Liu Caichun
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Liu Caichun () was a
courtesan A courtesan is a prostitute with a courtly, wealthy, or upper-class clientele. Historically, the term referred to a courtier, a person who attended the court of a monarch or other powerful person. History In European feudal society, the co ...
, actress, and poet in the
Tang Dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...
. Along with Xue Tao,
Yu Xuanji Yu Xuanji (, ), courtesy names Youwei () and Huilan (), was a Chinese female poet, courtesan, and Daoist nun during the late Tang dynasty that was born in Chang'an. Along with Xue Tao, she was one of the foremost poets of the Tang dynasty. Bio ...
and Li Ye she became known as one of the most famous female poets of the Tang Dynasty. Together they are referred to as "the four great female poets of the Tang Dynasty".


Biography

Liu Caichun is believed to have come from a poor family. Though her exact origin is unknown, it has been suggested that she was from Huaidian,
Zhejiang ) , translit_lang1_type2 = , translit_lang1_info2 = ( Hangzhounese) ( Ningbonese) (Wenzhounese) , image_skyline = 玉甑峰全貌 - panoramio.jpg , image_caption = View of the Yandang Mountains , image_map = Zhejiang i ...
, or
Yangzhou Yangzhou is a prefecture-level city in central Jiangsu Province, East China. Sitting on the north bank of the Yangtze, it borders the provincial capital Nanjing to the southwest, Huai'an to the north, Yancheng to the northeast, Taizhou, Jiangsu, ...
. She formed a traveling drama troupe together with her husband, Zhou Jicong, that was known to have performed
adjutant Adjutant is a military appointment given to an Officer (armed forces), officer who assists the commanding officer with unit administration, mostly the management of “human resources” in an army unit. The term is used in French-speaking armed ...
plays (參軍). Described as an excellent singer, her singing of ''Watching for my Husband'' is reported to have brought audiences to tears. Liu Caichun had a daughter with Zhou Jicong named Zhou Dehua(周德华), who also became a successful courtesan. During
Yuan Zhen Yuan Zhen (; 779 – September 2, 831), courtesy name Weizhi (), was a Chinese novelist, poet, and politician of the middle Tang dynasty. In prose literature, Yuan Zhen is particularly known for his work '' Yingying's Biography'', which has oft ...
's time as governor of Yuezhou and East Zhejiang, Liu Caichun arrived in Yuezhou with her troupe, where
Yuan Zhen Yuan Zhen (; 779 – September 2, 831), courtesy name Weizhi (), was a Chinese novelist, poet, and politician of the middle Tang dynasty. In prose literature, Yuan Zhen is particularly known for his work '' Yingying's Biography'', which has oft ...
is said to have appreciated her work. During this time, Liu Caichun became the target of the affections of
Yuan Zhen Yuan Zhen (; 779 – September 2, 831), courtesy name Weizhi (), was a Chinese novelist, poet, and politician of the middle Tang dynasty. In prose literature, Yuan Zhen is particularly known for his work '' Yingying's Biography'', which has oft ...
, who abandoned his pursuit of Xue Tao after falling for Liu Caichun. Yuan Zhen is known to have composed a poem dedicated to Liu Caichun in which he describes her makeup and her singing. She maintained contact with Yuan Zhen for seven years before their relationship ended.There is no record of Liu Caichun's death in the historical record, so it is unknown what happened to her later in life.


Personal poetry

Although several poems are attributed to Liu Caichun and she is considered among "the four great female poets of the
Tang Dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...
", it is unclear if any of the poems attributed to her were actually written by her as Fan Shu records that they were composed by contemporary literati. Although many works attributed to her have been lost, the collection of six poems titled ''The Song of Luogen'' has been preserved.


References


External links

*{{Baidu Baike, title=刘采春 Chinese Gējìs Chinese women poets