The Tragedy of Qu Yuan

 

1. Qu Yuan was slandered by his enemies at court and fell out of favor with the king. At this time he probably wrote his "Encountering Sorrow."
2. Qin wished to attack Qi. Zhang Yi persuaded Chu to break with the Vertical Alliance by offering 600 li of territory.
3. Chu agreed, but when his ambassador traveled to Qin to receive the 600 li, Zhang Yi claimed that he had promised 6 li.
4. Chu was furious and engaged Qin at Han-zhong and was badly defeated. Another battle was fought at Lan-tian. Qi refused to help Chu as smaller states began to encroach on north and east.
5. Qin offered to make peace by returning some of the captured territory, but the Chu king wanted only to take revenge on Zhang Yi.
6. Zhang Yi volunteered to travel to Chu, and his persuasion again fooled the king. (See Zhanguo Ce #11, p. 61).
7. The King of Qin asked for a conference with the King of Chu. Chu was prepared to go to Qin but Qu Yuan advised against it. Prince Zi Lan (v. 313, p. 117) urged his father to go, which convinced him. On the way to Qin he was ambushed, and he died later in prison.
8. Zi Lan ascended the throne as King of Chu and banished Qu Yuan to the south.

 

 

The Nine Songs as Religious Pageant

 

I. CONTENT
A. Characters
1. Shaman or Shamaness
2. God or Goddess
3. Orchestra, choir, and dancers
B. Setting
1. Dragon boats on lakes and rivers
2. Dragon chariots on clouds
3. Horseback on land
C. Imagery
1. Nature: Flowers
2. Supernatural: Flight
II. FORM

A. Plot: Quest of the Goddess

1. Shaman invokes the goddess
2. The goddess descends; the shaman goes to meet her
3. Break in rhythm; the meeting is over
4. Shaman wanders forlorn

B. Ritual Action

1. Shaman's objective description of the ritual action
2. Subjective interaction between goddess and shaman