Poems of Ethnic Minorities in the Liao, Jin and Yuan

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In the Liao dynasty, emerged a scene of the scholars, literature and literary styles of Han people and Qidan coexisted. The early Liao witnessed some outstanding poets, among whom the most well-known was Yelu Bei, who was later elected to be the top scholar in the Liao. In the middle of Liao, Xiao Guanyin, queen of Emperor of Daozhong, was also famous among many other excellent concubine writers. Her achievement was not in any way inferior to that of Han, for her well-developed characters, rich contents, skilled anecdotes.

The early years of Jin witnessed few outstanding poets, almost no one could really integrate the style of central plains and the style of Nuzhen. Only Wan Wanyan Liang, the 4th emperor realized it. In the middle of Jin, the economic prosperity and social stability propelled the all-round development of literature, in poetry, ci, and singing.

In the last yeas of Jin, nation was becoming weak, with an omen of fall, which complicated the mentality of writers. Delicate dictions and sentences were replacedgradually by the realistic style which focued on the suffering of common people. At this time a literary giant Yuan Haowen (1190-1257) appeared. He wrote many excellent works reflecting the real life of people either in an excited and dignified tones, or a cold and desolated style, or a lively delicacy. Differing from Song poems, his works present a vivid Jin society in a real multi-dimension.

In the Liao dynasty, emerged a scene of the scholars, literature and literary styles of Han people and Qidan coexisted. The early Liao witnessed some outstanding poets, among whom the most well-known was Yeli Bei, who was later elected to be the top scholar in the Liao. In the middle of Liao, Xiao Guanyin, queen of Emperor of Daozhong, was also famous among many other excellent concubine writers. Her achievement was not in any way inferior to that of Han, for her well-developed characters, rich contents, skilled anecdotes.