Yuanqu Appreciation Dictionary (Complete 12 Volumes)

Author: He Xinhui, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: Yuanqu, alongside Tang poetry and Song ci, stands as one of the three peaks in the history of ancient Chinese literary and artistic development. It shines brilliantly in the garden of ancient literature with its profound revelation of social reality, extensive themes, colloquial language, lively forms, fresh styles, vivid descriptions, diverse techniques, and more. Its rise has had a profound impact and outstanding contributions to the development of our national poetry and the prosperity of our culture. To inherit and promote this national cultural heritage, we have jointly compiled this "Comprehensive Dictionary of Yuanqu Appreciation."
The composition of Yuanqu includes two types of literary forms: one is Sanqu, a newly emerging poetic style that flourished during the Yuan Dynasty, including xiaoling, daiguoqu, and sanshao; the other is quwen, consisting of sanshao interspersed with baihua and kemo, specifically designed for stage performances in zaju. In summary, as a literary form of its era, Yuanqu, in terms of its rich and diverse themes, broad creative vision, vivid depiction of life, well-developed and complete character portrayals, and colloquial language, can not only rival Tang poetry and Song ci but even the later Ming and Qing Dynasty legends. It is an indispensable and precious legacy in the treasure trove of ancient Chinese culture.