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''Sanqu'' () is a fixed-rhythm form of
Classical Chinese poetry Classical Chinese poetry is traditional Chinese poetry written in Classical Chinese and typified by certain traditional forms, or modes; traditional genres; and connections with particular historical periods, such as the poetry of the Tang dy ...
or "literary song".Crump (1990), 125 Specifically ''sanqu'' is a subtype of the '' qu'' formal type of poetry. ''Sanqu'' was a notable Chinese poetic form, possibly beginning in the Jin dynasty (1115–1234), but especially associated with the Yuan (1271–1368),
Ming The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last orthodox dynasty of China ruled by the Han pe ...
(1368–1644) and
Qing The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
(1644–1912) dynasties. The tonal patterns modeled on tunes drawn from folk songs or other music.


Overview

The ''sanqu'' were literary lyrics directly related to the ''
zaju ''Zaju'' was a form of Chinese opera which provided entertainment through a synthesis of recitations of prose and poetry, dance, singing, and mime, with a certain emphasis on comedy (or, happy endings). Although with diverse and earlier roots, ''za ...
''
arias In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompani ...
: these were dramatic lyrics written to fixed musical modes or metrical forms and could contain several aria or lyric song segments in one suite. ''Sanqu'', however, could be composed in single discrete sections. It is often said that the ''sanqu'' verses tend to reflect excess energies and resentments of contemporary disenfranchised Chinese literati, due to contemporary
Jurchen Jurchen may refer to: * Jurchen people, Tungusic people who inhabited the region of Manchuria until the 17th century ** Haixi Jurchens, a grouping of the Jurchens as identified by the Chinese of the Ming Dynasty ** Jianzhou Jurchens, a grouping of ...
and
Mongol The Mongols ( mn, Монголчууд, , , ; ; russian: Монголы) are an East Asian ethnic group native to Mongolia, Inner Mongolia in China and the Buryatia Republic of the Russian Federation. The Mongols are the principal member ...
political domination. Often the poetry could be humorous as is the following anonymous lyric: "Wearing Ruined Boots" The seams have come unstitched, All falling apart, the leather is ruined. Money wasted several times fixing them. I haven’t repaid The money used to buy them. I dare not swagger, But only take half-steps; Fearing stones like wolves’ teeth, Stairs like turtles’ backs. Climbing the lookout I veer left and right. I dare not use the shoe stretcher; At best I can hang them out in the sun. There were many forms of Sanqu during the
Yuan Dynasty The Yuan dynasty (), officially the Great Yuan (; xng, , , literally "Great Yuan State"), was a Mongol-led imperial dynasty of China and a successor state to the Mongol Empire after its division. It was established by Kublai, the fif ...
. These included a kind of opera (or acting and singing), dance accompaniment and instrumental accompaniment. During feasts, actors would hold lotus flowers in their left hands and, holding their goblets in the right, would sing a song of the heavy rains hitting the lotus flowers. Both ''sanqu'' dramatic lyrics and plays enjoyed the same social milieu; for example, esteemed playwrights like Ma Zhiyuan (c. 1270-1330) and
Guan Hanqing Guan Hanqing ( 1241–1320), sobriquet "the Oldman of the Studio" (齋叟 Zhāisǒu), was a notable Chinese playwright and poet in the Yuan Dynasty. He has been described as among the most prolific and highly regarded dramatists of the Yuan pe ...
(c. 1300) were also well established writers of ''sanqu''. This poetry was strongly influenced by the linguistics of vernacular or semi-vernacular
Classical Chinese Classical Chinese, also known as Literary Chinese (古文 ''gǔwén'' "ancient text", or 文言 ''wényán'' "text speak", meaning "literary language/speech"; modern vernacular: 文言文 ''wényánwén'' "text speak text", meaning "literar ...
. In terms of historical transmission to modern times, textual problems abound and, this has perhaps contributed to the paucity of translations of a truly significant Chinese literary genre that expanded the limits of literary expression. The collection and printing of ''sanqu'' poetry is ongoing. Recently a Ming period collection has seen a modern edition.


See also

*
Classical Chinese poetry forms Classical Chinese poetry forms are poetry forms or modes which typify the traditional Chinese poems written in Literary Chinese or Classical Chinese. Classical Chinese poetry has various characteristic forms, some attested to as early as the ...
*
Mandarin Chinese Mandarin (; ) is a group of Chinese (Sinitic) dialects that are natively spoken across most of northern and southwestern China. The group includes the Beijing dialect, the basis of the phonology of Standard Chinese, the official language ...
* Ming poetry * Yuan poetry * Zhongyuan Yinyun


Notes


References

*Crump, J. I. (1990). ''Chinese Theater in the Days of Kublai Khan''. (Ann Arbor: Center for Chinese Studies The University of Michigan) .


Books

*Crump, James I, ''Songs from Xanadu'', Ann Arbor, 1983. *Lynn, Richard John and Bailey Roger B. ''Guide to Chinese Poetry and Drama'', G.K.Hall, 1973. *Nienhauser, William H. ''The Indiana Companion to Chinese Literature'', Indiana University Press, 1986. *Tan, Tian Yuan. ''Songs of Contentment and Transgression: Discharged Officials and Literati Communities in Sixteenth-Century North China,'' Harvard University Asia Center, 2010.


Translations

*Carpenter, Bruce E. "Chinese San-ch’ü Poetry of the Mongol Era: I", ''Tezukayama Daigaku kiyo'' (Journal of Tezukayama University), Nara, Japan, no. 22, pp. 27–72. *Carpenter, Bruce E. "Chinese San-ch’ü Poetry of the Mongol Era: II", ''Tezukayama Daigaku kiyo'' (Journal of Tezukayama University), Nara, Japan, no. 23, pp. 31–76. {{Authority control Chinese poetry forms