On the Relationship between Singing and the Development of Early Chinese Poetic Genres

Abstract

The earliest Chinese poetry is closely linked with songs. Singing promotes the emergence of poetic genres and contributes to the combination of words and the construction of poetic lines. Songs are sung to a regular rhythm and melody. In the early days of humanity, when music was not yet developed, music needed a kind of rhythmic vocal language to accompany it. Meanwhile, people in the early days had a minimal set of words that they needed music to enhance the rhythm of their language. Therefore, music and language complemented each other. The extensive use of interjections in early Chinese poetry directly related to singing. The word combination and artistic embellishment of these poems were continuously refined and evolved in the style of songs. Early poems were artistic creations and employment of rhetorical devices in the form of singing. This characteristic makes early Chinese poetry quite different from the poem composition in written form of later periods. Therefore, studying the language and rhythm of early Chinese poetry should be conducted in the context of singing. The poems in The Book of Songs are divided into three categories: airs (feng 风), court hymns (ya 雅), and eulogies (song 颂) based on their musical attributes. Their artistic forms and language skills were also influenced by singing. The literary forms observed in The Odes of Chu, represented by “The Nine Songs,” “The Lamet,” “Heavenly Question,” “Requiem,” and “Divination,” can be explored from their relationships with singing. During the Han Dynasty, song poetry 歌诗 featured three major forms and styles, each originating from a specific song form of that era. These song forms included the songs of Chu, guchui army songs 鼓吹铙歌, and xianghe songs 相和歌. The songs of Chu continue the syntax and line patterns of “The Nine Songs.” Guchui army songs represent the earliest form of zayan poetry 杂言诗, while xianghe songs predominantly feature poetic lines of five characters. These three song forms led to three literary forms, which underwent a natural evolution in the Han Dynasty.

Keywords

singing / poetic genre / rhythm / meter and melody / artistic forms / language skills

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2024 Higher Education Press