Xiaoxiang (traditional Chinese: 瀟湘; simplified Chinese: 潇湘; pinyin: Xiāo Xiāng), also transliterated XiaoXiang, Hsiao Hsiang, and Chiu Chiang, in some older sources, refers to the "lakes and rivers" region in south-central China south of the middle-reaches of the Yangtze River and corresponding, more or less, with Hunan province. Xiaoxiang is less a precise geographic entity than a concept. Xiaoxiang is used in the genre of Xiaoxiang poetry of Classical Chinese poetry and in literature for symbolic purposes, in part because this was a significant area, which at least through the Song dynastic era China was still considered a wild place full of malaria, barbarians, and wild beasts. Indeed, for much of early Chinese history, this area belonged not to China, but to the independent state of Chu. Beginning at least with Qu Yuan, in the third century BCE, this region came to symbolically represent the unjust exile of a talented minister or government official by an unappreciative king or emperor.
Map showing various lakes and rivers in the Xiaoxiang region, including the Xiao and Xiang Rivers
The following quote succinctly describes the authors who helped shape the literary image of the Xiaoxiang and their feelings in that regard:
With few exceptions, their compositions adopted the literary trope of the south as a place of unjust exile, and the XiaoXiang literary paradigm came to be permeated with the themes of separation and accusations that the sovereigns were listening to the wrong men. Even the name XiaoXiang has a melancholy ring.
The name Xiaoxiang comes in part from the name of the Xiang River, which rises in the mountains of Guangxi and flows into Dongting Lake. There is a modern Xiao River, which is a tributary of the Xiang River, and joins it near present-day cities of Yongzhou and Changsha; however, the name Xiaoxiang predates the bestowing of that name on the Xiao River: originally the adjective xiao, meaning "clear and deep", was used to descriptively for the Xiang River.[2]
The Xiaoxiang region is the somewhat imaginative location of the various eponymous and highly symbolic Eight Views of Xiaoxiang series of eight paintings and/or poetry verses.
xiaoxiang, other, uses, disambiguation, traditional, chinese, 瀟湘, simplified, chinese, 潇湘, pinyin, xiāo, xiāng, also, transliterated, xiaoxiang, hsiao, hsiang, chiu, chiang, some, older, sources, refers, lakes, rivers, region, south, central, china, south, mid. For other uses see Xiaoxiang disambiguation Xiaoxiang traditional Chinese 瀟湘 simplified Chinese 潇湘 pinyin Xiao Xiang also transliterated XiaoXiang Hsiao Hsiang and Chiu Chiang in some older sources refers to the lakes and rivers region in south central China south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and corresponding more or less with Hunan province Xiaoxiang is less a precise geographic entity than a concept Xiaoxiang is used in the genre of Xiaoxiang poetry of Classical Chinese poetry and in literature for symbolic purposes in part because this was a significant area which at least through the Song dynastic era China was still considered a wild place full of malaria barbarians and wild beasts Indeed for much of early Chinese history this area belonged not to China but to the independent state of Chu Beginning at least with Qu Yuan in the third century BCE this region came to symbolically represent the unjust exile of a talented minister or government official by an unappreciative king or emperor Map showing various lakes and rivers in the Xiaoxiang region including the Xiao and Xiang RiversThe following quote succinctly describes the authors who helped shape the literary image of the Xiaoxiang and their feelings in that regard With few exceptions their compositions adopted the literary trope of the south as a place of unjust exile and the XiaoXiang literary paradigm came to be permeated with the themes of separation and accusations that the sovereigns were listening to the wrong men Even the name XiaoXiang has a melancholy ring Alfreda Murck 1 The name Xiaoxiang comes in part from the name of the Xiang River which rises in the mountains of Guangxi and flows into Dongting Lake There is a modern Xiao River which is a tributary of the Xiang River and joins it near present day cities of Yongzhou and Changsha however the name Xiaoxiang predates the bestowing of that name on the Xiao River originally the adjective xiao meaning clear and deep was used to descriptively for the Xiang River 2 The Xiaoxiang region is the somewhat imaginative location of the various eponymous and highly symbolic Eight Views of Xiaoxiang series of eight paintings and or poetry verses Contents 1 See also 2 References 2 1 Citations 2 2 SourcesSee also editCangwu County Changsha Chu state Chuci Classical Chinese poetry Dong Yuan Dongting Lake Eight Views of Xiaoxiang Hunan Miluo River Qu Yuan Shōnan Shun Chinese leader Spotted bamboo Xiang River Xiang River goddesses Xiao River Xiaoxiang poetry YongzhouReferences editCitations edit Murck 2000 p 6 Murck 2000 pp 6 7 Sources edit Cited sourcesMurck Alfreda 2000 Poetry and Painting in Song China The Subtle Art of Dissent Harvard Univ Asia Center ISBN 978 0 674 00782 6 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Xiaoxiang amp oldid 1184296292, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
