The period of more than one hundred years
from the decline of Eastern Jin (317 - 420) to the foundation of Sui Dynasty (581
- 618) was in the confrontation between two powers. one in the north and the other
in the south. This period is known in Chinese history as Northern and Southern Dynasties
(420 - 589).
Folk songs of Northern and Southern Dynasties were created orally by people in the
wake of Yuefu songs.
Folk songs of Southern Dynasties are mostly love songs which reflect the sincere
and pure love. Most of them were sung by women with refreshing and touching appeal.
Ode to Xizhou can be regarded as the representative work of them
When they gather lotus at Nantang in autumn,
The lotus blooms are higher over their heads;
They stoop to pick lotus seeds,
Seeds as traslucent as water ...
The water is beyond the scope of eyesight,
You are lovesick, me either ...
The south wind knows my mood;
It blows my dream to Xizhou.
The connotation of those lines is as follows: The heroin's lover hadn't come back
home, so she went to gather lotus to divert herself from lonely and boredom. At
a distance from the lake, both of them were lovesick apart. Finally, she begged
the wind to bring her dream to Xizhou where her lover was staying.
Most of folk songs of Southern Dynasties belong to the 4-line poems with 5 characters
in each line, whose language is refreshing and natural, which possibly has a direct
relation with the beautiful environment and rich condition of the south. Moreover,
poem was often used in folk songs. Currently, there remains about 500 such songs.
Folk songs of Northern Dynasties were mostly created by ethnic groups and reflected
the society and their lives from every profile. As Northern Dynasties were often
at wars, the content of most folk songs had a bit of hint with wars. The long narrative
poem Mulan Ci is the the best well-known work of that period.
Mulan Ci figures the heroine Mulan who was brave, smart and high-minded.
In the poem, disguised as a man, Hua Mulan joined the army on behalf of her father
to fight against the enemies. As for a feudal society in which women were universally
regarded to be inferior to men, this poem had its special significance. The story
about Hua Mulan's enlistment has maintained its great popularity among people and
has been adapted for the screen and the stage so that it can come down till today.
Beside the theme concerning warfare, most folk songs of Northern Dyansties describe
scenery of the north and the people's life of nomadism thus manifesting straightforward
complexion of Northern which has a clear contrast with those of Southern Dynasties.
Chile Song and Song of the Breaking of the Willow are the elaborate
works of folk songs of Northern Dynasties.
Folk Songs of Northern and Southern Dynasties had great opposite impact on poets
of Tang Dynasty (618 - 907).
Reference data
Pun is the use of a word in such a way as to suggest two of its meanings: one is
the ostensible meaning, the other is the concealed. Such a rhetoric is formed by
means of Homophone, for example, lian (lotus) - wretchedness, si (thread)
- miss, li (pear) - separate, etc.
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