Music Information In Tao Zongyi's Records Compiled After Returning From The Farm And A Preliminary Discussion Of Yuan Dynasty Literati Musical Life

Records Compiled after Returning from the Farm《南村辍耕录》(below abbreviated to Records) is a Yuan dynasty book of great literary importance and historical value. It contains many precious references to music which have been broadly quoted by scholars such Wang Guowei and Yang Yinliu, as well as by many art historians. Thus, it is a major source for the study of Yuan dynasty music. The aim of this dissertation is to select and organize music related material present in Records and through a deep analysis catch a glimpse of musical developments during the Yuan Dynasty. Moreover, by discussing the documentary value of Records for music history, the present dissertation attempts to draw scholarly attention on this ancient literary source.In the first chapter of this dissertation, the life and works of Tao Zongyi, author of the Records, and the significance of the historical data contained in his book are discussed. Tao Zongyi lived in the period between the end of the Yuan and the beginning of the Ming dynasties. He dedicated his life to writing and teaching. A humble person with an encyclopedic knowledge, he was a very meticulous scholar whose achievements gained him general respect. Records - one of his most representative works - is a widely consulted source; its content touches upon several aspects of social life, including politics, economics and culture. It can rightly be called a mini encyclopedia. The second chapter provides an orderly presentation of the musical information contained in Records. Such information is classified into songs, operatic music, musical instruments, repertory, temperament, female musicians and literati. Each category is discussed in detail and shows a picture of Yuan dynasty music characterized by the combination of a plurality of ethnic elements - a significant link in the chain of music history. Tao Zongyi's accounts reflect his role as historian and confer to Records great documentary value. In an effort to recreate the scenes of musical life among Yuan dynasty literati, the third chapter reviews systematically all mentions of musical activities documented in Records and enriches them with information from other related sources. Records enlarges our appreciation of Yuan dynasty musical life by offering a more tangible and comprehensive description of the music in that age.