A Gējì or Geji[1] (Chinese: 歌妓、歌伎) is a female professional performer of song and dance in ancient China.[2]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/82/Court_Ladies_of_the_Former_Shu_by_Tang_Yin.jpg/220px-Court_Ladies_of_the_Former_Shu_by_Tang_Yin.jpg)
Part of a series on the |
Culture of China |
---|
![]() |
Mythology and folklore |
Cuisine |
Festivals |
Music and performing arts |
Like other entertainers in ancient China, Gejis had a low social status, but Gejis generally did not engage in prostitution. Their profession was that of entertainers and was not equivalent to sex workers.[3] In ancient Chinese, the word "Ji (妓)" can refer to both female art performers and female sex workers. The word "Ji (妓)" in Geji (歌妓) refers to female performers, not sex workers. The word "Ji (妓)" in Chinese only refers to women. In Chinese, the word "Ji (伎)" refers to both male[4] and female performers, but "Geji (歌伎)" only refers to women. In addition, "Ji (伎)" does not only refer to performers. The word "Ji (伎)" is also used as the word "Ji (技)", which refers to skills, talents, techniques, etc. It can also be used to refer to people in other fields. For example, "Fang Ji (方伎 or 方技)" refers to the old general term for practices such as medicine, divination, astrology, and fortune-telling.[5][6][7] Geji is also called a “Geji (歌姬, Pinyin: Gējī)”, a singing girl (歌女), or a “Geji (歌伎)”. In modern Chinese, the word "Ji (妓)" is often associated with sex trade, and the word "Geji (歌伎)" is also commonly used to avoid taboos.[8]
Gejis made certain contributions to ancient Chinese music, dance, poetry, painting and other arts and literature. Some Tang poetry and Song dynasty lyric poetry was also sung by Gejis. The Gejis sang the poems in the form of songs, which also played a role in the dissemination of ancient Chinese poems and lyrics.[9] [10]
Etymology
[edit]In ancient China, women who were engaged in sing and dance were called Geji. They were also called “Music Ji (乐妓)”,[11] “Vocal Ji (声妓)”,[12] “Song and dance Ji (歌舞妓)”,[13] and “Ge'er (歌儿)”.[14] The "Ou (讴)" in "OuZhe (讴者)" means sing, and "OuZhe (讴者)" means "the person who sings".[15] Among ancient Chinese sing and dance performers, women who are good at dance are called Wuji (舞妓),[16] also known as “Wuji (舞姬)”[17] or “Wuji (舞伎)”, dancing girls (舞女), means women who have been specially trained to perform sing and dance.[18] Female musicians (女乐) refer to the female singers and dancers who served the ruling class in ancient China, and are also known as “Song and dance Ji (歌舞妓)”.[19][20] In ancient China, famous Gejis and prostitutes were called "MingJi (名妓)", "MingJi" can be understood as famous courtesans and prostitutes. "MingJi" in Geji refers to famous Geji (歌妓) and Wuji (舞妓), not famous Chang Ji (娼妓).[21]“Jī(姬)” was an aristocratic surname in early ancient China and could be used to describe aristocratic women and princesses. Later, this word was used to express the honorific title for women. "Gējī(歌姬)" and "Wǔjī(舞姬)" are more respectful terms for female performers of song and dance.[22][23]
Music Ji (乐妓) refers specifically to female music performers, while Music Ji (乐伎) can refer to both male and female music performers. Jiyue (伎乐) is the music produced by playing musical instruments, which includes both musical instruments and performers.[24]
During the Han, Wei, and Six Dynasties, Chinese musicians developed on the basis of inheriting the ancient music and dance of the pre-Qin dynasty. People who engaged in various kinds of sing and dance were called “Ji'ren (伎人)”, “Yue'ren (乐人)”, “Wu'ren (舞人)”, “Geji”, “Wu'chang (舞倡)” etc. Some people are also called “Sanyue people (散乐人)”.[2]
The profession of a Geji is to perform song and dance, not to engage in sex work. Although sex workers (known as “Chang Ji (娼妓)”) could also perform song and dance, that was not their main profession. For example, the prostitutes in Pingkangfang (平康坊) red light district in the Tang dynasty and the Changsan (长三) prostitutes in the late Qing dynasty and Republic of China were high-class prostitutes.[25][26]
Geji is not Guanren (倌人), Guanren refers to the name for prostitutes in the Wu language area in the old days. Geji does not refer to Qing guanren (清倌人), Qing guanren started prostitution after menstruation and became a prostitute.[27] Gejis are not Shoumas (瘦马). Shoumas are young women who were specially trained to be concubines of wealthy businessmen during the Ming and Qing dynasties in China. They did not take acting as a profession. Some of the remaining Shoumas had to be sold as prostitutes, such as "YangBang (扬帮)" prostitutes are mostly from Shouma backgrounds.[28] Gejis are women who engaged in song and dance performances in ancient China, while Shouma (瘦马) are women who are specially trained to be sold as concubines. The concepts of the two are different.[29]
The literal meaning of "Sing-song girls" in English may seem to mean a singing girl or a literal translation of a singing girl (歌女), but in reality, it is not. According to Zhang Ailing, "Sing song girl" is a term derived from the Wu language, which also refers to high-end prostitutes as "sir". "Sir" can be a polite term for anyone, regardless of gender. In Wu's language, 'sir' is pronounced as 'Xisang', but the English and American people in Shanghai mistakenly thought it was' sing song', and prostitutes are required to sing at banquets, 'sing song girl' is named after it, not the translated name of a singing girl.[30] The profession of singing girls has existed since ancient times,they made a living by singing. In ancient times, they were called "Geji" and other names. However, the Chinese translate name "singing girl" did not appear until the late 1920s, that is, fourteen years after the Republic of China.[31]
The modern term "Yiji (艺妓)" is not used in ancient Chinese sources. The word "Yiji" in Chinese may have first appeared in "Qing Bai Lei Chao (清稗类钞)" by Xu Ke (徐珂), a late Qing dynasty writer, and it refers to a prostitute with some talent. Xu Ke called the high-level prostitute "Mabanzi (马班子)" is Yiji, who were high-class prostitutes engaged in prostitution.[32][33] Wang Xiyan (王西彦), a writer in the Republic of China, also used the word Yiji in his novel “The Ancient House (古屋)” to describe hetaira of ancient Greece.[34] In modern Chinese, the word Yiji refers to a woman who makes a living by singing and dancing. The corresponding use of the word Yiji (藝妓) may be seen in the alias of Yidan (藝旦) during the Japanese occupation period in Taiwan.[35] In "Rage in Coal City (煤城怒火)", writer Xiang Chun (向春) called Japanese geishas "Yiji".[36] In modern Chinese, the word Yiji no longer refers to prostitutes with some talent, but to women who make a living by singing and dancing. Generally, Japanese geisha (芸妓) is called Yiji (艺妓).[37] In addition, women who make a living by singing and dancing in ancient societies of other countries are also called Yiji in Chinese. For example, Korean Peninsula kisaeng,[38]South Asia Gaṇikā and tawaif,[39]Arab World qiyan.[40][41]
Terminology
[edit]There are some terms related to gejis that need to be explained and analyzed. These words have multiple meanings and change with the development of the times. The specific meaning of the words needs to be interpreted according to the context. Although some terms can refer to gejis and prostitutes together, they cannot be understood as having only one meaning of prostitution.
