Identity Negotiation and Variant Forms of Lyrics and Qu: The Transformation of Lyrics and Qu of JIANG Shunyi, a Literatus in Late Qing Dynasty

The lyrics and qu (yuan drama) composed by JIANG Shunyi, a literatus in late Qing dynasty, exhibit distinct creative characteristics. In terms of emotional content, JIANG’s lyrics express sorrow in a tortuous manner, while his qu convey a passionate pain. The composition reflects a multifaceted identity of the talented scholar versus the impoverished official. In terms of artistic realm, his lyrics convey profound and remote sentiments, while his qu are straightforward and vivid, embodying the different aesthetic demands of official and popular culture. Behind this stylistic divergence lies JIANG’s understanding of the inherited and transformed literary genres of lyrics and qu. JIANG contents that lyrics can alter one’s disposition, and qu can record history. His differentiation of lyrics and qu represents a reflection and breakthrough concerning the discourse on qu on par with lyrics during the Qing dynasty. By examining the differences in his composition of lyrics and qu from the perspective of identity negotiation, we can gain insights into the continuity and change in late Qing literati’s genres.