A Mortal's Love Across the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 7

Is this Liu Yong, the official who was dismissed from his post by Emperor Renzong of Song, who wrote in an imperial edict: "Let him be a commoner minister, composing lyrics under the wind and moon"? Or is it those courtesans?

The Liu family in my heart is the one who says, "I would rather be summoned by Liu Qi than be summoned by the emperor; I would rather have Liu Qi's heart than a thousand pieces of gold; I would rather see Liu Qi's face than meet a god."

Yong? He was the one who, after years of unrestrained debauchery, died at the home of the famous courtesan Zhao Xiangxiang. Because he had neither family nor property, no one cared for him after his death.

The question is, a group of famous courtesans, out of admiration for his talent and passionate love, pooled their money to bury him. Xie Yuying wore heavy mourning clothes for him, and the courtesans...

Everyone wore mourning clothes for him, and when he was buried, the entire city came to see him off, turning half the city into a scene of white mourning and sorrow. This was the "group of prostitutes who pooled their resources for his funeral."

Is this Liu Yong from the famous story of "Liu Qi"? I'm so excited! My heart is pounding. I walked stiffly to him, bowed deeply at a 90-degree angle, and said in a slightly trembling voice, "Liu..."

"Sir, thank you for your presence, I am deeply grateful!" "You flatter me, you must be Brother Zi'an, it's a pleasure to meet you." Liu Yong returned the bow. I gave myself a false name, surnamed Cheng.

His name is Zi'an. "Xiao He, quick, quick, tell them to serve the dishes, the best dishes and the best wine!" "Zi'an has long admired Brother Liu's talent. Brother Liu's lyrics are novel in subject matter, rich in musical beauty, breaking through the narrow scope of traditional lyrics, and making lyrics..."

The creation incorporates fresh elements and makes extensive use of everyday language and slang, transforming elegant words into colloquial ones, making it accessible to the general public.

Brother Liu's turbulent official career and rich life experience in the city allow him to better understand and sympathize with the working people of the lower classes.

The lyrics possess a strong urban literary flavor, particularly appealing to ordinary lower-class citizens. Zi'an greatly admired Brother Liu's talent.

Therefore, I have taken the liberty of inviting Brother Liu to this gathering. Today, I am honored to have the opportunity to see you, a leading figure in the literary world, in person, and I am deeply moved.

"Since I cannot drink alcohol, I can only offer you a cup of tea instead!" After calming down from his initial nervousness and excitement, he addressed Liu Yong...

He spoke eloquently. Liu Yong looked at me with slight confusion: "Brother Zian, why do you say that? Although Sanbian is confident in his literary talent, he cannot be called a master!"

"No, no! Firstly, in terms of form, Brother Liu has created a large number of slow-paced lyrics, and has changed the short structure of the short lyrics, using a hundred different tunes."

There were as many as fifty, and most of them were new tunes that were unprecedented, either modified from old melodies or created by themselves, changing the dominance of short lyrics in the world of ci poetry.

Secondly, in terms of content, Brother Liu chose courtesans, considered the lowest and most despised figures in society, as the female protagonist.

The positive portrayal showcases a progressive and courageous view of love held by women, changing the traditional image of courtesans in the Huajian Ci poetry—vulgar, erotic, and willingly subservient.

The portrayal of these characters as playthings, depicting them as talented, thoughtful, and genuinely affectionate figures, is a groundbreaking innovation in the history of ci poetry; thirdly,

In art, elegance and popular culture coexist. Brother Liu writes both popular and elegant lyrics, sometimes combining the two in a single poem, breaking away from the traditional solemnity of poetry and the charm of lyrics.

With his talent, he depicted a series of beautiful, vivid, and evocative paintings that blended emotion and scenery, leaving a lasting impression; fourthly, language...

In plain language, Brother Liu was the first scholar-official to create lyrics for ordinary people, whose writing subjects were mostly of low cultural level.

For ordinary people, no matter how beautiful or moving the author's words are, it's all in vain if they can't understand them. The lyrics must be easy for courtesans to understand.

The lyrics and singing style should also be easy for ordinary people to understand, so Brother Liu's lyrics are colloquial, simple, vivid, easy to accept, and conversational.

The tendency towards cultural influence is precisely based on these characteristics, which is why it is loved by the general public; fifthly, Brother Liu's poems are poignant and tender, expressing the emotions of young lovers.

Long, yet not decadent; its diction and imagery are refined and unrestrained, so much so that "whenever the musicians of the Imperial Music Academy acquired a new tune, they would demand that Yong write the lyrics before it was performed."

