Li Sao
Encyclopedia
Li Sao is a Chinese poem dating from the Warring States Period
, largely written by Qu Yuan
(340 BC
- 278 BC
) of the Kingdom of Chu. One of the most famous poems of pre-Qin
China, it is a representative work of the Chu Ci
(literally "Poetry of Chu") form of poetry.
interprets the title as "Woes of Departure" i.e. Qu Yuan's exile, while Ban Gu
interprets it as "Encountering Trouble". Sima Qian's interpretation is the more adopted one, though recent scholars also theorise that 離騷 is simply a different way of writing 劳商; the latter is a generic name for a Chu song. In English the title is often translated as either The Lament or Encountering Trouble.
style. While the precise date of composition is unknown it is one of Qu Yuan's later works, written after his exile by King Huai of Chu (楚懷王).
As a representative work of Chu poetry it makes use of a wide range of metaphors derived from the culture of Chu, including shamanistic elements such as divination and the presence of spirits, as well as references in ancient history and legendary figures. Because of these influences the poem is seen as an initiator of a Romantic
tradition of poetry in China.
The poem's main themes include Qu Yuan's falling victim to intrigues in the court of Chu, and subsequent exile; his desire to remain pure and untainted by the corruption that was rife in the court; and also his lamentation at the gradual decline of the once-powerful state of Chu. At the very end he, resigned, states his resolve to die.
Warring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
, largely written by Qu Yuan
Qu Yuan
Qu Yuan was a Chinese poet who lived during the Warring States Period in ancient China. He is famous for his contributions to the poetry collection known as the Chu-ci...
(340 BC
340 BC
Year 340 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Torquatus and Mus...
- 278 BC
278 BC
Year 278 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Luscinus and Papus...
) of the Kingdom of Chu. One of the most famous poems of pre-Qin
Qin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
China, it is a representative work of the Chu Ci
Chu Ci
Chu Ci , also known as Songs of the South or Songs of Chu, is an anthology of Chinese verse traditionally attributed to Qu Yuan and Song Yu from the Warring States Period, though about half of the poems seem to have been composed several centuries later, during the Han Dynasty...
(literally "Poetry of Chu") form of poetry.
Title
The title's meaning has been debated about even in historical times. Sima QianSima Qian
Sima Qian was a Prefect of the Grand Scribes of the Han Dynasty. He is regarded as the father of Chinese historiography for his highly praised work, Records of the Grand Historian , a "Jizhuanti"-style general history of China, covering more than two thousand years from the Yellow Emperor to...
interprets the title as "Woes of Departure" i.e. Qu Yuan's exile, while Ban Gu
Ban Gu
Ban Gu , courtesy name Mengjian , was a 1st century Chinese historian and poet best known for his part in compiling the Book of Han. He also wrote in the main poetic genre of the Han era, a kind of poetry interspersed with prose called fu. Some are anthologized by Xiao Tong in his Selections of...
interprets it as "Encountering Trouble". Sima Qian's interpretation is the more adopted one, though recent scholars also theorise that 離騷 is simply a different way of writing 劳商; the latter is a generic name for a Chu song. In English the title is often translated as either The Lament or Encountering Trouble.
Description
The poem has a total of 373 lines, and about 2400 characters, which makes it one of the longest poems dating from Ancient China. It is in the fuFu (poetry)
Fu is a kind of rhymed prose, or poetry style essay, popular in ancient China, especially during the Han Dynasty. The term fu is often used in a multiway contrast with the more purely poetic shi style, with the fixed-rhythm forms of poetry , and with various more explicitly prosaic forms of...
style. While the precise date of composition is unknown it is one of Qu Yuan's later works, written after his exile by King Huai of Chu (楚懷王).
As a representative work of Chu poetry it makes use of a wide range of metaphors derived from the culture of Chu, including shamanistic elements such as divination and the presence of spirits, as well as references in ancient history and legendary figures. Because of these influences the poem is seen as an initiator of a Romantic
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
tradition of poetry in China.
The poem's main themes include Qu Yuan's falling victim to intrigues in the court of Chu, and subsequent exile; his desire to remain pure and untainted by the corruption that was rife in the court; and also his lamentation at the gradual decline of the once-powerful state of Chu. At the very end he, resigned, states his resolve to die.
External links
- Yang Hsien-yi and Gladys Yang, verse: full text, an English translation