Ma Zhiyuan

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Ma Zhiyuan (ca. 1260—1325), courtesy name Dongli (东篱), was a Chinese poet and celebrated playwright, a native of Tadu 大都 Beijing during the Yuan Dynasty.

Among his achievements is the development and popularizing of the new sanqu lyric form of poetry. Only seven of his plays survive, three of which have been translated into English: 'Hangong Qiu' 漢宮秋 "Autumn in the Han Palace", 'Huangliang meng' 黃梁夢 "The Yellow Millet Dream," 'Qingshan Lei' 青衫淚管 "Tears on the Blue Gown." The 'Qiusi' 秋思 "Autumn thoughts" is representative of his sanqu 散曲poetry, and the best known among them.

    For a study of the man and his works see Barbara Kwan Jackson's unpublished Ph. D. dissertation titled "The Yuan Dynasty Playwright Ma Chih-yuan and His Dramatic Works," University of Arizona, 1983.

Works

A San-qu 散曲 poem, composed to the metric pattern "Tianjingsha"

• 天净沙 entitled "Autumn Thoughts" Qiusi 秋思

枯藤老树昏鸦。 A Withered vine, an ancient tree, crows at dusk

小桥流水人家。 A Little bridge, a flowing stream, some huts

古道西风瘦马。 An old road, wind out of the west, an emaciated horse

夕阳西下，断肠人在天涯。A heart-broken man on the horizon at sunset.

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Last updated on Tuesday March 04, 2008 at 22:29:49 PST (GMT -0800)
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