Qinglou(青楼)
Qinglou originally referred to a courtyard with blue bricks and green tiles, or a building painted with blue lacquer. The word Qinglou was also used to refer to the residence of an emperor or a noble family, such as the Xingguang Tower(兴光楼) of Emperor Wu of the Southern Qi Dynasty.[42]During the Han and Wei dynasties, many wealthy families painted their homes with blue lacquer to symbolize good luck and prosperity, and even emperors had a hobby of painting their buildings with blue lacquer.[43]In the Spring and Autumn Period in 645 BC, Guan Zhong, a senior minister of Qi State, established a "Nulv(女闾)" in the city, and as many as 700 women entered the brothel. The brothels opened by Guan Zhong(管仲) were called Nulv, Neilv(内闾) and Fulv(妇闾) at the time, not Qinglou.[44]The geji culture in ancient China originated from the court of the Xia Dynasty, and gradually spread from the court to the people. It did not originate from the prostitution system established by Guan Zhong.[45]The word qinglou was later used to refer to places for sing and dance. For example, in the "Yuefu Poetry Collection(乐府诗集)", qinglou refers to both attic courtyards with blue bricks and blue tiles and places for sing and dance.[46][47]During the Tang Dynasty, the word qinglou was mainly used to refer to places for sing and dance and brothels.[48][49] The poet Li Bai also called the residence of court dancing girls qinglou.[50]In the Yuan Dynasty, qinglou was associated with zaju(杂剧). In addition to brothels, qinglou also refers to performance venues for zaju or singing and dancing.[51]Until the Qing Dynasty, the word qinglou was mainly used to refer to places for sing and dance and brothels.[52][53] In the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, qinglou began to have only the meaning of brothels.[54]
History development
[edit]Before the Han dynasty
[edit]Song and dance in ancient China have a long history, and in primitive religious worship, songs and dances are also used in religious ceremonies. Women who performed songs and dances in religious ceremonies may have been the predecessors of future generations of Geji (歌妓) and Wuji (舞妓). Nuo dance (傩舞) is the oldest existing primitive dance in China. Nuo dance has a long history. There are records of Nuo sacrifices in the oracle bone inscriptions of the Yin (殷) Ruins, and there are also explicit records of Nuo dance in "The Rites of Zhou (周礼)". Its origins are related to primitive hunting, totem worship, etc., and gradually evolved into a seasonal ritual with fixed purpose and content. It was followed from the Qin and Han dynasties to the Tang and Song dynasties and continued to develop. By the Ming and Qing dynasties, although the ancient meaning of Nuo dance still existed, it had developed into an entertainment custom and developed into opera.[55]
During the Xia, there were already Geji and Wuji (舞妓), Jie (桀) raised female musicians (女乐), also known as female singers and dancers. Jie (桀) was a monarch in the late Xia dynasty who had thirty thousand female musicians in his court. These female musicians started practicing early in the morning, sounds can be heard outside the palace.[56] During the Shang dynasty (商朝), music and dance performances focused on entertainment began to be performed in the court of the monarch King Zhou (纣王). King Zhou had entertainers perform entertaining songs and dances in the court to entertain himself.[57] During the Spring and Autumn Period, Duke Mu of Qin (秦穆公) wanted to get Youyu (由余), the counselor of King Rong (戎王). He listened to the advice of Wang Liao (王寥), the internal historian, and sent sixteen Gejis and dancing girls to King Rong. The king of Rong held a banquet and had fun with the female musicians. Youyu persuaded the Rong King, but the Rong King did not listen to the advice. Youyu defected to the Qin State, assisted Qin Mu Gong, annexed twelve countries, and expanded the land thousands of miles away. Han Fei commented: "Indulging in female music and disregarding national politics can lead to the disaster of national subjugation".[58]
During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period in China, music and dance were further removed from the scope of religious sacrifices. In the second year after King Yan Zhao (燕昭王) came to the throne, Guangyan State (广延国) presented two female dancers, one named Xuanjuan (旋娟) and the other named Timo (提谟). The two of them performed three dances: "Yangchen (萦尘)", "Jiyu (集羽)", and "Xuanhuai (旋怀)", and they have extremely high dance attainments.[59] At the end of the Warring States Period, Mochou (莫愁), a woman from the Chu State (楚国), entered the palace as a Geji and brought folk songs and dances into the palace. King Qingxiang of Chu (楚顷襄王) extensively collected folk songs and sang them to music,[60] and also sent special personnel to compose music and train musicians. In addition to performing songs and dances, Mochou (莫愁) also incorporated ancient tunes, Chu Ci (楚辞), Qu Yuan's Li Sao (屈原的离骚), and Songyu's Fengfu (宋玉的风赋) into the songs for singing. Mochou (莫愁) sang "Yangchun Baixue (阳春白雪)", as well as "Xiali Baren (下里巴人)", "A Yang (阿阳)", "Xie Lu (薤露)", "Plucking Wei Song (采薇歌)" and "Maixiu Song (麦秀歌)", etc. Mochou (莫愁) had a certain influence on the singing of "The Songs of Chu (楚辞)" combined with songs, and also had a profound influence on the singing of music and Fu combined with songs in later generations.[61] After Qin Shi Huang unified the six kingdoms, he brought many Geji from the past six kingdoms into the Qin court. These Geji from the Six Kingdoms performed music in the Qin court, and also became part of Qin Shihuang's harem.[62][63]
Han dynasty
[edit]Liu Bang, the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, was a supporter of popular entertainment including folk songs and dances. He was the first to introduce Chu (楚国) music and dance, which originated from ethnic shamanism, into the palace as forms of court music and dance. Therefore, the court music and dance of the Han dynasty were secular feasts with a hedonistic mood, and the Wujis (舞妓) who were good at singing and dancing became the objects of appreciation.[64] During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty, the Yuefu (乐府) was established, and the government paid closer attention to music. Some of them managed ritual music and military music, while others managed secular music, that is, they went to the folk to learn and collect music, and wrote lyrics and tunes based on the collection results. Yuefu also arranges musical instruments for singing and playing. During the Han dynasty, there were many Geji in the imperial palaces and aristocratic mansions, used for performances at banquets, entertaining monarchs, nobles, ministers, etc. In the cities of the Han dynasty, there were singing and dancing places where Gejis used to perform. The upper classes such as nobles, officials and the merchant class enjoyed music and entertainment in such houses.[65] In the Han dynasty, there were families of performers who were engaged in music and dance as a profession, that is Changjia (倡家). Some families were composed of parents and children, with brothers and sisters all taking music and dance as a profession. Some Changjias (倡家) of the Han dynasty also performed in singing and dancing venues.[65][66] In the Han dynasty, an important part of the emperor's daily entertainment was banquets. In folk banquets, banquets are a bond of interpersonal communication and a symbol of etiquette. The most common entertainment during the banquet is singing and dancing, but there are also acrobatics and rap performances. In addition to professional actors performing songs and dances at the banquet, the host and guests of the banquet also need to sing and dance impromptu. Typically the host dances first and the guests dance in return.[67]
Wei, Jin, Northern and Southern dynasties
[edit]During the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern dynasties (魏晋南北朝), the practice of cultivating Gejis was prevalent. During this period, Gejis played the most obvious role as nobles in displaying their wealth. Nobles competed for singing girls from time to time. Stories about Gejis are recorded in "Shishuoxinyu (世说新语)". Zhao Yun (朝云), a Geji in the Northern Wei dynasty (北魏), was good at playing the Chi (篪chí, a flute-like instrument), and could perform "Tuan Shan Song (团扇歌)" and "Long Shang Shen (陇上声)". Volume 4 (卷四) of Yang Xuanzhi (杨衒之)'s "Luoyang Jialan Ji (洛阳伽蓝记)" in the Northern dynasties records that the Geji Zhaoyun's music can move the rebellious Qiang (羌) in Longshang (陇上) to "come back and surrender", and the music she plays is more powerful than the "quick horse runners".[68] During the Three Kingdoms period (三国时期), Caocao (曹操) also raised Gejis. The sing and dance Jis (歌舞妓) in Caocao's family were called Tongque Jis (铜雀妓).[69] Caocao had a singing girl who sang well but had a bad temper. Although Caocao was angry, he was afraid that if he killed her, he would not be able to hear such sweet singing. Later, Caocao trained a hundred Gejis until one of them sang as well as the bad-tempered Geji, so he killed her. There were also many Gejis in the palace. The popular palace poetry in the Southern dynasties was for the Gejis in the palace to sing to entertain the monarchs and nobles. During the Northern Wei dynasty, Luoyang (洛阳), as the capital at that time, had a gathering area for music and dance artists. It is said in "Jiyang Jialan Ji (济阳伽蓝记)" that Luoyang, the capital city, is divided into tune and rhythm, and there are many singing and dancing artists. As the political center and people of the Han nationality (汉族) migrated southward, female music and dance from the north were also brought to the south of the Yangtze River, so the songs and dances in the south of the Yangtze River were also very popular. The most famous one is the "Qianxi Dance (前溪舞)" spread in Qianxi Village (前溪村), an area where artists gather. Qianxi Village in Huzhou, according to historical records, was once a gathering place for music and dance artists in the Southern dynasties. During the Tang dynasty, there were many places to learn music and dance performances here. Jiangnan's music and dance performances were once famous, and most of the music and dance artists came from Qianxi Village.[70][71][72]
Sui and Tang dynasties
[edit]The performances of the "Seven-part Music" and "Nine-part Music" of the Sui Dynasty generally have three forms: "songs", "dance music" and "interpretation music". "Songs" are those with both sound and words, "dance music" is the music that goes with the dance, and "interpretation music" may be instrumental music with sound but no words, and is generally faster. "Seven-part Music" and "Nine-part Music" belong to the court music of the Sui Dynasty, and gejis also participated in the performances together with male musicians.[73]
