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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, ''zaju'' has particularly been associated with the time of the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), and ''zaju'' remains important in terms of the historical study of the theater arts as well as Classical Chinese literature and Classical Chinese poetry, poetry. ''Zaju'' is known to have been performed during the earlier Song dynasty, Song (960–1279) and Jin dynasty (1115–1234), Jin (1115–1234) dynasties. The various particulars of the ''zaju'' multimedia performance were derived from many and diverse sources of musical, dance, poetry, and theater traditions. Characteristics The Yuan ''zaju'' were poetic music dramas comprising four acts, with the "act" (齣, ''chu'') defined as a set of songs following and completing a certain musical modal prog ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zheng Guangzu
Zheng Guangzu (), courtesy name 德輝 Dé Huī, was a Chinese playwright, who was born in about 1260 and died around 1320. He was one of the most celebrated of the playwrights who flourished during the second period of the zaju (雜劇, pinyin: zájù), the name given to the most highly rated form of opera during the Yuan dynasty, and of sanqu 散曲, pinyin: sănqŭ (a variety of Chinese fixed-tone song-lyric, with many different possible stanza-forms). He has traditionally always been numbered among the Four Great Yuan Dramatists (元曲四大家, pinyin: Yuánqǔsìdàjiā). Zheng Guangzu was born in Pingyang (today’s Hongchao, Xiangfen county, Shanxi province). Along with other playwrights, he helped to bring about the revival of interest in zaju drama throughout the south, particularly in Hangzhou. Eighteen plays are attributed to him, only eight of which are still extant. In the case of five of these his authorship is undisputed. These include Zhōugōng Shèzhèng ('' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 dynasty. The existence of classical Chinese poetry is documented at least as early as the publication of the ''Classic of Poetry'' (''Shijing''). Various combinations of forms and genres have developed over the ages. Many or most of these poetic forms were developed by the end of the Tang dynasty, in 907 CE. The use and development of Classical Chinese poetry actively continued up until the May Fourth Movement, in 1919, and is still developed even today. Poetry created during this period of more-or-less continuous development displays a great deal of diversity – categorized by both major historical periods and by dynastic periods (the traditional Chinese historical method). Another key aspect of Classical Chinese poetry is its intense i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Injustice To Dou E
''Dou E Yuan'', commonly translated as ''The Injustice to Dou E'', and also known as ''Snow in Midsummer'', is a Chinese zaju play written by Guan Hanqing (c. 1241–1320) during the Yuan dynasty. The full Chinese title of the play is ''Gan Tian Dong Di Dou E Yuan'', which roughly translates to ''The Injustice to Dou E that Touched Heaven and Earth''. The story follows a child bride turned widow, Dou E, who is wrongly convicted of crimes by a corrupt court official for actions perpetrated by a rejected suitor, Zhang the mule. After her execution, three prophesied phenomena occur to prove her innocence, including blood raining from the sky, snow in June and a three-year drought. After a visit from the ghost of Dou E, her father eventually brings the corrupt court official, a doctor and Mule Zhang to justice, thereby vindicating his daughter. Today, the phrase "snowing in June" is still widely used among Chinese speakers as a metaphor for a miscarriage of justice. The story has ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chinese Sanqu Poetry
''Sanqu'' () is a fixed-rhythm form of Classical Chinese poetry 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 (1368–1644) and Qing (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'' arias: 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 and Mongol political domination. Often the poetry could be humorous ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tangut People
The Tangut people ( Tangut: , ''mjɨ nja̱'' or , ''mji dzjwo''; ; ; ) were a Sino-Tibetan people who founded and inhabited the Western Xia dynasty. The group initially lived under Tuyuhun authority, but later submitted to the Tang dynasty. After the collapse of Tang dynasty, the Tanguts established the Western Xia. They spoke the Tangut language, which was previously believed to be one of the Qiangic languages or Yi languages which belong to the Tibeto-Burman family." Phylogenetic and historical linguistic accounts, however, reveal that Tangut belonged instead to the Gyalrongic branch of Tibeto-Burman. Western Xia was annihilated by the Mongol Empire in 1227, and most of its written records and architecture were destroyed. Today the Tangut language and its unique script are extinct; only fragments of Tangut literature remain. Language The Tangut language, otherwise known as ''Fan'', belongs to the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. Like many ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ma Zhiyuan
Ma Zhiyuan (, 1250–1321), courtesy name Dongli (), Chinese dramatist, playwright, and poet during the Yuan dynasty.Cihai: Page 1132-1133. Among his achievements is the development and popularizing of the ''sanqu'' () lyric type of Classical Chinese poetry forms. The poem "Autumn Thoughts" () is the most widely known of his sanqu poems. His sanqu poems were collected in the book "Dongli Yuefu" (), where there were 104 single ''sanqu'' (Xiaoling 小令) and 17 song suites (Taoshu 套數). Works Poems Ma Zhiyuan's ''sanqu'' poem "Autumn Thoughts" (), composed to the metric pattern Tianjingsha (), uses ten images in twenty-two monosyllables to preamble a state of emotion, and is considered as the penultimate piece in Chinese poetry to convey the typical Chinese male literati's melancholy during late autumn: : ''Autumn Thoughts'' : Over old trees wreathed with rotten vines fly evening crows; : Under a small bridge near a cottage a stream flows; : On ancient road in the west wi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yang Guifei
