True Feelings & Nature, Popularity & Elegance

Content: Xiaoqu which were popular in both Ming and Qing Dynasty are exquisite works in the history of popular literary development. Tracing back to their source, they belonged to the system of ancient folk songs, and their forms, tunes are of long history. The four Xiaoqu collections as Guazhier, Shange, Nishangxupu and Baixueyiyin are the most representation ones. The features of these four Xiaoqu collections are as follows: rich contents which almost cover all the things and feelings, distinct artistic characteristics, minute descriptions with a revelation of the trice fallings and natural dispositions, frank writing with ease and grace, vivid and vigorous language, miscellaneous tune forms with freedom. This paper, through the analysis of the contents, artistic characteristics, the inductions of the tunes, investigates the causes of the difference of the Xiaoqu in Ming and Qing Dynasty, then further research on their cultural formation are made and their influences on the later ages are summed up.