Song Literature: Ci poetryAlso called lyric song, lyric meter; written for performancefirst appeared in the later Tang, probably in the 8th century, became popular in the Song; often reflected daily life in the Song“Bathing Babies,” Anonymous, Song, on silk fan, Freer Museum, USAIn Chinese, one does not speak of writing ci but of filling in ci; that is, filling in lyrics to a known melody. Lyrics are identified by the title of the tune prefaced with to”, e.g., “To the tune of Washing Creek Sand.” Right: “Eighteen Scholars (in the Tang),” anonymous, Song , National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan Ci Poetry: Characteristicsl llyric songs before the lyric songs before the 1111thth century centuryl lAuthored by men but Authored by men but performed by hired performed by hired women singers at women singers at partiespartiesl lA situation of men A situation of men writing words, often in writing words, often in the voices of women, to the voices of women, to be sung back to them.be sung back to them.l ltreated events in their treated events in their daily lives, often daily lives, often emotionalemotional“Entertaining Kids with theatrical performance” by Su Hanchen, SongNature: A poetry of elegance, languor and sentimentality-regarded as the most refined of all Chinese literary forms, the only one capable of articulating melancholy and a certain kind of erotica. Song authors broadened the content of ci, using it to narrate events in contemporary urban lifeStructure: has tune patterns, a matrix containing a set number of lines of given length, rhymes in fixed positions, and tonal requirements at certain positions in each lines Lines of varying length: to fit the irregular, melodic patternFamous Ci Poets before the Songl lWen Tingyun (812-Wen Tingyun (812-872)872)l lProbably the best of Probably the best of the the ci ci poets in the poets in the Tang, who inspired Tang, who inspired many Song many Song ci ci writers.writers.l lWei Zhuang (836-910)Wei Zhuang (836-910)l lProbably the best Probably the best ci ci poet in the end of poet in the end of the Tang dynastythe Tang dynastyExamples of tune patterns“The Moon over the West River” (西江月x jing yu )“Wind through Pines” (風入松fng r sng )“Deva-like Barbarian” (Bodhisattva Barbarian) (菩薩蠻p s mn )“Telling the Inner Most Feelings” (訴衷情s zhng qng )“Song of Picking Mulberry” (採桑子ci sng zi )“Joy of Eternal Union” (永遇樂yng y l ) “Dreaming of the South” (望江南wng jing nn ) “Lotus-leaf Cup” (荷葉杯h y bi )To the Tune “West of the Little Market”by Liu Yong|Im thinking of someone|Sweet face, just sixteen|Born beautiful|She has got to be a minx.|Where she is most remarkable|Is when she laughs and her dimples show.|She has a hundred ways and a thousand charms,|And the more you embrace her|The more sweet and slippery she getsTo the Tune “West of the Little Market”by Liu Yong|(Cont)|Ive neglected her a long time.|Last night in a dream|We made love|Like old times.|Then just when I was happy|The cock next door woke me up.|Everything was quiet|But I could not get back to sleep;|The setting moon outside my window was wasted.By Wang Shen, Song“Women and Morning Mirror”On silkWoman poet: Li Qingzhao (ca.1084?-1151) The greatest woman poet of Song times and perhaps in all of Chinese history Not only a poet, but also an erudite scholar, connoisseur, bibliophile, collector of antiques, Her poems are characterized by the use of onomatopoetic expressions. To the Tune of “EverySound Slowly”by Li Qingzhao|Search. Search. Seek. Seek.|Cold. Cold. Clear. Clear.|Sorrow. Sorrow. Pain. Pain. Pity. Pity.|Times of hot flashes and sudden chills.|Its hard to come to rest.|Three cups, two bowls of tasteless wine,|How should he late burst in like a gust of wind?|Wild geese fly, wrenching my heart.|Really, from old days we know each other.Li Qingzhao(cont)|Golden flowers pile up on the ground,|Faded, dead.|Who would pick them now?|All alone, waiting at my window,|How does it become dark?|The wutong tree blend drizzling rain.|Until dusk falls. Drip. Drip. Drop. Drop.