“花间”物件研究 = The objects in the Huajian Ji

Abstract

The Huajian ji is an anthology of song lyrics complied in the year 940, containing 500 lyrics by eighteen poets, most of whom lived in the state of Shu (present Sichuan). Although produced much later than the ci anthology Yunyao ji, which was rediscovered in Dunhuang in the Qing Dynasty, in the history of the ci genre , the Huajian ji has long been regarded as the first ci collection produced by literati. In most of the Huajian ji song lyrics, the major topic is romantic love between men and women. The most common depiction of the romance revolves around a silent, abandoned, and sorrowful woman in her boudoir. There are also many objects and things related to women in the anthology--such as cosmetics and furniture in the female boudoir, jewelry and different sorts of adornments used by women. All these objects are very delicate. But what is the function of these objects in a lyric? This is the question which interests me much. In my study, I intend to focus on the objects in the Huajian ji, attempting to explain the literary functions of these objects in lyrics and how they help fashion the aesthetic styles of individual lyricists.