During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the trend of using Geji or Yiji was also very popular, and aristocrats, literati, and Geji paid for singing and socialized widely. Some literati even referred to Geji as confidants, and there were many descriptions of Geji in literary works at that time. Some female protagonists in the legendary stories of the Tang dynasty are also Geji. For example, the Hongfu girl (红拂女) in "Biography of Qiu bearded Guests (虬髯客传)" was originally a Geji in Yang Su's mansion, the Liushi (柳氏) in "Biography of Liushi (柳氏传) " was also a Geji, and the Huo Xiaoyu(霍小玉) in "Biography of Huo Xiaoyu (霍小玉传) " was expelled from Huo Wang's mansion and became a Geji. There are also many works about Geji in the poetry, such as Bai Juyi's "Pipa Xing (琵琶行) " which depicts a Geji married to a merchant. And Bai Juyi also raised Geji himself, among which Fan Su (樊素) had the best singing skills. Bai Juyi wrote a poem: "Cherry Fan Su Mouth" praising Fan Su's singing skills. Li Shangyin wrote a poem titled "Two Songs to a Geji (赠歌妓二首) ". The female poet Du Qiuniang (杜秋娘) was also a Geji. Xue Tao (薛涛) , a Geji from the Tang dynasty, was the leading female poet of the Middle Tang dynasty, earning the titles of "literary demon (文妖)" and "Tang peacock (大唐孔雀)". Xue Tao became a Gejj at the age of 16 due to his father's illness and his mother's widowhood, making his life difficult and helpless. She is highly regarded by renowned governors Wei Gao, Wu Yuanheng, and others for her ability to discern and compose poetry. She competes with Yuan Zhen, Bai Juyi, Du Mu, Liu Yuxi, and others to sing, greatly enhancing her poetic reputation. Li Zhao from the Middle Tang dynasty commented on Xue Tao: "Those who enjoy women and work poetry, Tao is also the demon of literature. Xue Tao also frequently went to the shogunate as a Geji and a Qing guest to give poetry and drink. Wei Gao once proposed to request the court to grant Xue Tao the title of Secretary of the Provincial School Scholar, which was unconventional and could not be achieved. However, people often referred to it as the "Women's School Scholar (女校书)". The Huajian School of Poetry (花间派诗词), represented by Wen Tingyun in the late Tang dynasty, is closely related to Geji. From the perspective of content and form, the Huajian School of Poetry mainly focuses on romance, tenderness, and simplicity, and is inseparable from the nature of "relying on sound to fill in lyrics" and Xiehe lyrics. It mainly describes the shallow consideration of deep boudoir embroidery rooms and gelou brothels. These words are usually sung by Geji at banquets, so they have been widely circulated, and Geji have played a crucial role. There were also many Geji in the palace, and Emperor Xuanzong of Tang was fond of music. In the second year of the Kaiyuan era (724 AD), he established the Left and Right Cults (左右教坊) and was in charge of the haiyu acrobatics in the palace (掌管宫廷的俳优杂技). The Yichun Courtyard (宜春院) is composed of female actors (女伶), known as "insiders (内人)", who often perform in front of emperors, also known as "predecessors (前头人)". At that time, there were some out standing palace Geji, such as Niannu (念奴) and Xu Hezi (Xu Yongxin,许和子或许永新), whose deeds can be seen in Wang Renyu's "The Legacy of Kaiyuan Tianbao (开元天宝遗事)" of the Five Dynasties. According to records, the singing voice of a nun is like drilling out the morning clouds in the sky, and the noise of bells, drums, and sheng yu cannot be suppressed. Therefore, Emperor Xuanzong greatly favored her. Yuan Zhen also described the situation at that time in his poem "Lianchang Palace Ci (连昌宫词)". Xu Hezi is from Yongxin, Jizhou, hence also known as "Xu Yongxin". Her father is a musician. According to Duan Anjie's "Miscellaneous Records of Yuefu (乐府杂录)", she has loved singing since childhood and is beautiful and intelligent. Her singing is natural and fresh, and she is good at changing old tones into new ones. Once, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang held a grand banquet at the Qinzheng Building, but the noise from the audience interfered with the music, which made him very unhappy. Gao Lishi suggested that Xu Yongxin perform on stage to stop the noise. Xu Yongxin's singing was accompanied by silence, and the audience was attracted by her singing voice. Xuanzong often said that her songs are worth a thousand gold.[74][75]
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms
[edit]During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (五代十国时期), the south was relatively stable, and there were Gejis both inside and outside the palace. Bashu, a remote area in the southwest, was relatively stable. During the former and later Shu periods, Chengdu's shops were prosperous, and singing, dancing and entertainment were very popular. The emerging popular music form, the word (词), was favored. Mrs. Huarui (花蕊夫人) once wrote more than 100 "Palace Cis (宫词)" describing life in the palace. These verses vividly record the grand music and dance scene in Chengdu during the Five Dynasties period. These poems describe a complete set of music and dance performances in the palace, from learning, rehearsal to performance. In order to make the performance successful, Liyuan Zidis (梨园子弟) and the Gejis studied and rehearsed every day. In the performance of team dance during the Five Dynasties, the "dance head" is equivalent to the "bamboo pole" in the team dance of the Song dynasty. Among the team dances during the reign of King Yan of the former Shu dynasty, the Red Lotus Picking Team Dance is very famous. The stage setting for the Red Lotus Picking Team Dance is extremely luxurious, and there are 220 women singing and performing. In the early years of the Northern Song dynasty, Zhang Yong (张咏)'s "Poems in Mourning for Shu" described Chengdu during the Later Shu period: "The shadows of candles are sinking like stars, and the songs are falling with the moon." Lu You (陆游) records that during the Shu period, there were many folk musicians in Chongzhou alone. There is a saying of "three thousand official willows and four thousand pipa"."Han Xizai's Night Banquet (韩熙载夜宴图)" is a painting by Gu Hongzhong (顾闳中), a painter of the Southern Tang dynasty during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. It depicts the scene of the official Han Xizai (韩熙载) having a night banquet at his home, singing and having fun. In the painting, there are scenes of Li Ji (李姬), Wang Wushan (王屋山) and other Gejis performing. In the painting "Listening to Music", there is a painting of the Jiaofang (教坊) Geji Li Ji (李姬) sitting alone with her pipa in her arms. Because of her superb playing skills, everyone present was attracted to pay attention and listen attentively. In the picture "Watching the Dance", the emotions of the people at the party reached a climax at this time, and they put down their official pretentiousness to participate in the entertainment. Han Xizai took off his outer robe and rolled up his sleeves, held a mallet and accompanied his family's Wuji (舞妓) Wang Wushan in the "Six Yao Dance (六幺舞)" with his disciple Shu Ya (舒雅).[76][77]
Song dynasty
[edit]During the Song dynasty, many scholars trained Gejis, or interacted with Gejis and exchanged poems and songs, which also affected literary creation and the spread of poetry. Liu E (刘娥) once was a Geji who was good at beating the drum and singing drum lyrics. She was good at playing the drum and singing while playing it, and her singing voice was beautiful.[78] The Wanyue Ci (婉约词) in the Song dynasty had a close relationship with Gejis. The Wanyue Ci (婉约词) in the early Northern Song dynasty was written for Gejis to sing, and their contents were mostly about love affairs between men and women, boudoir love, etc. Zhang Xian (张先), Yan Shu (晏殊), Liu Yong (柳永) and other poets have many poems about Gejis. Liu Yong (柳永) often had contact with Gejis and often wrote lyrics for Gejis and musicians. He also often composed new songs himself and then wrote lyrics for Gejis to sing. His official career was not smooth, so he had special feelings for the Gejis who were also in the lower class of society, and maintained a harmonious relationship with them.[79] At that time, the Gejis liked to talk about poetry and songs with Liu Yong (柳永). After Liu Yong (柳永)'s death, Hangzhou Gejis Xie Yuying (谢玉英), Zhao Xiangxiang (赵香香) and Chen Shishi (陈师师) paid for Liu Yong's burial with other Gejis.[80] Every year during the Qingming Festival (清明节), Gejis go to Liu Yong's tomb to pay homage, which is called "Diao Liu Qi (吊柳七)" or "Diao Liu Hui (吊柳会)".[81] Liu Yong has many poems about Gejis, such as "Xi Chunlang (惜春郎)", "Feng Title Cup (凤衔杯)", etc. The content includes describing the Geji's life, describing the Geji's appearance and talents, and expressing his love for the Geji. The Gejis mentioned by Liu Yong in "Collection of Movements (乐章集)" include Chongniang (虫娘), Yingying (英英), Xinniang (心娘), Suniang (酥娘), etc. Yan Shu (晏殊) is a poet of the Song dynasty, wrote part of his poems about separation and sorrow, which were written in response to the needs of the Gejis. Yan Shu's son Yan Jidao (晏几道) had deep sympathy for those smart but unfortunate Gejis, which was revealed in his lyrics. In addition to the poets of Wanyue Ci (婉约词) ,who Haofang Ci (豪放词) poet Su Shi (苏轼) also had contacts with Gejis.[82] When he left Hangzhou for Mizhou, when passing through Suzhou, there were Gejis guarding Changmen when he left the city and held a farewell banquet for him. Su Shi wrote "Drunk and Desolate·Farewell at Suzhou Changmen (醉落魄·苏州阊门留别)" was given to her. Su Shi's concubine Wang Chaoyun (王朝云) was also a Geji, and the Geji Qin Cao (琴操) also had a friendship with Su Shi.[83][84]
Qin Guan (秦观), a scholar from the Su Men (苏门学士), also had close contacts with Gejis. Su Shi's good friend Chen Zhen (陈慥) had many Gejis, which made his wife Liushi (柳氏) dissatisfied. Liushi even reprimanded Chen Zhen loudly in front of her guests, which made Chen Zhen very afraid of his wife. This incident is also the origin of the idiom "Hedong Lion's Roar (河东狮吼)".[85] Song dynasty poet Xin Qiji (辛弃疾) also dated Gejis, he likes to watch singing and dancing performances of Gejis. Xin Qiji also wrote about Gejis in his works.[86] Li Shishi (李师师) is a Geji in the late Northern Song dynasty, was very famous for her good lyrics, music and singing skills. Zhou Bangyan (周邦彦) also had contact with her and wrote lyrics for Li Shishi. In addition to Li Shishi, Zhou Bangyan also had contact with the Geji Yue Chuyun (岳楚云). After the Southern Song dynasty, lyrics gradually became "elegant (雅化)". There were fewer lyrics describing Gejis, and many of them were no longer suitable for singing by Gejis. However, some poets at that time still wrote lyrics for Gejis. Gejis in the Song dynasty were good at singing "small singing (小唱)" and "piao singing (嘌唱)". Small singing belongs to elegant singing, such as "slow music" and "qupo". The Gejis sing and dance, and they themselves beat the rhythm with their hands or clappers, while the musicians next to them accompany them with bamboo flutes, dragon flutes, and shengs. Gejis should sing elegant tunes, with "soft and beautiful voices", slow rhythm and preciseness. Meng Yuanlao of the Northern Song dynasty recorded that the Gejis who were good at singing include Li Shishi, Xu Poxi (徐婆惜), Feng Yinu (封宜奴), and Sun Sansi (孙三四). Among them, Li Shishi was the best, represented by "Youth Tour (少年游)", "Lanling King (兰陵王)", "Da Mo (大酩)", " "Six Ugly (六丑)". There were more famous singers among the Gejis in the Southern Song dynasty. "Mengliang Lu (梦粱录)" mentioned Jin Sailan (金赛兰), Fan Duyi (范都宜), Tang An'an (唐安安), Ni Duxi (倪都惜) and so on. Piao singing (嘌唱) is a popular singing method, singing songs, singing tunes, and singing small orders. The Gejis use drums to accompany them, playing fast and complex strings, lively and indulgent.[87]
The song and dance songs of the Tang dynasty developed into team dance performances in the Song dynasty. According to the "Song Book·Yue Zhi (宋书·乐志)", the court dances in the Song dynasty included the "Children's Dance Team" and the "Female Disciple Team". The female disciples (女弟子) mentioned here refer to the female artists who studied song, dance and drama. "Yun Gongfeng Zhenyin Manlu (郧公式峰真隐漫录)" by Shi Hao (史浩) of the Song dynasty records in detail the performances of the "Lotus Picking Dance (采莲舞)", "Taiqing Dance (太清舞)", "Zhezhi Dance (柘枝舞)", "Flower Dance (花舞)", "Sword Dance (剑舞)" and "Fisherman Dance (渔父舞)" in the Song dynasty.[76] The book "Complete Song Ci (全宋词)" contains poetry works by 23 gejis.[88]
Yuan dynasty
[edit]During the Yuan dynasty (元朝), various professions were divided into ten levels. Geji or female performer,male entertainer and sex worker were all classified as "Chang (倡)" in the eighth level. Some of the actresses who performed in Zaju (杂剧) in the Yuan dynasty were themselves Gejis from Jiaofang (教坊). In addition, many Gejis will sing Sanqu (散曲) in gelou (歌楼) and banquet to entertain them. "Qinglou Ji (青楼集)" by Xia Tingzhi (夏庭芝) of the Yuan dynasty and "Chuogeng Lu (辍耕录)" by Tao Zongyi (陶宗仪) recorded the life details and deeds of some Gejis. In addition to performing dramas and singing Sanqu (散曲), Geji also sang Xiwens (戏文), slow lyrics (慢词), and Zhugong Diaos (诸宫调). Famous Gejis in the Yuan dynasty include Liang Yuanxiu (梁园秀), Shunshi Xiu (顺时秀), Zhulianxiu (珠帘秀), Tianranxiu (天然秀), etc. They also made good friends with literati. Some Gejis who performed in dramas also established deep friendships with Yuan opera writers (元曲作家), such as Zhulianxiu (珠帘秀) and Guan Hanqing (关汉卿), Tianranxiu (天然秀) and Bai Renfu (白仁甫), etc. "Qinglou Ji (青楼集)" records the deeds of Gejis, performers and other people in Dadu, Jinling, Weiyang, Wuchang, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Huguang and other places in the Yuan dynasty. Each of these Gejis had different artistic attainments, which recorded their talents in Zaju (杂剧), Yuanben (院本), Piaochang (嘌唱), Zhugong Diao (诸宫调), dance, and instrumental music. In particular, there are detailed records of the expertise of some Zaju (杂剧) actors. At the same time, it also records Gejis entertainment and interactions with some dignitaries, literary talents, and writers of opera or prose at that time.[89] Tao Zongyi's "Yeting Ji of the YuanShi (元氏掖庭记)" writes that the famous banquets in the palace, as well as the banquets "named after the events", are all inseparable from the singing, dancing and drinking of the palace Gejis. A court music and dance of the Yuan dynasty, the Sixteen Heavenly Demon Dance (十六天魔舞)was created in the 14th year of the reign of Emperor Shun of the Yuan dynasty (元顺帝). The dancers are sixteen court Wujis (舞妓) and Gejis (歌妓). When they are in the palace praising Buddha, they dance and play music.[90][91]