While retaining the style of the Huajian school of poetry, he also stands out with his own unique and innovative approach. Therefore, based on the above five points, Zian believes that Brother Liu is destined for fame.

"A truly remarkable figure, destined for posterity!" This is my conclusion after studying Liu Yong's works. "Brother Zian does seem to have some understanding of Sanbian, but achieving lasting fame is beyond my reach. Sanbian has yet to attain the highest rank, and is still regarded by the literati..."

"Disgusting, but since Brother Zian thinks so highly of Sanbian, Sanbian will toast you three cups!" He then raised his cup and drank three large cups in succession. He was indeed someone who frequented brothels.

Wow, your alcohol tolerance is truly extraordinary. It's unimaginable that people 1000 years from now would actually be standing before you. What I'm saying is how posterity will evaluate you. So I thought...

Liao thought for a moment, "Brother Liu, every dynasty has its own different literary themes, just like the Chu Ci, which was created by the great poet Qu Yuan of the Warring States period."

It is a poetic form created using the literary style and dialect of the Chu region to narrate the mountains, rivers, people, history, and customs of Chu, possessing a strong [characteristic/characteristic].

Local characteristics; Han fu (a type of classical Chinese prose-poetry) is representative of Han Dynasty literature and was the most popular literary form during the Han Dynasty. For over 400 years during the Han Dynasty, most scholars devoted themselves to it.

This style of writing flourished for a time; Tang poetry goes without saying, and the literary genre of the Song Dynasty was the ci (a type of lyric poetry). Brother Liu used the most simple...

Su's words vividly depict the truest emotions of life. Anything genuine can move people; Brother Liu is a perfect example of how Song lyrics and Tang poetry can be combined.

Together they are hailed as the founders of the twin pillars of the literary world! After hearing my words, Liu Yong was slightly shaken, but quickly recovered, laughing with boundless pride: "People leave their names behind, geese leave their calls; if truly..."

As Brother Zian said, that would be the best outcome. Even if it's not possible, having Brother Zian as a lifelong confidant is truly gratifying!

Liu Yong's poems often express his disdain for fame and fortune and his arrogance towards high-ranking officials. Indeed, as the books say, he merely used his poems to vent his inner resentment and disappointment.

Despite his ambition, he still longed for fame and officialdom, since "excelling in learning leads to officialdom" was the only life value pursued by ancient Chinese literati.

"Just don't dress like a man anymore, Miss." "How did you know I'm a woman?" I asked foolishly. Liu Yong laughed loudly, "People call me 'Three Changes,' if I couldn't even tell a beautiful woman like you from being a woman, how could I live up to the name 'Three Changes'?"

For over a decade, you've been surrounded by flowers! Although you wear men's clothing, your every move exudes femininity. However, in Sanbian's eyes, you are...

That Zian brother who only discussed lyrics and music with me, judging from the young lady's clothes, manners, and speech, must be from a wealthy family. I'm unlikely to meet him again.

"Given this opportunity, I'd like to offer Miss Sanbian another toast, thank you for your appreciation!" Perhaps it was because of my blatant flattery, or perhaps my sincerity struck him, but gradually Liu Yong became more talkative, and we...

They discussed the shortcomings of his short poem, his feelings when writing the lyrics, and his disappointment when he failed the exam. They had a very pleasant conversation.

Even after I bid farewell to Liu Yong and returned to the Liu family home, I still felt dizzy and lightheaded, clutching the calligraphy Liu Yong had given me, which he had personally inscribed.

"Butterfly Loves Flowers" is an authentic work by Liu Yong, a true masterpiece! I stand leaning against the high tower, the wind is gentle, gazing into the distance, spring sorrow rises darkly on the horizon. Amidst the fading sunlight and the hues of grass and smoke, who can understand the unspoken thoughts of one leaning on the railing?

I intended to indulge in unrestrained revelry and get drunk, singing and drinking, but forced joy was tasteless. Though my clothes grow looser, I have no regrets; for her sake, I've grown thin and haggard.

When I finally asked him to write a poem for me, he readily agreed. As he wielded his brush, I truly felt the power of his calligraphy.

The literary giant's carefree, unrestrained, and unconventional demeanor added considerable charm to his ordinary appearance. He also insisted on not accepting a single penny, saying that one should have at least one [unclear - possibly a title or phrase].

A true friend is more satisfying than a fortune; is this the integrity of ancient scholars? You probably won't see that in today's money-driven society!