History of Chinese Folk Literature

This book mainly addresses the position, function, influence, and values of folk oral literature in the history of Chinese literature. Divided into 14 chapters, it systematically covers central aspects of folklore literature such as ballads, folk songs, __Bianwen, Zajuci, Guzici, Zhugongdiao, Sanqu, Baojuan, Tanci, Zidishu__, and so on from the Pre-Qin to the late Qing Dynasties, filling several gaps in literary history studies. It is a comprehensive literary work, and many of the materials cited here are rare and difficult to find. In addition, the book proposes some important theories, especially six highly generalized qualities of folk literature, namely that it is: popular, collective, oral, fresh, effusive, and innovative.With detailed, extensive materials, and quotations, the book represents the most systematic and comprehensive work to date on ancient Chinese folk literature. It is mutually complementary with Guowei Wang’s A Textual Research of the Traditional Chinese Opera in the Song and Yuan Dynasties and Xun Lu’s A Brief History of Chinese Fiction; all three works are regarded as the most essential classics for researching the history of Chinese literature. User's Guide 6 Contents 8 1 What Is “Folk Literature” 12 I 12 II 13 III 15 IV 19 V 21 VI 22 2 Ancient Songs 24 I 24 II 26 III 31 IV 35 V 38 VI 48 VII 51 References 53 3 Folk Literature in the Han Dynasty 54 I 54 II 55 III 58 IV 66 V 74 VI 76 VII 92 VIII 112 References 114 4 Folk Songs in the Six Dynasties 115 I 115 II 116 III 117 IV 144 V 153 References 157 5 Odes and Songs in the Tang Dynasty 159 I 159 II 162 III 163 IV 166 V 172 VI 184 References 202 6 Bianwen, a Popular Form of Literature in the Tang Dynasty 203 I 203 II 205 III 208 IV 215 V 219 VI 227 VII 249 VIII 253 IX 263 X 265 References 266 7 Zajuci, a Literary Form Popularized in the Song and Jin Periods 267 I 267 II 281 III 287 IV 290 References 305 8 Guzici and Zhugongdiao: Popular Literary Forms Featured with Singing and Telling 306 I 306 II 307 III 313 IV 325 V 327 VI 329 VII 335 VIII 338 IX 341 X 344 XI 356 XII 364 XIII 366 References 370 9 Sanqu, a Type of Verse in the Yuan Dynasty 371 I 371 II 372 III 373 IV 377 V 382 VI 385 VII 393 VIII 402 IX 410 X 417 XI 425 XII 432 XIII 435 XIV 441 XV 449 XVI 454 XVII 458 References 459 10 Folk Songs in the Ming Dynasty 460 I 460 II 461 III 462 IV 463 V 467 VI 473 VII 486 References 496 11 Baojuan, a Literary Form Featured with Story-Telling and Singing 497 I 497 II 499 III 503 IV 512 V 524 References 526 12 Tanci, a Literary Form Featured with Story-Telling to the Accompaniment of the Stringed Instruments 527 I 527 II 530 III 530 IV 540 V 543 VI 550 References 551 13 Guci and Zidishu, the Literary Forms Popularized in the Ming and Qing Dynasties 552 I 552 II 553 III 560 IV 563 References 566 14 Folk Songs in the Qing Dynasty 568 I 568 II 569 III 577 IV 589 V 599 VI 603 References 608 Academical Chronology of Zheng Zhenduo 609 By Chen Fukang 609 Zheng Zhenduo and His History of Chinese Folk Literature 621 Zheng Zhenduo and His History of Chinese Literature (by Chen Fukang) 621 This book mainly addresses the position, function, influence, and values of folk oral literature in the history of Chinese literature. Divided into 14 chapters, it systematically covers central aspects of folklore literature such as ballads, folk songs, Bianwen, Zajuci, Guzici, Zhugongdiao, Sanqu, Baojuan, Tanci, Zidishu , and so on from the Pre-Qin to the late Qing Dynasties, filling several gaps in literary history studies. It is a comprehensive literary work, and many of the materials cited here are rare and difficult to find. In addition, the book proposes some important theories, especially six highly generalized qualities of folk literature, namely that it is: popular, collective, oral, fresh, effusive, and innovative. With detailed, extensive materials, and quotations, the book represents the most systematic and comprehensive work to date on ancient Chinese folk literature. It is mutually complementary with Guowei Wang’s A Textual Research of the Traditional Chinese Opera in the Song and Yuan Dynasties and Xun Lu’s A Brief History of Chinese Fiction; all three works are regarded as the most essential classics for researching the history of Chinese literature.