Qin Guan Collection: An Annotated Chronological Biography (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Zhou Xiguan, Cheng Zixin, et al.
Publisher:
Publishing Date: Not available
Features: The works of Qin Guan include The Collected Works of Huahai and The Short and Long Verses of Huahai Jushi. The Short and Long Verses of Huahai: Also known as The Lyrics of Huahai Jushi.
Commentaries on Qin Guan include:
(Zhu Xiaozang) Among recent authors, none can match Shaoyou. For example, "Beyond the setting sun, a few crows fly, the flowing water winds around a lone village"—even those who cannot read can recognize it as naturally beautiful language.
(Chao Wujou) Zizhan excels in style over emotion, while Qiqing excels in emotion over style. Only Shaoyou achieves a balance between style and emotion.
(Cai Boshi) The contemporary masters of lyrics are only Qin Qi and Huang Ji, surpassing the Tang dynasty poets.
(Chen Houshan) Qin’s lyrics focus on emotion and lack historical allusions, like a poor family’s beautiful woman—though she is exceptionally lovely and graceful, she ultimately lacks the elegance of wealth.
(Li Yilian) Shaoyou’s lyrics are graceful, yet his style is somewhat weak.
(Hu Yuanren) Qin Shaoyou’s lyrics have a refined and elegant style, with unbroken intent and a lasting flavor that reveals itself upon reflection.
(Zhang Shuxia) His lyrics excel in both emotion and rhyme, surpassing Su and Huang. Though less widely circulated, he is a master of lyrical composition.
(The Siku Quanshu Preface) Qin Shaoyou is indeed a master of lyrics, opening the way for later masters like Mei Cheng and tracing his roots to Wen and Wei. He captures their essence without imitating their form, marking a transformation in lyric poetry. Yet this transformation remains within bounds, so critics neither fault it nor feel it was inevitable. Later generations often compare Qin and Liu, but Liu, in comparison to Qin, is merely a slave who cannot even match him—how can they be placed on the same level?