater heights." On the other hand, he dismisses Liu Yong as "shallow and vulgar." He also criticizes Li Qingzhao's works on domestic longing as "lewd and licentious words, carelessly written," viewing them with disdain. From this, we can discern Wang Zhuo's characteristics and perspectives on Ci criticism. Volumes 3 to 5 are dedicated to discussions on Ci tunes, emphasizing the etymology of tune names, including their historical contexts, authors, and creation dates; exploring musical theory, such as the associated modes and musical features; and tracing the evolution of tunes into Ci forms. It can be considered a valuable study on the "origin" of Ci tunes. Overall, the most valuable aspect of Bichijimanzhi lies in its discussions on Ci and tunes. Later scholars have drawn much inspiration from Wang Zhuo's viewpoints, making it a subject worthy of research and exploration.