Yang Yuhuan (; 719 – 15 July 756Volume 218 of ''Zizhi Tongjian'' recorded that Yang was killed on the ''bing'shen'' day of the 6th month of the 1st year of the ''Zhi'de'' era of Tang Suzong's reign. This date corresponds to 15 Jul 756 on the Gregorian calendar.), often known as Yang Guifei (, with ''Guifei'' being the highest rank for Imperial Chinese harem system, imperial consorts during her time), and known briefly by the Taoist nun name Taizhen (), was the beloved consort of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang during his later years. She is known as one of the Four Beauties, Four Beauties of ancient China. During the An Lushan Rebellion, as Emperor Xuanzong and his cortege were fleeing from the capital Chang'an to Chengdu, the emperor's guards demanded that he put Yang to death because they blamed the rebellion on her cousin Yang Guozhong and the rest of her family. The emperor capitulated and reluctantly ordered his attendant Gao Lishi to supervise her forced suicide. Background Ya ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emperor Xuanzong Of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (; 8 September 685 – 3 May 762), personal name Li Longji, was an Emperor of China, emperor of the Tang dynasty of China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 44 years was the longest during the Tang dynasty. Through two palace coups, he seized the throne and inherited an empire still in its golden age. He was initially assisted by capable chancellors like Yao Chong, Song Jing and Zhang Yue (Tang dynasty), Zhang Yue who were already serving as government officials before Xuanzong ascended the throne. However, under Emperor Xuanzong, the empire reached its turning point and went into sharp decline and near collapse, due to numerous political missteps throughout his long reign, such as over-trusting chancellors Li Linfu, Yang Guozhong and general An Lushan, with Tang's golden age (metaphor), golden age ending in the An Lushan rebellion. Background Li Longji was born at the Tang dynasty eastern capital Luoyang in 685, during the first reign of his fat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bo Renfu
Bai Renfu (, c. 1226−1306), also known as Bai Pu (), was a Chinese playwright of the Yuan dynasty. He wrote 16 plays, three of which are extant: * ''Over the Wall'' (裴少俊牆頭馬上 ''Péi Shǎo Jùn Qiáng Tóu Mǎ Shàng'') * ''Rain on the Paulownia Tree'' (唐明皇秋夜梧桐雨 ''Táng Míng Huáng Qiū Yè Wú Tóng Yǔ'') about Emperor Xuanzong and Lady Yang Guifei: * ''Romance of the East Wall'' (董秀英花月東牆記 ''Dǒng Xiù Yīng Huā Yuè Dōng Qiáng Jì'') Biography A scion of an important Jin dynasty family, Bai Renfu's grandfather held a post at the powerful Bureau of Military Affairs, and his father was a close friend of the poet Yuan Haowen. However, the defeat of the Jin dynasty by the Mongol Empire resulted in a major upheaval in social relationships. Nevertheless, Bo Renfu achieved honorary rank and an official position in the Yuan dynasty as Minister of Protocol.Crump, 7 See also *Zaju ''Zaju'' was a form of Chinese opera which provided ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Guan Hanqing
Guan Hanqing (, 1241–1320); sobriquet Yǐzhāi (已齋), Yīzhāi (一齋), Yǐzhāisǒu (已齋叟); was a Chinese dramatist, playwright, and poet during the Yuan Dynasty. He has been described as among the most prolific and highly regarded dramatists of the Yuan period. Life Guan Hanqing was undoubtedly the most productive and creative playwright of northern plays. Described by Jia Zhongming as “the leader of the Pear Garden” (liyuan lingxiu 梨園領袖), Guan was fully immersed in the theatrical scene of his time and was well known amongst both actors and his fellow peers. He is even said to have painted and powdered his face (mianfu fenmo 面傅粉墨) while acting on stage. He is credited with the writing of 68 plays, of which only 18 survive, three in fragments. These were written mostly in the vernacular of the time. In some cases, attribution is highly disputed. In addition to playwriting, Guan Hanqing is also said to be a master of songs (sanqu 散曲). 57 of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Libretto
A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as the Mass (liturgy), Mass, requiem and sacred cantata, or the story line of a ballet. The Italian language, Italian word (, ) is the diminutive of the word ''wiktionary:libro#Italian, libro'' ("book"). Sometimes other-language cognates, equivalents are used for libretti in that language, ''livret'' for French works, ''Textbuch'' for German and ''libreto'' for Spanish. A libretto is distinct from a synopsis or scenario of the plot, in that the libretto contains all the words and stage directions, while a synopsis summarizes the plot. Some ballet historians also use the word ''libretto'' to refer to the 15- to 40-page books which were on sale to 19th century ballet audiences in Paris and contained ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Musical Notation
Musical notation is any system used to visually represent music. Systems of notation generally represent the elements of a piece of music that are considered important for its performance in the context of a given musical tradition. The process of interpreting musical notation is often referred to as reading music. Distinct methods of notation have been invented throughout history by various cultures. Much information about ancient music notation is fragmentary. Even in the same time frames, different styles of music and different cultures use different music notation methods. For example, classical performers most often use sheet music using staves, time signatures, key signatures, and noteheads for writing and deciphering pieces. But even so, there are far more systems just that, for instance in professional country music, the Nashville Number System is the main method, and for string instruments such as guitar, it is quite common for tablature to be used by player ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
