Quzao 曲藻

Quzao 曲藻 is a book on southern theatre (nanxi 南戲) written during the late Ming period 明 (1368-1644) by Wang Shizhen 王世貞 (1526-1590). He is famous for his "brush-notes"-style collections (biji 筆記) Fengzhou zabian 鳳洲雜編, Gubugu lu 觚不觚錄, Yiyuan zhiyan 藝苑卮言, Shaoyang congtan 少陽叢談 and Shixiaolu 識小錄, as well as the collections Yanshantang bieji 弇山堂别集 and Yanzhou Shanren sibu gao 弇州山人四部稿, the biographical collection Jiajing yilai shoufu zhuan 嘉靖以來首輔傳, the history book Ming yeshui hui 明野史彙, and a book on calligraphy and painting, Wangshi shuhua yuan 王氏書畫苑.

The Quzao, begun in 1558, was only finished in 1565. It was initially part of Wang's Sibugao Sibugao 四部稿 (part Yiyuan zhiyan), but was later extracted as a book of its own. Its theoretical part is also known as Ciping 詞評 "Song critique".

The Quzao records some of Wang Shizhen's theories on drama, along with brief evaluations of the works of certain playwrights. Regarding the development from ci 詞 (lyric-metre-style poetry) to qu 曲 "arias", Wang Shizhen held that qu were a transformation of ci. As for the transition from northern qu (beiqu 北曲) to southern qu (nanqu 南曲), Wang Shizhen believed that southern arias arose from northern arias. This view had considerable influence on later scholars such as Wang Jide 王驥德 (d. 1623), Shen Defu 沈德符 (1578-1642), Lü Tiancheng 呂天成 (1580-1618), and Zhang Qi 張琦, though it does not entirely align with historical facts.

Wang observed that the north emphasised strength, sharpness, and grandeur, while the south preferred clarity, delicacy, and elegance. Even when expressing innate talent, the aim was to harmonise with popular speech. The northern arias used many characters and a brisk tempo, with tension revealed in the rapid parts (bei zi duo er diao cu, cu chu xian jin 北字多而調促，促處見筋); southern arias used fewer words and a slower tempo, with expression visible in the leisurely parts (nan zi shao re diao huan, huan chu xian yan 南字少而調緩，緩處見眼). In the north, words conveyed abundant emotion, but tones conveyed little (ciqing duo er shengqing shao 辭情多而聲情少); in the south, words conveyed less, but tones conveyed more. The north relied on the strings (xian 弦), and the south on the percussion (ban 板). Northern arias were suitable for ensemble singing (he ge 和歌), southern arias for solo performance (du zou 獨奏); northern energy tended to be coarse, and southern energy delicate (bei qi yi cu, nan qi yi ruo 北氣易粗，南氣易弱).

In the creation and appreciation of drama, a work should harmonise talent (caiqing 才情) with effect. If a work cannot excel in both aspects, it should be evaluated comprehensively, weighing strengths and weaknesses rather than making partial judgments. Wang explained the principle of focusing on substance rather than superficial details.

Wang Shizhen slightly revised Zhou Deqing's 周德清 (1277-1365; author of Zhongyuan yinyun 中原音韻) "Ten methods of writing lyrics" (zuo ci shi fa 作詞十法) to create his own nine methods, namely "coining words" (zaoyu 造語), using events (yongshi 用事), choice of characters (yongzi 用字), Yin and Yang tones (yinyang 陰陽), attention to the opening line (wutou 務頭), parallelism (dui'ou 對偶), the final line (moju 末句), removing the rising tone (qushang 去上, see tones pitches in Chinese), and fixed tonal patterns (dingge 定格). These nine methods encompass two main aspects: phonology (e.g., choice of characters, removing the rising tone, Yin and Yang, fixed tonal patterns) and rhetoric (e.g., using events, parallelism, coining words).

Wang Shizhen also commented on the characteristics of musical modes, attributing, for instance, the xianlü 仙呂 mode should a fresh, ethereal, and flowing character, and the nanlü 南呂 sighs and sorrow (see pitch-pipes).

Wang's Quzao also records the authorship of many Yuan-period 元 (1279-1368) works. For example, Bei Xixiangji 北西廂記 was written by Wang Shifu 王實甫 (before 1260-c. 1336), Ma Danyang du Ren Fengzi 馬丹陽度任瘋子 by Ma Zhiyuan 馬致遠 (1255-1321), and Fan Zhang jishu 范張鷄黍 by Gong Dayong 宮大用 (Gong Tianting 宮天挺, c. 1260-c. 1330). The text also cites Hanxuzi's 涵虛子 (i.e., Zhu Quan 朱權, 1378-1448) record of 187 Yuan lyricists, divided into three ranks with accompanying evaluations. For instance, Ma Dongli 馬東籬 (1255-1321) is likened to "a phoenix singing at sunrise", Wang Shifu to "a beauty among flowers", and Guan Hanqing 關漢卿 (1241-1320) to a "guest drunk at a jade banquet".

The Quzao consists mainly of impromptu entries and lacks systematic organisation. However, because works on qu arias were still rare before the late Ming period and because of Wang Shizhen's reputation in literary criticism, the Quzao quickly became a celebrated work in artistic circles and is frequently cited by later commentators on drama.

The most important editions are the series Xinshang xubian 欣賞續編, Jinnang xiaoshi 錦囊小史, and the modern series Zhongguo gudian xiqu lunzhu jicheng 中國古典戲戲曲論著集成.