The Collected Works of Qu Yuan with Annotations (Vol. 1-2)

Author: Jin Kai Cheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1996-08-01
Features: In Chapter 9, "Thoughts," Qu Yuan wrote, "I weave my subtle emotions into words, presenting them to the beautiful ones." This indicates that some of his works were originally composed for the purpose of "presenting poems to express intentions," not limited to personal emotional expression. The Records of the Grand Historian states that Qu Yuan "sought to preserve the lord and revitalize the state, desiring to repeatedly convey this intent throughout his writings." It then adds, "Zi Lan, the Minister of State, was greatly angered upon hearing this." This fact also demonstrates that Qu Yuan's works often contained dissenting views, yet they were not kept secret at the time but rather circulated in society. The Biography of Qu Yuan further states: "After Qu Yuan's death, there were figures in Chu such as Song Zhu, Tang Le, and Jing Cha, who were fond of poetry and renowned for their compositions. However, they all drew inspiration from Qu Yuan's composed and measured language, yet none dared to speak directly and honestly." This further proves the social nature of the dissemination of Qu Yuan's works. It can be imagined that Qu Yuan's influence on the people of Chu was significant. As for Chu poets like Song Yu, Tang Le, and Jing Cha, since they "all drew inspiration from Qu Yuan's composed and measured language," they naturally devoted themselves to the collection, organization, preservation, and study of Qu Yuan's works. Additionally, it should be fully recognized that Qu Yuan's works may have been passed down to later generations through folk channels.