Selected Lyrics of Liu Yong -- Classical Poetry Masters

Author: Xue Ruisheng, editor
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: Liu Yong (987? – 1058?), originally named Sanbian, styled Qiqing, was a native of Chong'an (now Chong'an County, Fujian Province). He was known as Liu Tuntian in the world and also called Liu Qi for being the seventh among his siblings. He claimed, "Imperially Commissioned Lyricist Liu Sanbian," dedicating his life to composing lyrics and aspiring to be a "White-Clothed Minister." Liu Yong was a great lyricist of the Northern Song Dynasty and held an important position in the history of Chinese lyrics. He expanded the scope of lyrics, with numerous masterpieces. Many of his works, sung in poignant tunes, expressed the suffering of some down-and-out scholars in the prosperous era, being both realistic and touching. He also depicted the prosperity of urban life and the scenery of the four seasons. Additionally, he explored themes such as immortal tales, historical odes, and odes on objects. Liu Yong developed the form of lyrics, leaving behind over 200 compositions, using as many as 150 different lyric tunes, most of which were newly created by modifying old tunes or self-composed, with over three-fourths being long-form slow lyrics. His contributions to the liberation and advancement of lyrics were immense.
Liu Yong also enriched the expressive techniques of lyrics. His works emphasized structure and composition, with a sincere and bright style, natural and fluent language, and distinctive personal characteristics. He inherited the Dunhuang tunes, composing a large number of folk lyrics in colloquial language, and laid the foundation for the Jin and Yuan Dynasty tunes. His lyrics often employed new and beautiful tunes, being alluring and emotionally resonant, rich in musical beauty. His works were not only widely circulated during his time but also had a profound impact on later generations. He was one of the most accomplished lyricists of the early Northern Song Dynasty and is known for his Leyangji Collection.
Liu Yong was one of the two Song Dynasty writers who devoted themselves entirely to composing lyrics. He transformed traditional fu poetry into new lyric forms, creating a vast number of slow lyrics, making significant contributions to both the formal development and thematic expansion of lyrics. This book is organized in chronological order of composition, providing annotations and explanations for the essence of Liu Yong's lyrics. It gathers many new research findings about Liu Yong himself and his works, serving not only as an excellent popular introduction to Liu's lyrics but also representing the highest level of current research on the subject.