Ming dynasty
[edit]In the early Hongwu years of the Ming dynasty, Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang (朱元璋) established Jinling as his capital, and most of the Gejis were concentrated in the Qinhuai River (秦淮河) area. In the early Ming dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang established the Sixteenth Floor (十六楼) in Nanjing. In the 19th year of Yongle (AD 1421), Emperor Zhu Di (朱棣) moved the capital to Beijing, and he established Jiaofang (教坊) in Nanjing and Beijing. Jiaofang (教坊) was officially renamed Jiaofangsi (教坊司) in the Ming dynasty, and some prostitutes were also managed by departments under Jiaofangsi (教坊司). But in the Ming dynasty, Jiaofangsi (教坊司) still had a department responsible for performing arts, and the boundaries between Gejis and prostitutes were clear. The sixteenth floor is an officially managed brothel containing prostitutes providing prostitution services. However, five of the sixteen floors are occupied by Gejis responsible for singing and dancing performances and do not provide prostitution services. In the early Ming dynasty, Gejis were all under the management of the Jiaofangsi (教坊司) of the Ministry of Rites of the Ming government. When guests went to the five restaurants to drink, the Jiaofangsi (教坊司) sent Gejis who knew etiquette and music and dance to play and sing to add to the entertainment. In the Ming dynasty, Nanjing people paid great attention to etiquette when attending banquets. Elders sat at banquets and toasted in accordance with this rule, and no violation of etiquette was allowed.[92][93][94] Zhu Houzhao (朱厚照), Emperor Wuzong of the Ming dynasty (明武宗), went on many tours, and the local government provided him with Gejis to serve him. Zhu Houzhao's concubine Liu Liangnü (刘良女) had been a Geji.[95][96] In the middle of the Ming dynasty, the trend of scholar-bureaucrats looking for singing girls became more and more popular. There were also Gejis in Lingnan, such as Zhang Qiao (张乔), who was close to the Nanyuan Poetry Society (南园诗社).[97][98] In the late Ming dynasty, Gejis and prostitutes gathered in parts of the Qinhuai River, each performing their duties. Parts of the Qinhuai River in the Ming dynasty were different from the Pingkangfang red light district in the Tang dynasty. The Pingkangfang red light district was only populated by prostitutes. It became popular in the late Ming dynasty for young talents to take advantage of the opportunity to travel to Nanjing to participate in the provincial examination and associate with Gejis. Scholars of letters took exams, and some celebrated success with Gejis, or were comforted by Gejis after failing the exams. In the late Ming dynasty, due to the disrepair of imperial regulations and other reasons, the literati class generally lacked confidence in governing the country. Members of the Fushe (复社), represented by Maoxiang (冒襄), Fang Yizhi (方以智), and Chen Liang (陈梁), could only laugh and curse in the Qinhuai Gelou (歌楼). Way to express inner resentment to the eunuch group. Gejis come from poor backgrounds, and only through the acquisition of art can they win the favor of the literati class and bring considerable economic benefits. At the same time, Gejis participated extensively in artistic creation, making artistic taste more refined and catering to the spiritual needs of the literati class.[99][100] Among the Gejis in the late Ming dynasty, Chen Yuanyuan, Dong Xiaowan, Gu Hengbo, Li Xiangjun, Liu Rushi, Ma Shouzhen, Bian Yujing, and Kou Baimen were called “Eight Beauties of Qinhuai”. “Eight Beauties of Qinhuai” are excellent female artists, and they all showed national integrity and patriotism at a time when the country was surviving or changing dynasties.[101][102] Other notable Ming gejis include the painter Lin Xue and the poets Wang Wei and Yang Wan etc.
Qing dynasty
[edit]The Geji culture continued in the Qing dynasty, and some Gejis from the late Ming dynasty continued to perform singing and dancing as Gejis in the Qing dynasty. The Gejis at the turn of the Ming and Qing dynasties included Dong'er (冬儿), Lang Yuan (郎圆), etc. During the Qing dynasty, the Geji Lang Yuan (郎圆) performed the famous Tang dynasty dance "Zhe Zhi (柘枝)" at noble family banquet and was praised.[103] During the Qing dynasty, Gejis were hired to perform at gatherings of nobles, wealthy businessmen, and literati as entertainment activities. At the Twenty-Four Bridge (二十四桥) in Yangzhou, Gejis gather here and perform performing arts here. Literati and wealthy businessmen would go to the Twenty-Four Bridge to watch the performances of Gejis. The literati would recite poems here and the Gejis would also participate in the cultural activities of the literati.[104][105][106][107] The playwright Li Yu (李渔) formed his own family theater troupe. The main actresses in Li Yu's theater troupe, Qiao Ji (乔姬) and Wang Ji (王姬), were both former Gejis. These two outstanding actresses joined Li Yu's opera troupe at the age of 13 and transformed from singers into opera actors.[108] Gejis during the Qing dynasty still paid attention to art. In the early Qing dynasty, Yangzhou Geji Chen Susu (陈素素) was good at writing poems, painting and singing. She also wrote a collection of poems.[109] In the Xiao Qinhuai River area (小秦淮河地区) of Yangzhou, Gejis,other type female performers and prostitutes gather here. During the Qianlong (乾隆) period, Gejis still had a high artistic level in performing arts. For example, in the Xiao Qinhuai Record (小秦淮记) in "Yangzhou Painting Boat Record (扬州画舫录)", the Geji Su Yin (苏殷) is good at painting, can shoot arrows and hits three times with three shots. As the adopted daughter of a musician, Geji Zhenzhu Niang (珍珠娘) is good at singing. Geji Xu Yanyun (徐砚云) is good at playing the flute and telling humorous stories. Everyone present laughed happily every time she told a story. She also liked to wear men's clothes and ride horses, so people at the time called her "Flying Fairy (飞仙)". The Wuji (舞妓) Zhu Niang (珠娘) was good at dancing and boxing. She also incorporated martial arts skills into her dance. She became so famous that Qian Mei'an (钱梅庵) painted "Zhu Niang's Boxing Style (珠娘拳式图)" for her. Geji Yang Xiaobao (杨小宝) is good at singing Kunqu opera and ditties, and is known as the Qutan, Zhuangyuan (曲坛状元). The Zhuangyuan (状元) in Suzhou, Qian Xiangling (钱湘舲), went south to Yangzhou to listen to songs and was deeply impressed by the talent of Yangzhou Gejis. From them, three people were selected as the "Zhuangyuan (状元)", "Bangyan (榜眼)" and "Tanhua (探花)", namely Yang Xiaobao (杨小宝), Gu Xiaoyu (顾霞娱) and Yang Gaosan (杨高三), all of whom were at that time leader in Yangzhou music scene. Yang Xiaobao's (杨小宝) tunes and rhythms are as famous as those of her contemporary composer Zhu Yedong (朱野东). She was a leader in the Yangzhou music scene at that time and was called in the music world and an "unparalleled woman (无双女)".[110] When Qianlong (乾隆) visited the south, the local government provided him with local Gejis or actress. Qianlong's requirements were very high, and he would not accept any Geji who he thought had an average artistic level. It is said that, Qianlong's concubine Fang Fei Chen (芳妃陈氏) was once a Geji.[111][112] By the Xianfeng (咸丰) period, there were still teachers for teaching Gejis and systematic performance venues for Gejis. Geji could play pipa and qiang flute, act in dramas. Nobles and wealthy businessmen viewed Geji's performances as entertainment.[113]
Downfall
[edit]Decline
[edit]Geji were initially not involved in the direct sex trade, but rather were entertainers who performed music and arts, such as poetry, music and singing,[114][115] to please dignitaries and intellectuals.[116][117] They were respected and renowned for their art and education in the classics,[115] and were hired to perform to both male and female clients, as well as employed by the state.[116] After the establishment of the Qing dynasty in 1644, however, the Geji were banned from being employed by the state.[116] During the Qing dynasty, although Gejis were no longer employed by the state, the Geji system still continued, and Gejis and prostitutes maintained boundaries. Before 1860, there was still a system of teaching and performing Gejis in society, watching Geji performances was an entertainment activity for the wealthy. After 1860, due to the influence of social environment, the Geji system began to disappear.[113][118] Prostitutes began to gradually replace Geji, and prostitutes from the eight major alleys (八大胡同) in Beijing became popular. Emperor Tongzhi (同治) of the late Qing dynasty went to visit prostitutes in Bada Hutong and died of syphilis at the age of 19.[119] By 1865, a few Geji and singing and dancing establishments were still operating. At this time, Geji who could write traditional poems were already very scarce. Gejis who were still performing at the same time were also performing in song and dance venues and at parties invited by the wealthy. In order to cater to the remaining audiences, they began to include pornographic songs in their singing, and their clothes became more tacky. The remaining Geji gradually chose to follow the patrons who liked them and quit the career of Geji.[120]
Taiwan Yidan
[edit]During the Qing dynasty in Taiwan, local Gejis in Taiwan were called Yidan (艺旦). Initially, there was not much difference between Yidans and prostitutes. The formal distinction between Yidans and prostitutes was during the Tongzhi (同治) period in Taiwan. With the development of trade in various places, merchants began to entertain guests, and there were more and more restaurants. In addition to eating and drinking, there was also a need for some entertainment programs. After the port was opened to trade in the late Qing dynasty, the number of literati, wealthy businessmen, and officials coming to Taiwan increased, and the demand for entertainment and banquets also increased. Therefore, Yidan (艺旦) who did not engage in prostitution began to appear, and "Yidan room (艺旦间)" for Yidans to perform. Starting from the period of study, Yidan performs in Yidan rooms or in restaurants. Yidan also performs at temple fairs, private banquets, public events and other occasions outside restaurants. Yidans will perform traditional musical instruments such as pipa, sanxian and dulcimer, sing and dance, and recite poems to guests. Yidans also public performances of "Yidan Opera (艺旦戏)" opera. Yidan also needs to go to Sishu (私塾) to study and learn poetry culture. The female boss (女老板) of Yidan (艺旦) will ask Mr. Xiaoshu (校书先生) to teach Yidan music theory and opera, such as teaching Nanguan (南管) or Beiguan (北管). Yidan students must learn all the repertoire of "Yidan Qu (艺旦曲)" and pass Mr. Xiaoshu's (校书先生) test before they are qualified to become Yidan. This tradition of Geji in Taiwan continued into Taiwan's post-war period. With the development of popular culture, Yidan gradually disappeared.[121][122][123][124] Recording began to flourish in Taiwan in 1926, and music at this time was recorded by Yidan (艺旦).[125] Famous Yidans in Taiwan include Wang Xiangchan (王香禅), Chen Tian (陈甜), etc.[126][127]
Prostitute prevalent
