Northern Dynasties folk songs are works created by northern literati during the Northern and Southern Dynasties. They are rich in content, simple in language, and rough and heroic in style. They are mainly included in the "Collection of Yuefu Poems", and more than 60 of them are extant today.
The main contents of the folk songs of the Northern Dynasties include some reflecting the war and the martial spirit of the northern people, some reflecting the people's suffering, some reflecting marriage and love life, and some describing the unique scenery of the north. It is rich in content, simple in language, and bold in style. Its form is mainly five-character and four-sentence, and also has seven-character and four-sentence Qi Jue style, seven-character ancient style, and miscellaneous style. It had a great influence on the development of poetry in the Tang Dynasty. Folk songs of the Northern Dynasties are mainly included in the "Collection of Yuefu Poems", and more than 60 of them exist today. Among them, "Mulan Poems" and "Chile Song" are the most famous.
Simple, rough, heroic and majestic, are the most prominent features of folk songs in the Northern Dynasties. This is directly related to the geographical environment, folk culture and lifestyle of the north. People living in the north see far away places and long for the vast world. Over time, a rough and heroic character is formed.
Secondly, most of the folk songs of the Northern Dynasties came from the ethnic minorities at that time. They originally lived as nomads and their social structure was militarized. Nomadic life is not as stable as agricultural production, which is as orderly and as hard as you can reap, but is full of changes and risks. There are few trappings of cultural etiquette among the tribes, and whoever has the strength conquers them. The harsh struggle with nature and enemies has created a strong temperament among the people. They will not like the gentle and lingering songs of southerners.
Here is the most famous "Cele Song":
Chile was a minority tribe in the north at that time. According to research by some scholars, Chilechuan is located near present-day Hohhot in Inner Mongolia. The song sings about the vast, chaotic scene of the northern prairie, expressing a broad mind and heroic feelings. The latter depicts the prosperity of water, grass and livestock, capturing the characteristics, with large strokes like rafters, and fully reflecting people's pride in nature. According to "Yuefu Guangti", Gao Huan of the Eastern Wei Dynasty attacked the Jade Bi of the Western Wei Dynasty. The army was defeated and morale was depressed. Gao Huan ordered the general of the Chile tribe Hu Lujin to sing this song in front of the nobles to calm the morale of the army. It can be inferred that its music It must also be powerful.
Three Talents in the North: From the Wei Dynasty to the Northern Qi Dynasty, several more orthodox poetry writers appeared in the Northern Dynasty. They imitated the poetry creation of the Southern Dynasty. Although the level was limited and difficult to compare with the Southern Dynasty, it marked the Northern Dynasty. Literature began to recover, which also took the first step towards the integration of northern and southern literature. The more famous among them are Wen Zisheng, Xing Shao and Wei Shou. Known as the Three Talents of the North.
Wen Zisheng, also known as Pengju, achieved the highest achievements in the Northern Wei Dynasty. He had both the simplicity and simplicity of the north and the elegance and elegance of the south. Xing Shao, whose courtesy name was Zicai, came from Wei to Qi. He was generous and sad, with the style of Wei and Jin.
Wei Shou, courtesy name Boqi, mostly imitated the works of the Southern Dynasties, with occasional northern characteristics
Daoyi
Wen Zisheng
Qixi Festival Poems
Xing Shao; Southern and Northern Dynasties
Chuo Gexing
Wei Shou