BSE 114 Midterm Performance Task

Genres in
Chinese
Poetry
Presented by Group 3
 Group Presenters

BALINGCONG, CANADA, CANLAS, ANGELICA CELIS, HERRERA, MARATA,

ELMA A. MISHAEL C. F. KRISTEL JANE EUGENIO JAN I. CARMELA A.

PANESA, RANTE, TORRES, VARGAS, VILLACENDA,

NORLYN JOY A. TISHA ANN F. PRINCESS KAYE P. JAEHANN M. NIEL ROFEL B.
Different genres in
Chinese Poetry
01 Poetry

02 Classical Chinese Poetry

03 Han Poetry

04 Wuxia

05 Gong'an Fiction
 Poetry
Poetry is the earliest form of Chinese Literature that originated
from folk songs before the written Chinese language even existed.

Literary Themes

01 Gushi (Old Poetry) 02 Lushi (Code Verse) 03 Jueji (Curtailed Verse)

Arranged in five, six or seven - Appeared in the Tang Dynasty Only has four lines of five or
syllable lines, or long and short and must contain two or more seven syllables, each with the
verses of so called parallel couplets. least words way and a high
note.
Chinese poetry is divided into four classes :
Shi or poetry Ci Ge or songs Fu
 Poetry
Example:

Courting the Moon With Wine and Poetry by (Li Bai)

There is moonlight shining before my bed,
I suspect that there is frost on the ground,
Raising my head, I gaze at the moonlight,
Lowering my head, I think of my home village

Li's poetry is notable for his obsession with the moon and,
especially, wine, which he frequently consumes at the same time. The
moon and moonlight are popular subjects in his poetry, frequently
provoking him to relive a long-ago memory.
Classical Chinese Poetry
Classical Chinese refers to the written language
of the classical period of Chinese literature, from the
end of the Spring and Autumn period (early 5th
century BC) to the end of the Han dynasty (AD
220), while Literary Chinese is the form of written
Chinese used from the end of the Han dynasty to
the early 20th century.

Shijing or Shih-ching

詩
The Odes or Poetry ( ; Shī)
 Classical Chinese Poetry
"Ascending to the Heights" by Li Bai ( 李白)
The wind is fierce, the sky is high, and the monkeys cry in sorrow;
The clear water, the white sand, and the birds fly back.
Endless falling leaves rustle down,
The unending Yangtze River rolls on and on.
 Han Poetry
Han poetry is the forms of poetry that
existed during the Han dynasty. Then Han
dynasty is regarded as the foundation of
the Chinese traditional.
Origins are associated with the Han
dynasty era of China, 206 BC – 220 AD,
including the Wang Mang interregnum (9–
23 AD).
Example of Han Poetry
Quiet Night Thoughts by (Li Bai)
Before my bed,
The bright moonlight,
It seems
Like frost in the ground.

I raise my head
To gaze at the moon,
Then lower it,
Missing my hometown.
 Wuxia Poetry
Wuxia is a genre of Chinese fiction that typically involves martial arts, chivalry, and romance.
The term "wuxia" ( 武侠 ) literally means "martial heroes" in Chinese.

different forms or sub-genres

Classic Wuxia
New Wuxia,
Romantic Wuxia,
Historical Wuxia,
Science Fiction Wuxia
Wuxia Poetry Example

"Farewell to Cambridge Again"

by Xu Zhimo
Quietly I take my leave,
As quietly as I came here;
Gently I flick my sleeves,
Not even a wisp of cloud will I bring away.
Gong'an Fiction
Gong’an or crime-case fiction (Chinese:公案小说 )
The term means a magistrate’s desk, and the modern equivalent
would be police procedural.
Is a subgenre of Chinese crime fiction involving government
magistrates who solve criminal cases. The Judge Dee and Judge Bao
stories are the best-known examples of the genre
.The genre Gong’an began in the Song dynasty (960 to 1279)
Stories would be narrated by wandering storytellers or in puppet
shows, and usually told of upright officials exposing corruption and
cover-ups.
No examples of these stories have survived, however. The oldest
gong’an tales come from the next dynasty, the Yuan (1279 to 1368)
Example:

"The Water Margin"

a classic Chinese novel written by Shi Nai'an
The story begins with the main character, Wu Song, who seeks revenge against his
brother's killer. Along the way, he encounters the other outlaws who join him in his quest
for justice. The outlaws are from various backgrounds, including former government
officials, military generals, and commoners. The outlaws eventually form a stronghold in
the marshes of Liangshan, where they continue to fight against corrupt officials and
bandits. The group is led by Song Jiang, a former government official who becomes their
leader and strategist. Throughout the novel, the outlaws face many challenges, including
internal conflicts and betrayals, as well as external threats from the government and
other bandit groups. However, they remain united and fight for what they believe is right.
 Shi and Shih
Shi and Shih are romanizations of the character 詩/诗, the Chinese word for all
poetry generally and across all languages.

Example: The Beautiful Xi Shi By Wang, Wei

Yuefu
Yuefu are Chinese poems composed in a folk song style. The term originally
literally meant "Music Bureau"

Example: By Heaven! By Shang Ye

 Fu
賦
Fu (Chinese: ), often translated "rhapsody" or "poetic exposition", is a form of
Chinese rhymed prose that was the dominant literary form in China during
the Han dynasty (206 BC – AD 220

Example: Chunwang by Du Fu

Cí and Shīyú
Cí and Shīyú ( 詩餘 诗馀
; ; 'the poetry besides Shi'), is a type of lyric poetry in
the tradition of Classical Chinese poetry that also draws upon folk traditions

Example: Jiang Chengzi or "Riverside City" by Su Shi

Thank you for
listening!