[edit]During the Qing dynasty, there was a kind of female storyteller, also known as "Nv Tanci (女弹词)". They were not Gejis or prostitutes, and generally did not engage in prostitution. The female storyteller performs in the Shuchang (书场), plays and sings with her pipa, and tells Chuanqi (传奇) stories. Female storytellers have teachers who pass down their skills, and they learn their skills from an early age.[128] [129][130] In the early years of Xianfeng's reign, Zhu Sulan (朱素兰), a Geji, combined the careers of female storyteller and Geji,founded a "Shuyu (书寓)" in Shanghai. Zhu Sulan has very strict requirements for Gejis. They must have storytelling skills and be taught by teachers, and they tell about some books Chuanqi (传奇) stories. These Gejis tell Chuanqi stories, play the piano and sing, and they also entertain guests with drinks, but they do not engage in prostitution. Zhu Sulan's combination of the two professions was highly praised, and Shuyu (书寓) flourished for a while. In the early years of Tongzhi (同治), the Gejis Zhou Ruixian (周瑞仙) and Yan Lizhen (严丽贞) were popular. Zhou Ruixian is famous for saying "Three Smiles on Marriage (三笑姻缘)", but she can only tell half of it, while Yan Lizhen can tell all. When Zhou Ruixian got older, she trained young Gejis to get paid.[131][132] After the Taiping Rebellion, the Shuyu (书寓) industry has been transformed into prostitutes, and more prostitutes have entered this industry. After the 1870s, many Shuyus (书寓) moved to Shanghai's concessions, and prostitution became commonplace.[133][134]
During the late Qing dynasty and the Republic of China, due to the times, society as a whole fell into poverty, and the Geji culture could no longer sustain itself. During the late Qing dynasty and the Republic of China, there were a large number of prostitutes engaged in prostitution in China, and these prostitutes had different levels. The prostitutes combined the social function of the Geji with the career of a prostitute, further replacing the Geji in social functions.[135][136] Although prostitutes or Sing-song girls replaced the Geji, their skills were not as good as those of the Geji in the past. Prostitutes focus on accompanying customers with drinks. Prostitutes do not play chess or talk about poetry with their customers like Gejis. Instead, they play cards and mahjong with their customers. Prostitutes did not have much artistic skills, and the songs and dances they performed also contained more erotic elements, and they were unable to perform a complete repertoire.[137][138] Most prostitutes are illiterate and uneducated. Even high-class prostitutes rarely received education, and a few only received primary education and did not receive specialized poetry education.[139] At that time, many prostitutes gathered on boats on the water to engage in prostitution. After about 1889, Puji (濮姬), a Geji educated in singing and poetry, make a living in the prostitutes gathering area on the water. Puji acted alone and made a living by singing in the area as a Geji. She wrote a collection of poems, but few people appreciate her. Puji could no longer make a living just by singing. She also had to weave baskets to make ends meet, so she was not wealthy. Puji met Xie Xixun (谢锡勋), an imperial examination candidate during the Guangxu (光绪) period. Xie Xixun admired the poems written by Puji. Puji was married as a concubine by Xie Xixun and lived a stable life.[140] In the middle of the Guangxu period of the Qing dynasty, Gejis were once again trained in Beijing, and their residences were called Xiaobans (小班). But when the Boxer Rebellion (义和团运动)began, these Gejis scattered. Later, the brothels run by prostitutes continued to be named Xiaoban (小班) or Qingyin Xiaoban (清吟小班), and their occupation changed to prostitution, which was different from before.[141][142][143]
Sing-song girl
[edit]Jiaoshu (校书) is an official position for men in ancient China,this word was not a derogatory term used for women in ancient China. Female Jiaoshu (女校书) was not a derogatory term in ancient China. In ancient China, it could be used to praise talented women among Gejis, or even to praise talented women among purdah women. Xue Tao (薛涛), a famous Geji, female poet and Qing guest (清客) in the Tang dynasty, was called the female Jiaoshu (女校书) because of her outstanding talent. This is an affirmation of Xue Tao's talent. After Xue Tao, talented Gejis were called "female Jiaoshu (女校书)". Xue Susu (薛素素), a famous Geji and female painter during the Ming dynasty, was known as the "Ten Talented Woman (十能才女)" and the "Female Jiaoshu (女校书)" because of her talent. Lin Xue (林雪), a Geji and female painter in the Ming dynasty, was called "Female Jiaoshu (女校书)" because of her excellent painting ability. Wang Wei (王微), a famous Geji and female poet in the late Ming dynasty, was also called "Female Jiaoshu (女校书)" because of her talent.[144] [145][146] Among the boudoir women, the talented Ban Zhao (班昭), Xie Daoyun (谢道韫) and Huang Yuanjie (黄媛介) are also called female Jiaoshu (女校书) because of their outstanding talents.[147][148] There were also a few prostitutes in ancient China who might call themselves female Jiaoshu (女校书), but this was not the mainstream.[149] Nv Shi (女史) was a female palace official in ancient China who was in charge of matters related to palace etiquette, writing documents, etc. The term Nv Shi (女史) is also a good name for intellectual women in ancient China. Dong Xiaowan (董小宛), a famous Geji in the Ming dynasty, was outstandingly talented. She was also a female poet, painter, Kunqu actor (昆曲演员), and even one of the top ten famous chefs in ancient China. Dong Xiaowan's nickname is "Qinglian Nv Shi (青莲女史)", which she took on because of her admiration for the Chinese Tang dynasty poet Li Bai (李白).[150][151] During the late Qing dynasty and the Republic of China, Geji culture declined. In order to promote themselves, high-class prostitutes or Sing-song girls called themselves "Jiaoshu (校书)" and "Ci Shi (词史)", even though most of them were uneducated, and the literate ones among them there is also not enough cultural level. At the same time, the brothel frequenters of these prostitutes also like to call them "Jiaoshu (校书)" and "Ci Shi (词史)" to show off.[152][153] The prostitutes in "Shuyu (书寓)" who turned into prostitution call themselves "Sir" or "Xiansheng (先生)", the first-class brothels are called "Changsan Shuyu (长三书寓)", and the first-class prostitutes are also called "Xiansheng". The reason why they are called Xiansheng is not because these prostitutes have a high level of education. "Xiansheng" is a method used by high-end prostitutes to improve themselves. It roughly means that they are a little educated and can sing and dance a little, they cannot be compared with low-level prostitutes who know nothing.[154] This is different from the traditional Gejis in ancient China, but during the Republic of China, many prostitutes and prostitute operators could call themselves singing girls or Gejis at will.[155][156]
Dancing girl
[edit]In the early 1920s, commercial dance halls began to appear in Shanghai, and the profession of dancing girl appeared in the dance halls to accompany men in dancing.[157] The image and dancing skills of the Paramount dancing girls were the highest overall among the ballroom dancing girls at that time. Ballroom dancing girls not only provide backup dancers, but also provide entertainment activities such as accompanying customers to drink and party chat. Therefore, ballroom dancing girls have replaced high-end prostitutes in brothels in terms of social functions.[158][159] The dancing girls in the big ballroom are more similar to the Gejis in ancient China than the prostitutes, but there are many differences between the two. Dancing girls do not need poetry or painting skills, and chatting with customers focuses more on drinking. The dancing girls danced Western ballroom dances, while the ancient Gejis performed Chinese classical dances. To a certain extent, dancing girls focus more on companionship, while ancient Gejis focus more on performance. Gejis in ancient times needed to be trained from an early age, and the training took a long time. Dancing girls during the Republic of China usually received training for three or four months after they reached adulthood. Dancing girls in small dance halls during the Republic of China were usually prostitutes who had a low income and also engaged in prostitution to earn income.[160][161]
The remain singing girl
[edit]During the Republic of China, a small number of singing girls made a living by singing in teahouses and restaurants. At that time, except for Taiwan, there was no relatively complete Geji system. Singing girls who work in teahouses and restaurants usually only need to learn the skills of singing and playing musical instruments. There are no cultural requirements, and they do not need to learn skills such as poetry, chess, paint and dance. There is a kind of Geji in the Qinhuai area of Nanjing, whose profession is singing. These Gejis used to be in teahouses, singing big songs and other songs. Later, singing girls were banned and were not allowed to sing in teahouses. These singing girls continued to sing on the Qinhuai River in boats known as "seven boards (七板子)". They always sat in front of the boats and did not engage in prostitution. There are musicians and others accompaniment in the boat, and there are about two singing girls in each boat. After dark, the boats of singing girls go about their business outside Dazhong Bridge, asking people passing by if they want to listen to music. There were also prostitutes engaged in prostitution on the boats on the Qinhuai River.[162] From the late Qing dynasty to the Republic of China, there was group of Tang Kou (堂口) in Guangzhou opened and run by wealthy "Shi Niang (师娘)" who specialized in adopting and training blind girl to learn arts. They taught them the skills of playing the piano, singing and divination, that they could sing for them in the future make money. Wealthy families often invite Shi Niang (师娘) to sing and entertain at their weddings. During the day and at night when there was no need for singing activities, Shi Niang also engaged in handicraft work at the teacher's house, such as weaving bamboo utensils and making yarn. Shi Niang (师娘) refers to a blind singing girl who makes a career of singing Cantonese songs, also known as "Gu Ji (瞽姬)". In the early days, most sang wooden fish songs, dragon boat songs, Nanyin songs, and Cantonese songs. By the late Qing dynasty, they mainly sang Cantonese songs. From the late Qing dynasty to before the May 4th Movement, Cantonese songs entered the "Shi Niang (师娘)" period. At the beginning of the 20th century, the teahouse in Xiguan, Guangzhou pioneered the Shi Niang (师娘) singing method of "one tea table and two chairs". As soon as this example was launched, teahouses in the Pearl River Delta region, Hong Kong and Macau followed suit.[163][164]
Around 1918, Nv Ling (女伶) normal vision began to sing on stage. The first Nv Ling (女伶) to sing on stage was Lin Yanyu (林燕玉), whose stage name was Feng Ying (凤影). She set a precedent for blind singing girl to sing with Nv Ling (女伶). Lin Yanyu turned out to be a young girl in a brothel,she was a singing girl who had not yet engaged in prostitution only entertained guests by singing songs. She left the brothel to make a living singing. Zhuo Keqing (卓可卿), a singing girl from the same background as Lin Yanyu, was also hired by the qutan (曲坛) to sing on stage. Some singing girls who originally sang provincial minor tunes and local folk arts also left their original environment and joined the folk arts team. This is the origin of "Nv Ling (女伶)". They gradually replaced the original "Shi Niang (师娘)" who sang ancient Cantonese song and became active In the emerging teahouse singing scene.[165] During the Republic of China, there were also singing girls sing popular songs in large dance halls or nightclubs. They are dancing girls in the dance hall, but because they are mainly responsible for singing in the dance hall, strictly speaking the title of singing girl is more appropriate.[166] During the late Qing dynasty and the Republic of China, there were three relatively well-known and relatively traditional Gejis,Yang Cuixi,Xiao Fengxian and Li Pingxiang (李苹香). During the late Qing dynasty and the Republic of China, there were very few traditional Gejis and they were no longer organized. Like Xiao Fengxian and Li Pingxiang, there are very few brothel girls who can escape prostitution.
