which historical figure do you think of when someone says pipa? of course.

and so i thought i'd upload zhaojun yuan. there su-lin do you think these lyrics are overwrought?

you'd never have guessed it was written this century for its subject matter, highly literarydiction, and especially the tune - an imitative reorchestration of an authentic ancient melody, the arrangement for chinese traditional orchestra, and of course her studied imitation of cantonese folk operatic singing style - all contribute to the convincing illusion of historicity. if you're unused to it, be patient and listen to it a few times. it is an impressive performance and grows on you.

also for those interested in a summary of the features of song poetry and a discussion of themes, motifs and contexts here're some notes i found on a page from a taiwanese high school's literature department. aick! i wish i were studying chinese literature again.