Fu (poetry)
Encyclopedia
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 (such as the ci
and the sanqu
), and with various more explicitly prosaic forms of literature.
During the Han Dynasty, the Chu Ci
-type of lyrics evolved into fu. It is a type of prose-poem with introductory, concluding, or other interspersed passages that are in prose, typically in the form of questions and answers. The fu is usually called rhapsody
in English, but has also been called "rhyme-prose," "exposition," and sometimes "poetical essay."
A Han fu is typically very long, describes a subject exhaustively from every possible angle, and is usually meant to display the poet's rhetorical and lexical skill rather than express personal feeling. Since it is meant to impress and display, the Han fu is termed the "epideictic fu." One of the most well-known Han fu is Sima Xiangru
's Tianzi Youlie Fu (天子遊獵賦 "Rhapsody on the Son of Heaven on a Leisurely Hunt"). The philosopher Yang Xiong
, historian Ban Gu
, and astronomer Zhang Heng
also wrote important rhapsodies during Han.
During the Six Dynasties
, fu remained a major poetic genre
, and together with shi
formed the twin generic pillars of Chinese poetry until shi began to dominate in the Tang dynasty
.
The typical Six Dynasties fu is very different than those of the Han, being much shorter, and often personal, expressive, and lyrical. Many have no prose appendages, consisting entirely of rhymed verse in regular, usually hexametric, metre. A fine early example of this "short lyrical fu" (shuqing xiao fu 抒情小賦) is Xi Kang
's Qin Fu (琴賦) "Rhapsody on the Zither). Another representative work of this kind is Yu Xin's Ai Jiangnan Fu (哀江南賦 "Rhapsody in Lament of the South").
Rhymed prose
Rhymed prose is a literary form and literary genre, written in unmetrical rhymes. This form has been known in many different cultures. In some cases the rhymed prose is a distinctive, well-defined style of writing...
, or poetry style essay, popular in ancient China, especially during the Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
. The term fu is often used in a multiway contrast with the more purely poetic shi
Shi (poetry)
Shi is the Chinese word for "poetry" or "poem", anciently associated with Chinese poetry. In modern times, shi can and has been used as an umbrella term to mean poetry in any form or language, whether or not Chinese; but, it may imply or be used to refer certain classical forms of poetry, for...
style, with the fixed-rhythm forms of poetry (such as the ci
Ci (poetry)
Ci is a kind of lyric Classical Chinese poetry using a poetic meter based upon certain patterns of fixed-rhythm formal types. For speakers of English, the word "ci" is pronounced somewhat like "tsuh"...
and the sanqu
Sanqu
Sanqu was a type of verse, compiled by Zhou Deqing , popular in the Yuan Dynasty, Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty, with tonal patterns modeled on tunes drawn from folk music.-Yuan Dynasty Sanqu:...
), and with various more explicitly prosaic forms of literature.
During the Han Dynasty, 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...
-type of lyrics evolved into fu. It is a type of prose-poem with introductory, concluding, or other interspersed passages that are in prose, typically in the form of questions and answers. The fu is usually called rhapsody
Epic poetry
An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...
in English, but has also been called "rhyme-prose," "exposition," and sometimes "poetical essay."
A Han fu is typically very long, describes a subject exhaustively from every possible angle, and is usually meant to display the poet's rhetorical and lexical skill rather than express personal feeling. Since it is meant to impress and display, the Han fu is termed the "epideictic fu." One of the most well-known Han fu is Sima Xiangru
Sima Xiangru
Sima Xiangru, also known as Ssu-ma Hsiang-ju was a Chinese writer. He was a minor official of the Western Han Dynasty, but was better known for his poetic skills, jiu business, and controversial marriage to the widow Zhuo Wenjun after both eloped...
's Tianzi Youlie Fu (天子遊獵賦 "Rhapsody on the Son of Heaven on a Leisurely Hunt"). The philosopher Yang Xiong
Yang Xiong
Yang Xiong is a fictional character in the Water Margin, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. He ranks 32nd of the 36 Heavenly Spirits of the 108 Liangshan heroes and is nicknamed "Sick Guan Suo".-Background:...
, historian 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...
, and astronomer Zhang Heng
Zhang Heng
Zhang Heng was a Chinese astronomer, mathematician, inventor, geographer, cartographer, artist, poet, statesman, and literary scholar from Nanyang, Henan. He lived during the Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He was educated in the capital cities of Luoyang and Chang'an, and began his career as a...
also wrote important rhapsodies during Han.
During the Six Dynasties
Six Dynasties
Six Dynasties is a collective noun for six Chinese dynasties during the periods of the Three Kingdoms , Jin Dynasty , and Southern and Northern Dynasties ....
, fu remained a major poetic genre
Six Dynasties poetry
Six dynasties poetry refers to those types or styles of poetry particularly associated with the Six dynasties era of China . This poetry reflects one of the poetry world's more important flowerings, as well as being a unique period in Classical Chinese poetry' which, over this time period,...
, and together with shi
Shi (poetry)
Shi is the Chinese word for "poetry" or "poem", anciently associated with Chinese poetry. In modern times, shi can and has been used as an umbrella term to mean poetry in any form or language, whether or not Chinese; but, it may imply or be used to refer certain classical forms of poetry, for...
formed the twin generic pillars of Chinese poetry until shi began to dominate in the Tang dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
.
The typical Six Dynasties fu is very different than those of the Han, being much shorter, and often personal, expressive, and lyrical. Many have no prose appendages, consisting entirely of rhymed verse in regular, usually hexametric, metre. A fine early example of this "short lyrical fu" (shuqing xiao fu 抒情小賦) is Xi Kang
Xi Kang
Ji Kang was a Chinese author, poet, Taoist philosopher, musician and alchemist. He was one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove.-Biography:As a thinker, Ji Kang Ji Kang(223–262) was a Chinese author, poet, Taoist philosopher, musician and alchemist. He was one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo...
's Qin Fu (琴賦) "Rhapsody on the Zither). Another representative work of this kind is Yu Xin's Ai Jiangnan Fu (哀江南賦 "Rhapsody in Lament of the South").
See also
- Ban GuBan GuBan 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...
- Chuci
- Classical Chinese poetry formsClassical Chinese poetry formsthumb|right|350px|Poet on a Mountaintop by [[Shen Zhou]], about 1500 CE .Classical Chinese poetry forms are those poetry forms, or modes, which typify the traditional Chinese poems written in Literary or Classical Chinese...
- Han poetryHan poetryHan poetry refers to those types or styles of poetry particularly associated with the Han Dynasty era of China. This poetry reflects one of the poetry world's more important flowerings, as well as being a special period in Classical Chinese poetry, particularly in regard to a new style of shi...
- Qu YuanQu YuanQu 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...
- Sima XiangruSima XiangruSima Xiangru, also known as Ssu-ma Hsiang-ju was a Chinese writer. He was a minor official of the Western Han Dynasty, but was better known for his poetic skills, jiu business, and controversial marriage to the widow Zhuo Wenjun after both eloped...
- Society and culture of the Han Dynasty#Poetry and rhapsodies
- Yu Xin (poet)
- Zhang HengZhang HengZhang Heng was a Chinese astronomer, mathematician, inventor, geographer, cartographer, artist, poet, statesman, and literary scholar from Nanyang, Henan. He lived during the Eastern Han Dynasty of China. He was educated in the capital cities of Luoyang and Chang'an, and began his career as a...
, and also his Return to the Field