Yu Xuanji
Encyclopedia
Yu Xuanji courtesy names Youwei and Huìlan , was a Late Tang Dynasty Chinese poet
, from in Chang'an
. Her family name, Yu, is relatively rare. Her given name, Xuanji, means something like "Profound Theory" or "Mysterious Principle," and is a technical term in Daoism and Buddhism. "Yòuwēi" means something like "Young and Tiny;" and, Huìlán refers to a species of fragrant orchid. She is distinctive for the quality of her poems, including many written in what seems to be a remarkably frank and direct autobiographical style; that is, using her own voice rather than speaking through a persona
. She is of interest in feminist studies as one of relatively few early female Chinese poets, at least whose works have been preserved.
, which was not only the capital of the Tang Empire, and an important terminus of the Silk Road
, but also one of the most sophisticated cities of its time. Yu was married as a concubine, or lesser wife, to an official named Li Yi at 16, and after separating three years later she became a courtesan and a Daoist nun. She was a fellow of Wen Tingyun, to whom she addressed a number of poems. She died early, at the age of 26 to 28. Apart from names and dates in her poems, the tabloid-style Little Tablet from the Three Rivers, (三水小牘), gives the only purported facts about her life, although these are salacious in detail: that she had an affair with Wen Tingyun
, lived a scandalously promiscuous life, and was executed for allegedly beating her maid to death.
mainly for their freak value in an anthology that also included poems from ghosts and foreigners.
.
Tang poetry
Tang poetry refers to poetry written in or around the time of and in the characteristic style of China's Tang dynasty, and/or follows a certain style, often considered as the Golden Age of Chinese poetry...
, from in Chang'an
Chang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
. Her family name, Yu, is relatively rare. Her given name, Xuanji, means something like "Profound Theory" or "Mysterious Principle," and is a technical term in Daoism and Buddhism. "Yòuwēi" means something like "Young and Tiny;" and, Huìlán refers to a species of fragrant orchid. She is distinctive for the quality of her poems, including many written in what seems to be a remarkably frank and direct autobiographical style; that is, using her own voice rather than speaking through a persona
Persona
A persona, in the word's everyday usage, is a social role or a character played by an actor. The word is derived from Latin, where it originally referred to a theatrical mask. The Latin word probably derived from the Etruscan word "phersu", with the same meaning, and that from the Greek πρόσωπον...
. She is of interest in feminist studies as one of relatively few early female Chinese poets, at least whose works have been preserved.
Biography
Little trustworthy information is known about the relatively short life of Yu Xuanji. She was born or grew up in Chang'anChang'an
Chang'an is an ancient capital of more than ten dynasties in Chinese history, today known as Xi'an. Chang'an literally means "Perpetual Peace" in Classical Chinese. During the short-lived Xin Dynasty, the city was renamed "Constant Peace" ; yet after its fall in AD 23, the old name was restored...
, which was not only the capital of the Tang Empire, and an important terminus of the Silk Road
Silk Road
The Silk Road or Silk Route refers to a historical network of interlinking trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa...
, but also one of the most sophisticated cities of its time. Yu was married as a concubine, or lesser wife, to an official named Li Yi at 16, and after separating three years later she became a courtesan and a Daoist nun. She was a fellow of Wen Tingyun, to whom she addressed a number of poems. She died early, at the age of 26 to 28. Apart from names and dates in her poems, the tabloid-style Little Tablet from the Three Rivers, (三水小牘), gives the only purported facts about her life, although these are salacious in detail: that she had an affair with Wen Tingyun
Wen Tingyun
Wen Tingyun born as Wen Qi , styled Feiqing was an important Chinese lyricist of the late Tang Dynasty. He helped establish the Ci in chinese poetry.He was born in Qin, Shanxi province, China.Yu Xuanji was among his followers....
, lived a scandalously promiscuous life, and was executed for allegedly beating her maid to death.
Poetry
Yu Xuanji was a late Tang dynasty poet. In her lifetime, her poems were published as a collection called Fragments of a Northern Dreamland, which has been lost. The forty-nine surviving poems were collected in the Song DynastySong Dynasty
The Song Dynasty was a ruling dynasty in China between 960 and 1279; it succeeded the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, and was followed by the Yuan Dynasty. It was the first government in world history to issue banknotes or paper money, and the first Chinese government to establish a...
mainly for their freak value in an anthology that also included poems from ghosts and foreigners.
English translations
Published in 1998, her work was translated by the team of David Young and Jiann I. Lin. In the 2000s, her work was translated by Stephen Owen and Justin HillJustin Hill
Justin Hill is an English novelist whose novels have been nominated for the Man Booker Prize three times. Born in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island in 1971, he grew up in Yorkshire. He was educated at the historic St Peter's School, York....
.
External links
- The Clouds Float North David Young's Translation of her poems (link no longer works, but click for more information)
- Passing Under Heaven Novel by Justin Hill, inspired by her life