Yan Jidao And His Xiao Shan Ci

This paper analyzes Yan Jidao and his Xiao Shan Ci from the three aspects of sorrowful tone, the writer's relationship with singing girls and the dream-alcohol in his Ci respectively.Yan Jidao's Ci is full of sorrowful tone, which is revealed not only in the expression of separation, lovesickness after separation, unrecognizing of his talents, reluctance of official career and regret of time passing, but also in the use of such sorrowful words as resentful, discontented, wretched, worn, cold, cool, illusive, empty and tearful. In order to display this kind of sorrowful tone Yan Jidao employs many patterns of techniques, such as melting emotions into settings, hints by motions, contrasts and progressively deepening.Yan Jidao has close relationship with singing girls, whose shadows can be found in most of his Ci. His interaction with singing girls is either for the purpose of satisfying his lust or for the purpose of appreciating their singing-dancing performances, but most important of all is for the purpose of finding emotional sustenance in them. It is sometimes inevitable that Yan Jidao annoys the singing girls, but generally speaking, real sympathy and true love are shown more frequently in his Ci.In Xiao Shan Ci there is plenty of descriptions of dream and alcohol. In these descriptions of dreamy and drunken state, a twisted, depressed and defiant soul is seen.Either the sorrowful tone in Yan's Ci or his interaction with the singing girls or his description of dream and alcohol is closely concerned with conflicts between Yan Jidao and the physical world.