Appearance
[edit]Dress
[edit]There was no special appearance of the costumes of gejis in ancient China; their costumes were generally based on the popular styles of the society at that time.During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, gejis wore hoods, and dancing girls had sleeves several feet long. During the Warring States Period, gejis wore long-sleeved, curved-hem robes with cross collars and right lapels, long robes that trailed on the ground, and large belts tied around the waist.The gejis wore curved skirts, had extremely thin waists, their hair hung down to their shoulders and was slightly curled upwards. This was roughly the typical attire of gejis in the Yanzhao region.[167][168]The gejis of the Warring States Period also wore fan-shaped buns on their heads, with two strands of hair hanging down like phoenix wings, and one strand of hair on top of their heads floating upwards. They tied a small braid at the back of their heads, with the knot clearly visible.[169]The gejis painted on the unearthed painted wooden figurines and lacquer boxes of the Chu State all wore quju(曲裾) Hanfu(汉服), mostly long robes that reached the ground. This style was later borrowed by the robes of the Han Dynasty.[170]The leaders of women's clothing in the Han Dynasty were noble ladies and gejis in the capital. The clothing of gejis in the Han Dynasty, with long sleeves, tight waists, and lightness, was the best among women's clothing of the time. The dancing costumes of gejis in the Han Dynasty showed the beauty of the human body very well. The most eye-catching design of the dancing costumes was the long sleeves, which were an indispensable auxiliary means for dancing girls to express their feelings.[171]The costumes of court gejis in the Qin and Han dynasties were ingenious and varied, with light and gorgeous textures. They wore long-sleeved tight short tops and long skirts that dragged on the ground, they decorated with gold, silver, jewelry, tortoise shells, feathers, and jade. Court gejis in the Han Dynasty were famous for their ability to dance with water sleeves. Water sleeves are a special kind of clothing that appeared in the Qin and Han dynasties. The sleeves of ordinary clothes were connected to a section, and then narrow and long false sleeves were installed to increase the beauty of the dance. This kind of clothing was loved by many people, and the water sleeves in later opera costumes were influenced by this dance costume.[172]The geji has her hair in a high bun, which is decorated with jewels and flowers. She wears a long robe that trails on the ground with a left lapel, which is a typical Eastern Han Dynasty costume.[173]Zhao Feiyan(赵飞燕), a concubine of Emperor Cheng of Han who was born as a geji, invented a pleated skirt which she named "Liuxian skirt(留仙裙)". This skirt later became popular among women.[174]
The gejis of the Sui Dynasty wore narrow-sleeved tunics and high-waisted bust-binding skirts with flowing brocade belts. They liked to wear combs, which were popular at the time, on their heads.[175]In the Tang Dynasty, liao ling(缭绫) was used not only for official uniforms, but also for the clothes of palace maids and gejis,using it for dance clothes was considered a great luxury and waste. The dance clothes of gejis had wide sleeves and long skirts, which were not common in real life. At that time, ordinary shirts had narrow sleeves and long skirts, but not as long as those made specifically for dancing.[176]"Banbi(半臂)" is a tight-fitting, half-sleeved, wide-necked, short top that slightly exposes the chest. There are different types of neckline styles. The open neckline was popular during the heyday of the Tang Dynasty. It was originally worn by court concubines and gejis, and later by noble ladies.Gejis in the Tang Dynasty would also wear half-sleeve garments with pleated sleeves.There were dozens of types of dances in the Tang Dynasty, and gejis would wear different clothes and accessories when performing different dances.The "Jiaofang Ji(教坊记)" records the costumes of "Shengshouyue(圣寿乐)". The skirts of the gejis were all embroidered with a large flower. On the outside of the embroidered skirt, they wore a short shirt of the same color as the embroidered skirt. When the gejis appeared, the audience saw that they were wearing only a single-color dress. When they danced to the second fold, the gejis gathered in the middle of the stage, and immediately took off the shirts from their collars and put them in their arms.[177]The costumes for Tang Dynasty's vigorous dances(健舞) mostly had small sleeves to facilitate leaping and spinning, while the costumes for Tang Dynasty's soft dances(软舞) mostly had large sleeves to show graceful and relaxed postures.[178]The Zhezhi dance(柘枝舞) of the Tang Dynasty was a Hu dance(胡舞). The gejis wore red or purple Luoshan and a Hu hat with golden bells on it. The golden bells were its characteristic. The gejis wore red brocade boots and long hanging belts, which formed the impression of the costumes of the Zhezhi dancing girls in the Tang Dynasty.[179]At that time, a piece of clothing worn by a geji in Chang'an City of the Tang Dynasty might cost three hundred strings of cash.Famous poets in the Tang Dynasty often wrote poems and essays for gejis. They might write about what clothes a certain geji wore or what hairstyle she had. This would quickly spread, and other women would follow suit and imitate the geji's dress.[180]
Song Dynasty gejis would wear the same clothes when rehearsing for group performances. For example, gejis would wear a light-colored tube-top dress with a red beizi(褙子) on the outside. Gejis would also wear a tube-top dress with a beizi(褙子) of another color on a daily basis.The tube-top dresses worn by gejis would also have embroidered patterns, such as small golden phoenix patterns.Song Dynasty gejis would also wear flower crowns as headdresses, which were sometimes decorated with flowers.[181]Some gejis also wore shanzis(衫子) on top and trousers on the bottom instead of skirts.[182]The long silk scarf that women in ancient times draped over their shoulders and wrapped around their arms was called a shawl. In the Song Dynasty, shawls were initially worn by concubines and gejis. When they walked, they dragged two ribbons to add to the graceful beauty of women. Later, they gradually became part of the dress of women in the folk.[183]In the Yuan Dynasty, the "jacket and skirt" style of clothing was very popular among young women, and gejis also liked to dress this way. Gejis wore short clothes on their upper body, called ru (襦), ao (袄), shan (衫), and skirts on their lower body. Gejis' clothing was mostly made of expensive silk fabrics, mostly made of gauze, brocade, and silk.The hairstyle of Han people in the Yuan Dynasty generally followed the tradition of previous generations, and they liked to pile up their hair in a bun. Gejis liked to comb their hair to the top of the head, comb it into one or several strands, and then coil it into various shapes. The hair combed to the top of the head was higher than the bun coiled behind the head, so it was called "high bun". "Cloud bun" was a popular style of gejis at that time.[184]In the early Ming Dynasty, it was stipulated that gejis were not allowed to wear fancy clothes and could only wear clothes of low-key colors.The gejis wore horn crowns and beizis(褙子), which had to be simple.The gejis in the palace had to wear more gorgeous clothes. Their clothes could have round collars made of blue silk. They wore black Tang scarves, with golden flowers embroidered on the bright red collars, and gold-plated flower belts. They could also wear bright red silk headbands, blue-green silk painted cloud shoulders, and gold-painted peony flower soap boots.[185][186]In the middle and late Ming Dynasty, the dress regulations for gejis were abolished, and gejis began to lead the trend of women's clothing to a certain extent. Some gejis' clothing was mainly elegant, with exquisite details on the clothing.[187]In the middle and late Ming Dynasty, the ponytail skirt(马尾裙) from the Korean Peninsula was introduced to the Ming Dynasty. Beijing's gejis were the first women to start wearing ponytail skirts, and later women from other classes also began to wear ponytail skirts.[188]In ancient China, women could use veils such as weimao(帷帽)and muli(幕离) to cover their faces when they went out, and gejis could also use these two to cover their faces.[189]
Makeup
[edit]Ancient gejis were also good at applying makeup. Pang Sanniang(庞三娘), a geji in the Tang Dynasty, was old and had wrinkles on her face, but she was particularly good at applying makeup. She put a gauze on her face and then mixed mica powder and honey on it, making her skin look as smooth and white as a young girl.Yan Daniang(颜大娘), a geji in the Tang Dynasty, had ugly and slightly deformed eyes, but she was very good at applying eye makeup. She was able to use makeup to address the defects of her eyes and make her eyes look lively.[190][191]The gejis of the Tang Dynasty painted themselves with light pink rouge, small red lips, and cute dotted mianyes(面靥).Mianyes(面靥), usually painted on the dimples of the face, is also called zhuangye(妆靥). Court gejis saw the round and cute red mianyes and would imitate them from time to time and use them as makeup. The shape of mianyes can be simple dots or gorgeous and beautiful like flower ornaments. Tang Dynasty gejis wore high buns, their cheeks were as red as sunset clouds, and their lips were as red as peach blossoms.The custom of women wearing huadians(花钿) on their foreheads existed in the Qin and Han dynasties, but was most popular during the Tang and Five Dynasties. "Huadians" are a kind of makeup worn between the eyebrows. The gejis of the Tang Dynasty had peach blossom jade faces and huadians between their eyebrows like dew.There were many kinds of eyebrow shapes popular among women in the Tang Dynasty, and gejis were also good at drawing eyebrows. Gejis often had elegant postures and picturesque eyebrows.[192]During the Tang and Song dynasties, gejis also studied lip makeup to some extent. Their lip makeup had different shades and depths, as well as different sizes and shapes. The fashionable lip balms that gejis mastered at the time had different colors and scents according to different ingredients. They used these lip balms with ever-changing colors and scents to paint a variety of exquisite lip shapes.[193]The gejis of the Song Dynasty were also good at drawing eyebrows. They liked to draw their eyebrows into the shape of delicate willow leaves, which were called "willow leaf eyebrows".[194]"Hua Zi(花子)" is a dian(钿), which is usually made into the shape of a flower, also known as "hua dian(花钿)". Yuan Dynasty gejis usually cut gold foil and paper into patterns and pasted them on their faces, which was called "tie dian(贴钿)".Ancient Chinese women often used various spices, the most famous of which was rose water(蔷薇水), a strong perfume obtained by distilling rose flowers. It originated in Persia and Arabia and had entered China at least during the Five Dynasties, and was very popular among upper-class women and gejis.Ancient Chinese people often admired and appreciated women's slender fingers. The slenderness and beauty of women's fingers were also for decorative reasons. Some gejis would grow their nails long and take care of them frequently.[195]
