A Study Of Ci Diao And The Evolution Of Ci-Poetry

A study of Ci Diao takes an important part in the study of Ci-Poetry.In the background of the music of Ci-Poetry having been lost,it is particularly significant for the study of Ci Diao which can not only help us have a better understanding of the stylistic traits of Ci-Poetry,but also provide a new perspective on the evolution of Ci-Poetry.Currently,the study of Ci Diao has not brought attention from academic circles,and the former studies mainly focus on its origin and rules and forms.Besides,there are other aspects needed to be developed,for example,there are refined Ci Diao and vulgar Ci Diao,common Ci Diao and rare Ci Diao in the developing process of Ci Diao,which also involve the evolution of Ci-Poetry.The thesis consists of six parts.Chapter One distinguishes Ci-Poetry from poetry.There are many works with the same titles but different forms in the Tang Dynasty,such as Lang Tao Sha and Yu Lin Ling,which are actually poems that can be regarded as lyrics.They are totally different from the form of short and long sentences through composing verses to a given tune.And the form of short and long sentences is not the sole criterion of Ci-Poetry.There is a small quantity of Ci Diao with sentences at the same length;however,there are sentences at various lengths which cannot be considered as Ci Diao.The thesis takes Yu Ge Zi and Yu Fu as examples to discuss the difference between Ci-Poetry and poetry.The two works are always confused with each other;however,Yu Fu is actually a poem that can be regarded as lyrics while Yu Ge Zi belongs to the category of Ci-Poetry.The literary adaptations of poems of four lines written by poets in the Tang Dynasty,such as Kou Zhun's Yang Guan Yin,compared with the background music selected by the musicians in the Tang Dynasty,may besimilar in modifications,which can also reveal the rule of evolution from poetry to Ci-Poetry.Chapter Two explores the common and rare Ci Diao.With the amount over 100 of Ci-Poetry in the Song Dynasty is common Ci Diao.There are altogether 52 kinds of common Ci Diao.The thesis analyzes the evolution of Ci-Poetry from the aspects of the quantity of common Ci Diao,the number of characters and segments in common Ci Diao,and the time when common Ci Diao takes shape.The three factors of common Ci Diao are respectively the widespread musical composition,elegant style,and harmonious and graceful tone.The metrical form also determines the spread of Ci Diao,related to the formation of common Ci Diao.Therefore the form of common Ci Diao is relatively unified,mostly similar to poetical style,with five or seven characters in one sentence.With the amount less than 3 of Ci-Poetry in the Song Dynasty is rare Ci Diao.There are altogether 452 kinds of rare Ci Diao.The thesis explores the development of Ci-Poetry from the aspects of those authors who choose rare Ci Diao,the origin of rare Ci Diao,and so on.They are uncommon mainly because of the musical composition spreading to a limited extent,vulgar style,and relatively disharmonious rhythm.Therefore the rules and forms of rare Ci Diao is complicated and disordered,with irregular structures and awkward sentence patterns.Chapter Three analyzes refined Ci Diao and vulgar Ci Diao.To define vulgar Ci Diao,first of all,determine the style of the majority of works;secondly,examine the first work;thirdly,the rare Ci Diao and sole Ci Diao with vulgar style in the Song Dynasty can be characterized as vulgar Ci Diao.Although vulgar Ci Diao is not the favorite of literati,it is widely spread in the folk,and ultimately affects the rise and development of Yuan Qu.There are some relatively vulgar works in Zhou Bangyan's Qing Zhen Ji,in which Man Lu Hua and Yu Tuan Er are probably vulgar Ci Diao.Saying refined Ci Diao,or saying vulgar Ci Diao,both take a part for the whole.Different from vulgar Ci Diao in the Song Dynasty,the meaning of vulgar Ci Diao in the eyes of scholars in the Qing Dynasty refers to Ci Diao which rigidly adheres to formalities in creation,deliberately imitates predecessors,and follows the same pattern.Chapter Four examines the evolution and transmission of Ci Diao.The disorder of Ci-Poetry in the Tang Dynasty and Wu Dai while the orderliness of Ci-Poetry in the Song Dynasty indicates that Ci-Poetry has become more and more refined.As to Ling Ci and Man Ci of the same origin,with the rise of Man Ci,Ling Ci either passes down or not.Whether the spread of Man Ci exceeds Ling Ci,it involves the authors'aesthetic choices,closely related to the nature and metrical form of Ci Diao.Some Ci Diao of the Tang Dynasty and Wu Dai reappear in the Southern Song Dynasty,which indicates that many Ci-poets have got rid of the tradition of composing verses to a given tune and regarded Ci-poetry as a new refined literature.The scholars in the Qing Dynasty show great concern for rare Ci Diao and have a more profound understanding of complex metrical form than literati in the Ming Dynasty.Thus the research books are more complete in the Qing Dynasty than in the Ming Dynasty.Chapter Five discusses Ci Diao used by Zhou Bangyan and his significance in the history of Ci-Poetry.Ci Diao used by Zhou Bangyan is of very wide range with common Ci Diao from the Tang Dynasty and Wu Dai to the Northern Song Dynasty and some rare Ci Diao as well,but few Ci Diao favorite to Ci-poets in bold and unconstrained style.Zhou Bangyan has created a great many Ci Diao,altogether 47 kinds.He is the one who create the most Ci Diao in the Song Dynasty except Liu Yong.Unlike to Liu Yong's verses,Zhou's works are elegant in metrical form and thus become influential on the future generations.Rui He Xian and Qi Tian Yue created by Zhou even become common Ci Diao in the Song Dynasty.While devoting himself to the creation of Man Ci,Zhou develops the syntactic form and the technique of Ling Ci.Xiao Ling created by him selects awkward sentences and in the meantime elaborates the feeling,bringing about elegant artistic effect.Chapter Six reflects Ci Diao in Qin Ding Ci Pu.With regard to the division of Ci Diao of Ling Ci and Man Ci of the same origin,it is not unified of stylistic rules and layout in Qin Ding Ci Pu,and the criterion is on the basis of the related records in the Song Dynasty.However,the titles of Ci Diao usually omit "Ling" and "Man" in the Song Dynasty;moreover,with the restriction of document literature,it is likely for the author of Qin Ding Ci Pu not to see "Man".Therefore,Man Ci should be considered as another Ci Diao as to Ling Ci and Man Ci of the same origin.Qin Ding Ci Pu lays emphasis on the formal Ci Diao which relate to the amounts of composition and the metrical form.However,there are some contradictions on the division of Ci Diao in Qin Ding Ci Pu which likewise cannot give a reasonable explanation of the difference in the form between the works using the same rhymes with original works and original works.As a matter of fact,Ci-Poetry in the Tang and Song Dynasties is relatively flexible in rules and forms.The same Ci Diao can allow subtle difference provided that it is within the constraints of music.Therefore,the same Ci Diao should not be divided into several forms under a certain conditions,such as the number of characters within the variation from two to three characters,subtle difference in sentence pattern,and with rhymes or not in one sentence.