|This condition, can the mere word melancholy suffice?lTo the tune of “Deva-like Barbarian”Blossom bright, the moon dark, shadowed in thin mist,Tonights just right for making my way to you-In stocking feet she goes out by the scented stairs,Holding in her hand her gold-threaded slippersOn the south side of the painted hall she sees him,Clings to him for a time, trembling-Its so hard for me to slip away,tonight you may love me any way you please! oSu Shi (Su Dongpo,1037-1101)nThe best of the Song ci poetsnBrought ci to a great height and new frontier nStyle is generally masculine nMost widely read: “Song of River City,” “Prelude to Water Music,” “Immortal at the River”“Village Physician,” by Li Tang, Southern Song, on silk, National Palace Musuem, Taipei, Taiwan “Prelude to Water Music” (水調頭歌) by Su Shi(On Mid-autumn night of the year bingchen (1076), I drank merrily until dawn, got very drunk and wrote this poem, all the while thinking longingly of Ziyou.)Bright moon, when did you appear?Lifting my wine, I question the blue sky.Tonight in the palaces and halls of heavenWhat year is it, I wonder?I would like to ride the moon, make my home there,Only I fear in porphyry towers, under jade eaves,In those high places the cold would be more than I could bear.So I rise and dance and play with your pure beams,Though this human worldhow can it compare with yours?明月幾時有？把酒問青天。不知天上宮闕，今夕是何年？我欲乘風歸去，又恐瓊樓玉宇，高處不勝寒。起舞弄清影，何似在人間?Circling my red chamberLow in the curtained doorYou light my sleeplessness* Surely you bear us no ill willWhy then must you be so round at times when we humans are parted?People have their grieves and joys, their joinings and separations,the moon its dark and clear times, its roundings and waning.As ever in such matters, things are hardly the way we wish.I only hope we may have long long lives,May share the moons beauty, though a thousand miles apart.轉朱閣，低綺戶，照無眠。不應有恨，何事長向別時圓？人有悲歡離合，月有陰晴圓缺，此事古難全。但願人長久，千里共長嬋娟。 l lLu You (1125-1210)l lMost prolific poet in Chinese history; left behind Most prolific poet in Chinese history; left behind nearly ten thousand poems in his collectionnearly ten thousand poems in his collectionl lNoted for his passionate patriotismNoted for his passionate patriotisml l“Phoenix Hairpin”“Phoenix Hairpin”l lXin Qiji (1140-1207)l lMost prolific Song author of lyrics; 626 surviveMost prolific Song author of lyrics; 626 survivel lLyrics show passion and advocacy of patriotismLyrics show passion and advocacy of patriotisml lTended to divorce the metrical patterns of the Tended to divorce the metrical patterns of the genre from their earlier musical backgroundgenre from their earlier musical backgroundl l“Ugly Rouge” “Ugly Rouge” “Pure Serene Music” by Li QingzhaoYear after year in the snowAlways wed pick plum blossoms, drunk as we were,Shattering every clusterwhat did we care?-And their clear tears fell all over our clothes.This year by seas bend, skys boarder,Lonely, lonely, gray invading both temples,I watch, as evening comes, the wind risingAnd know that I ll be hard put to discover a single blossom清平樂年年雪裏，常插梅花醉，採盡梅花無意，贏得滿衣清淚！今年海角天涯，蕭蕭兩鬢生華。看取晚來風勢，故應難看梅花。Women in the Songl lliteracy increased in literacy increased in female populationfemale populationl lWomen had more Women had more opportunities to receive opportunities to receive educationeducationl lEducated women Educated women became “writing became “writing women”women”l lWomen joined mercantile Women joined mercantile circles circles l lWomen became active Women became active business peoplebusiness people“Bodhisattva Guanyin” by Jia Shigu, Southern Song, National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan Efforts were made to curb Efforts were made to curb womenwomen s influence and their s influence and their increasing powerincreasing power Ideas and rules of Ideas and rules of “ “chastitychastity” ” were imposed on were imposed on womenwomen Confucians pushed Confucians pushed public recognition of the public recognition of the virtue of virtue of “ “female female chastitychastity” ” Ideas of Ideas of “ “a woman a woman does not serve two does not serve two husbandshusbands” ” became became widely accepted, widely accepted, although women were although women were allowed to remarryallowed to remarry“Powdered Ladies,” by Su Hanchen, Song, Boston Art MusuemSong womens status changed because of marriageWomen were given lavish dowry when they were married to scholarly families Books on family rules written to limit womens freedomYuan Cais family rules: “Women should not take part in affairs outside the home”“Four Beauties”, anonymous, Song, color on silk