Geji in ancient Chinese society
[edit]Nowadays, few people distinguish between Gejis and prostitutes, thus causing some confusion between the two. In English, the English expressions for Gejis and prostitutes in China are also relatively vague,both Gejis and high-end prostitutes are called "courtesan". For example, the high-end prostitutes in the red light district of Pingkangfang in the Tang dynasty were called "courtesan" in English, and the Gejis in Jiaofang or song and dance venue in the Tang dynasty were also called "courtesan" in English.[196][197] Among the prostitutes in the late Qing dynasty and the Republic of China, the Changsan class who took prostitution as their profession were also called "courtesan" in English. The word "singsong girl" comes from the Changsan prostitute and is not the real translation of the singing girl. However, now the word "singsong girl" is also used as the translation of the singing girl, so sometimes it may cause misunderstanding.[198][199][200][201] High-end prostitutes or famous prostitutes such as Sai Jinhua and Du Shiniang who are engaged in prostitution are called "courtesan" in English. Well-known Gejis such as Eight Beauties of Qinhuai and Xue Tao who are engaged in performing arts are also called "courtesan" in English.[202][203] Stories about Gejis and prostitutes in ancient China are sometimes called "courtesan" stories. The story about the Geji The Tale of Huo Xiaoyu and The Peach Blossom Fan corresponds to "courtesan" in English, while the story about the high-end prostitute The Tale of Li Wa and “The Oil Vendor and the Queen of Flowers” also corresponds to "courtesan" in English.[204][205][206][207] Because both Geji and high-end prostitutes can be called "courtesan" in English, it is sometimes easy to cause misunderstandings. In Chinese, the English word "courtesan" is often translated as "prostitute" in the Chinese language environment, so this can easily cause misunderstanding.[208] In ancient Chinese society, a Geji was a performer who was engaged in sing and dance performances, and there was a certain difference from high-end prostitutes who were engaged in prostitution.[209][210][211]
In ancient Chinese society, Gejis belonged to the lower class of society, and their social status was far lower than that of the upper-class men with whom they interacted. However, they generally did not engage in prostitution, and their relationships with men were usually not based on prostitution and whoring relationship. In ancient Chinese culture, the upper class needed art for entertainment, so they naturally needed professional entertainers with performing arts.[212] However, because entertainers were people who entertained the upper class, their social status was lower.[213] The social status of female entertainers was lower than that of male entertainers because in ancient China men could participate in various jobs and were considered the main source of family income, women are usually confined to the home, and most women cannot go out to work.[214] In ancient Chinese tradition, women took acting as their profession, and it was not appropriate for women to play musical instruments in front of men. Therefore, female performers were at the bottom of society. Although the social status of Geji is lower, Geji is one of the female professions in ancient China, Gejis and prostitutes are two professions that exist in society at the same time.[100]
Selling songs is different from prostitution, listening to songs is different from whoring, and what does it have to do with morality? ——However, since they are forced to sing as a career, their songs must have no artistic interest; besides, we should sympathize with their life experiences.
— Zhu Ziqing, Prose"The Qinhuai River in the Sound of Oars and Shadows of Lanterns"
Geji and Art
[edit]The ancient Chinese allusion of "Yuyin Raoliang (余音绕梁)" comes from a Geji named Han E(韩娥). Han'e, the Hanguo (先秦韩国) Geji of the pre-Qin dynasty, came to Qi from Hanguo. She had beautiful appearance, beautiful voice, and her singing was also very emotional. When Han E cried with a "Man Sheng (曼声)", the song she sang was extremely sad, and people were immersed in sadness after listening to it. People in the Yongmen area of Qi State were famous for their singing skills because they learned Han E's singing. People in the capital of Qi are good at singing and crying sadly, which was influenced by Han E.[216][217][218]
Geji also participated in the singing of ancient Chinese Yuefu (乐府) music. During the Southern and Northern dynasties (南北朝), the authors of folk songs in the Southern dynasties were Han Chinese (汉人), and many Yuefu poems were written by Geji.[219][220] Geji are the receivers and disseminators of Tang poetry. They participate in the oral dissemination method of Tang poetry construction, but are closely related to the written creation of Tang poetry.[221] The repeated singing of Song Ci (宋词) by Gejis promoted the popularity of Ci. To a certain extent, it influenced and consolidated the aesthetic appreciation of the people of the Song dynasty for Ci, creating a trend of literati writing Ci, Gejis singing Ci, and the people loving Ci. Gejis had a profound impact on the development of Song Ci.[222] In the Yuan dynasty, Gejis widely participated in the performance of zaju (杂剧). Through the practice of stage performance, Gejis made the singing skills and other stage arts of zaju improved and perfected, and the performances of Gejis in various places objectively promoted the spread of zaju.[223]
The importance of courtesans in Chinese love, literature, music, politics, etc cannot be overemphasized. Men think it is inappropriate for women of purdah families to play musical instruments, which is harmful to their moral cultivation; it is also inappropriate for them to read too many books, which is also harmful to their morals. Painting and poetry are rarely encouraged. However, men do not give up the pursuit of female companions with literary and artistic attainments. Those gejis have great development in these areas because they do not need ignorance to protect their morality.
— Lin Yutang, My Country and My People——Courtesans and Concubines
Two female poets of the "Four Great Female Poets of the Tang Dynasty", Xue Tao and Liu Caichun, were born as gejis.[225]Xue Tao, a female poet who was born a geji, is also among “the four great talented women in Shu(蜀中四大才女)”.[226]Xue Tao was the first female innovator in the history of Chinese calligraphy,she is also a female innovator in the history of Chinese papermaking.[227][228]Ma Xianglan(马湘兰) was born as a geji, was the first female xiqu(戏曲) writer in Chinese history.[229]Ma Xianglan was also the first geji in Chinese history to form a Kunqu family troupe.[230]The geji Xue Susu was the only female chess player in the Ming Dynasty for whom historical records can be found.[231]Han Yuesu(韩约素) was a geji in the late Ming Dynasty and became a seal engraver in the Qing Dynasty. She is the first Chinese female seal engraver to be recorded in the "Biography of Seal Engravers(印人传)" as a seal engraver.[232]Dong Xiaowan, who was born a geji, invented tiger skin meat(虎皮肉) and Dong sugar(董糖).Dong Xiaowan is listed among the "Top Ten Famous Chefs in Ancient China" and "Six Beautiful Chefs in Ancient China".[233][234]Zhu Sulan(朱素兰), a geji and female pingtan artist,she create the first female storyteller Shuyu(书寓) or Shuchang(书场), further expanding the social influence of pingtan(评弹).[235][236]Yang Cuixi(杨翠喜) is an Hebei Bangzi(河北梆子) and Peking Opera actress,she is also a Geji.[237][238]Yang Cuixi was one of the first actresses in China to start performing Peking Opera.[239]
Geji and Male
[edit]In ancient China, male poets and scholars spared no effort to describe the singing and dancing tradition of gejis, which made gejis closely associated with Chinese literary history. The intellectual women in ancient China included gejis, and part of the content about the intellectual education of women in ancient China also needs to be explored among these gejis.Some men looked for gejis who excelled in poetry, music, painting, and clever repartee. Because of men's pursuit of talented women, the requirements for gejis are no longer limited to music and dance. The requirements for gejis have also included elegant skills such as poetry, go, and tea ceremony.The geji culture in ancient China reshaped the purely sexual relationship with prostitutes into a cultural relationship. Men could even develop a like-minded friendship with a geji.Gejis were required to be educated in the art field that belonged to male scholars, so that they could be refined and even masculine. But in fact, in ancient Chinese society, even though gejis were versatile, they were still regarded as "fashionable items" needed by elite men.[240][241]
Because of the restrictions on purdah women's travel, many young men may have lost the opportunity for courtship and romance during their first marriage. Some gentry chose to fall in love with well-educated gejis outside of the marriage and concubine system. In ancient Chinese novels about Caizi jiaren(才子佳人), the protagonists of some stories appear as gejis.In ancient Chinese tradition, gejis needed to be pursued by men, and the pursuit of gejis might take several months, but prostitutes did not need to be pursued.[242][243]In ancient China, concubinage was legal. It was a common practice for an upper-class married male to have one or more concubines, provided he could support them.The custom could be invoked without the wife's consent. A man might choose a geji to be his concubine. Many gejis would also use art and poetry to attract potential husbands in the hopes of becoming concubines.[244]
See also
[edit]- Geisha and Maiko in Japan
- Kisaeng in Korea
- Tawaif in India
- Gaṇikā in India
- Nagarvadhu in India
- Qiyan in the pre-modern Islamic world
- Almah in the Middle East
References
[edit]- ^ 《席上闻歌妓》明代·张羽:“艳色倾前席,高歌度远楹。羞多时掩面,娇重未成声。浅按红牙拍,轻和宝钿筝。周郎知误处,众里最多情。”
- ^ a b The Identity and Destiny of Ancient Female Musicians
- ^ 朱自清散文《桨声灯影里的秦淮河》:“两个相反的意思在我心头往复:卖歌和卖淫不同,听歌和狎妓不同,又干道德甚事?——但是,但是,她们既被逼的以歌为业,她们的歌必无艺术味的;况她们的身世,我们究竟该同情的。”
- ^ The process of drawing the music and dance pictures on the murals of Han Xiu(韩休)'s tomb in the Tang dynasty
- ^ 《旧唐书》·列传第一百四十一 方伎
- ^ "Ji(技)".
