''Nineteen Old Poems'' () is a collection of nineteen ancient Chinese poems which were likely composed during the
Han dynasty
The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...
by poet-musicians inspired by the artistry of folk song
Yuefu
''Yuefu'' are Chinese poems composed in a folk song style. The term originally literally meant " Music Bureau", a reference to the imperial Chinese governmental organization(s) originally charged with collecting or writing the lyrics, later the ...
. They first appeared in the early Chinese literary anthology ''
Wen Xuan
The ''Wen Xuan'' (; ), usually translated ''Selections of Refined Literature'', is one of the earliest and most important anthologies of Chinese poetry and literature, and is one of the world's oldest literary anthologies to be arranged by top ...
'', a compilation of poetry and literature by
Liang Crown Prince
Xiao Tong
Xiao Tong (, October 501 – 7 May 531), courtesy name Deshi (), formally Crown Prince Zhaoming (昭明太子, literally "Accomplished and Understanding Crown Prince"), was a crown prince of the Chinese Liang dynasty, posthumously honored as ...
. Modern scholarship pinpointed the time of composition to be between 140 and 190 CE during the
Eastern Han dynasty
The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...
, based on their narrative content, emotional expression, and mature literary techniques. The authorship of the "Nineteen Old Poems" is anonymous. However, indicators such as references to carriages, fine clothing, mansions, and upper-class entertainments—as well as allusions to the ''
Shijing
The ''Classic of Poetry'', also ''Shijing'' or ''Shih-ching'', translated variously as the ''Book of Songs'', ''Book of Odes'', or simply known as the ''Odes'' or ''Poetry'' (; ''Shī''), is the oldest existing collection of Chinese poetry, co ...
''— suggest that the authors were members of the educated elite.
One of the tendencies of these poems is towards a "tone of brooding melancholy." As Watson put it, the poems are "anonymous voices speaking to us from a shadowy past, they sound a note of sadness that is to dominate the poetry of the centuries that follow." Recurring themes in these poems include the sorrows and frustrations of a travelling man or a longing wife, a timeless lament for life's transience and the unpredictability of fate. These emotions were born out of its time, yet they are universal and have resonated with readers across different backgrounds and eras.
The Nineteen Poems represented the peak of five-syllable verses by the Han literati. Inspired by the folk song style, these poems feature plain language, natural flow, but on the other hands, are highly refined and expressive.
These nineteen poems were very influential on later poetry, in part because of their use of the five-character line ().
[Watson 18-19] The formats, techniques, and thematic choices of these ancient poems have a lasting impact on later generation poets, including
Cao Pi
Cao Pi () (late 187 – 29 June 226), courtesy name Zihuan, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was the second son of Cao Cao, a warlord who lived in the late Eastern Han dynasty, but the ...
and
Cao Zhi
Cao Zhi (; ; 192 – 27 December 232), courtesy name Zijian (), posthumously known as Prince Si of Chen (陈思王), was a prince of the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period of China, and an accomplished poet in his time. His style o ...
.
See also
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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 ...
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Gushi (poetry)
''Gushi'' (), is one of the main poetry forms defined in Classical Chinese poetry, literally meaning "old (or ancient) poetry" or "old (or ancient) style poetry": ''gushi'' is a technical term for certain historically exemplary poems, together ...
*
Han poetry
Han poetry is associated with the Han dynasty era of China, 206 BC – 220 AD, including the Wang Mang interregnum (9–23 AD). Han poetry is considered a significant period in Classical Chinese poetry due to several important developments. One k ...
*''
Wen Xuan
The ''Wen Xuan'' (; ), usually translated ''Selections of Refined Literature'', is one of the earliest and most important anthologies of Chinese poetry and literature, and is one of the world's oldest literary anthologies to be arranged by top ...
''
References
Bibliography
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Further reading
*Birrell, Anne (1988). ''Popular Songs and Ballads of Han China''. (London: Unwin Hyman).
External links
{{Portal bar, Poetry, China
Han dynasty texts
Han dynasty poetry
Chinese poetry anthologies