The rulers of the Yuan Dynasty did not attach importance to culture, but why did Yuan Qu achieve such high achievements?

There are complicated reasons for the rise and development of Yuanqu. First of all, the social reality of the first generation is the foundation of the rise of Yuanqu. The vast territory of Yuan Dynasty, prosperous urban economy, grand theater, active book club and all-weather audience laid the foundation for the rise of Yuan Qu. Secondly, the exchange and integration of the cultures of all ethnic groups in the Yuan Dynasty promoted the formation of Yuan Qu. Thirdly, Yuanqu is the inherent law of poetry itself and the inevitable result of the inheritance and development of literary tradition.

The development of Yuanqu can be divided into three periods. Early stage: from the establishment of the Yuan Dynasty to the demise of the Southern Song Dynasty. During this period, Yuanqu has just entered the poetry world from folk slang, with distinctive characteristics of popularization and colloquialism, bold and straightforward, simple and natural. Most of the authors are northerners, among whom Guan Hanqing, Ma Zhiyuan, Wang Shifu, Wang Xiaojun, Bai Pu and others have the highest achievements. Such as Guan's zaju depicts the world with beautiful songs, changeable styles, lively and profound poems and crystal-clear and beautiful brushstrokes, and its collections are gorgeous and bitter.

Ma Zhiyuan's creation has a wide range of themes, lofty artistic conception, vivid images, beautiful language and harmonious phonology. He is known as the first master of Yuan Sanqu, "the first person of Qu Yuan" and "the father of Qiu Si". The last period: from Yuan Chengzong to mindfulness, to the end of Yuan Dynasty. At this time, Sanqu writers were specialized in composing music. They pay attention to metrical words, deliberately seek work in art, and advocate gracefulness, exquisiteness, elegance and beauty. Representative writers are Zhang, Xu Zaisi and so on.

In a word, Yuanqu, as a "literature of one generation", has rich and diverse themes, broad creative vision, vivid life, full and touching characters, and easy-to-understand language, which is an indispensable and valuable heritage in China's ancient cultural treasure house. The rise of Yuanqu has a far-reaching influence and outstanding contribution to the development of China's national poetry and cultural prosperity. As soon as Yuanqu appeared, just like other artistic flowers, it immediately showed great vitality. It is not only a convenient tool for literati to express their feelings, but also provides a brand-new art form to reflect the social life of the Yuan Dynasty.