- ^ "Ji(伎)".
- ^ "Geji (歌妓) explain".
- ^ "On the Characteristics of the Communication of Song Ci Geji".
- ^ "'The beauty lies in women'—On the role of Gejis in poetry of the Tang and Song Dynasties".
- ^ 《梦扬州乐妓和诗》唐·刘禹锡:“花作婵娟玉作妆,风流争似旧徐娘。夜深曲曲湾湾月,万里随君一寸肠。”
- ^ 《承柘湖内翰见招获闻声妓之美醉后漫占三绝句》 明代·皇甫子循:“二月莺花乐事新,更怜罗绮坐生春。当杯入手休辞饮,祇恐夫君怒美人。”
- ^ 《鹦鹉》唐·白居易:“陇西鹦鹉到江东,养得经年觜渐红。常恐思归先剪翅,每因喂食暂开笼。人怜巧语情虽重,鸟忆高飞意不同。应似朱门歌舞妓,深藏牢闭后房中。”
- ^ 《蜡梅》宋代·程炎子:“画楼人醉烛高烧,滴在寒枝蜡未消。蕊撇打莺金弹滑,花悬驱雀彩铃摇。歌儿戏拍供檀板,妆女轻裁贴翠翘。酒揭黄封诗嚼淡,时匀乳蜜过山腰。”
- ^ 司马迁《史记·外戚世家》载:“卫皇后字子夫,生微矣。盖其家号曰卫氏,子夫为平阳主讴者。”
- ^ 《贫女吟》唐代·郑谷:“尘压鸳鸯废锦机,满头空插丽春枝。东邻舞妓多金翠,笑剪灯花学画眉。”
- ^ 《衮绣球花》宋代·方回:“”舞姬初试薄罗衣,趁蝶随蜂玩午晖。各折一枝入深院,欢声赢得绣球归。”
- ^ "dancing girl(舞女) explain".
- ^ 《左传》云:'天子八八,诸侯六八,大夫四八,士二八。'其议甚允。今诸王不复舞佾,其总章舞伎,即古之女乐也。殿庭八八,诸王则应六八,《春秋》郑伯纳晋悼公女乐二八,晋以一八赐魏绛,此乐以八八为列之证也。若如议者,唯天子有八,则郑应纳晋二六,晋应赐绛一六也。自天子至士,其文物典章,尊卑差级,莫不以两。未有诸侯既降二列,又一列辄减二人,近降大半,非唯八音不具,于两义亦乖。"
- ^ Female musicians(女乐) explain
- ^ Ji(妓) explain
- ^ "Are "Bo" and "Meng" the difference between the wife's son and the concubine's son?".
- ^ "Jī(姬) explain".
- ^ 敦煌乐伎同台竞技 “顶流”天团“C位”好难选
- ^ 张爱玲诞辰百年|细读《海上花》③:《倾城之恋》里有爱情吗
- ^ 北里志
- ^ 民国风月场的文人想象
- ^ 清人笔记里的广东“老举”:潮州妓女多赞誉、来源:南方周末和凤凰网、作者:罗韬、2014年03月16日
- ^ 扬州美女血泪史:"瘦马"或作妾 或送入烟花柳巷、来源:现代快报、2012年05月07日
- ^ 张爱玲诞辰百年|细读《海上花》①:从长三书寓到香港大宅
- ^ 民国时期歌女上岗要持证·作者:张敏、薛培英、李磊、高勇·来源:凤凰网安徽-合肥晚报·2015-06-04
- ^ 晚清·徐珂《清稗类钞·开封之妓》:“开封之妓,上者曰马班子,居第四巷,或寄居逆旅以伺客,盖艺妓也。其住会馆衚同者,则专以夜度为事。”
- ^ 胡朴安《中华全国风俗志·河南·洛阳风俗琐录》:“娼妓俗呼曰马班子,上等居于客栈,下等住于窑内。”
- ^ 王西彦《古屋》第一部四:“因为那里溺死了我的一个--像你所说的‘最好的爱人’,一个古代希腊的艺妓那样的人物。”
- ^ "【Kaohsiung Hama Star】One, Two, Three Pavilions".
- ^ 向春《煤城怒火》第三一章一:“打扮得花花绿绿的艺妓,给小岛斟酒,递笑。”
- ^ "日本长野县温泉举行"艺妓峰会"展示技艺".
- ^ "金喜善朴志胤演艺妓角色《解语花》令人期待".
- ^ "How Pakistani film music has declined over the decades".
- ^ "《人类艺术万年史-033》印度吠陀时期的音乐、舞蹈". 29 April 2023.
- ^ "阿拉伯地区音乐".
- ^ "Historical Dig: "Qinglou" originally referred to a luxurious residence, which was the residence of the emperor".
- ^ "The original meaning and partial meaning of "Qinglou"".
- ^ "Revealing the secrets of anti-pornography in ancient China".
- ^ "A brief history of yuejis reveals the status of yuejis in different dynasties".
- ^ 万山见采桑人诗 南梁 · 刘邈 倡妾不胜愁,结束下青楼。 逐伴西蚕路,相携南陌头。 叶尽时移树,枝高乍易钩。 丝绳挂且脱,金笼写复收。 蚕饥日已暮,讵为使君留⑴。 ⑴ ○玉台新咏八。《类聚》八十八。文苑英华二百八及《乐府诗集》二十八作采桑。《诗纪》八十八。
- ^ 古曲(《诗纪》云。一作杂曲。) 北周 · 王褒 青楼临大道,游侠尽淹留。 陈王金被马,秦女桂为钩。 驰轮洛城巷,斗鸡南陌头。 薄暮风尘起,聊为清夜游⑴。 ⑴ ○文苑英华二百七。《乐府诗集》七十七。《诗纪》百十三。
- ^ 在水军宴韦司马楼船观妓(757年1月) 唐·李白:摇曳帆在空,清流(一作川)顺归风。诗因鼓吹发,酒为剑歌雄。对舞青楼妓,双鬟白玉童。行云且莫去,留醉楚王宫。
- ^ 鲛红被 唐·史凤:肱被当年仅禦寒,青楼惯染血猩纨。牙床舒卷鹓鸾共,正值窗棂月一团。
- ^ 宫中行乐词 其五 (743年) 唐 · 李白:绣户香风暖,纱窗曙色新。宫花争笑日,池草暗生春。绿树闻歌鸟,青楼见舞人。昭阳桃李月,罗绮自(一作坐)相亲。
- ^ "Decoding the Blue Code in Traditional Culture".
- ^ 湖上 其四 (丙午) 清 · 赵翼:碧月高高烂绛河,游船归处绣灯多。青楼弦索教新曲,夜半犹闻爱爱歌。
- ^ 戒好色 清 · 安祯:钟情花柳逞风流,伐髓枯精最可忧。迷恋红裙多败德,劝君磨去上青楼。
- ^ "The life of sex workers in old Shanghai qinglous revealed".
- ^ [Linxia Intangible Cultural Heritage] Yongjing Nuo Dance: A living fossil in the history of dance
- ^ 《管子·轻重甲》:“昔者桀之时,女乐三万人,端操晨乐,闻于三衢”。
- ^ 西汉·司马迁《史记·殷本纪》:帝纣资辨捷疾,闻见甚敏;材力过人,手格猛兽;知足以距谏,言足以饰非;矜人臣以能,高天下以声,以为皆出己之下。好酒淫乐,嬖於妇人。爱妲己,妲己之言是从。於是使师涓作新淫声,北里之舞,靡靡之乐。
- ^ 艾治平.艺妓诗事.学林出版社.2006年8月1日.15页
- ^ 拾遗记卷四:燕昭王(五事) 王即位二年,广延国来献善舞者二人:一名旋娟,一名提谟,并玉质凝肤,体轻气馥,绰约而窈窕,绝古无伦。或行无迹影,或积年不饥。昭王处以单绡华幄,饮以瓀鈱之膏,饴以丹泉之粟。王登崇霞之台,乃召二人,徘徊翔舞,殆不自支。王以缨?娄拂之,二人皆舞。容冶妖丽,靡于鸾翔,而歌声轻扬。乃使女伶代唱其曲,清响流韵,虽飘梁动木,未足嘉也。其舞一名《萦尘》,言其体轻与尘相乱;次曰《集羽》,言其婉转若羽毛之从风;末曰《旋怀》,言其肢体缠曼,若入怀袖也。乃设麟文之席,散荃芜之香。香出波弋国,浸地则土石皆香,着朽木腐草,莫不郁茂,以熏枯骨,则肌肉皆生。以屑喷地,厚四五寸,使二女舞其上,弥日无迹,体轻故也。时有白鸾孤翔,衔千茎穟。穟于空中自生,花实落地,则生根叶。一岁百获,一茎满车,故曰“盈车嘉穟”。麟文者,错杂宝以饰席也,皆为云霞麟凤之状。昭王复以衣袖麾之,舞者皆止。昭王知其神异,处于崇霞之台,设枕席以寝宴,遣侍人以卫之。王好神仙之术,玄天之女,托形作此二人。昭王之末,莫知所在。或云游于汉江,或伊洛之滨。
- ^ 智救莫愁女的故事·湖北日报·2023-05-26
- ^ From Mo Chou Nu, we can see that Chu Ci and folk music poems have been sung in songs
- ^ 刘向《说苑》卷二十记阿房宫规模则云:“关中离宫三百所,关外四百所,皆有钟磬、帷帐、妇人、优倡,······锦绣文采,满府有余;妇女娼优,数万巨人,钟鼓之乐,流漫无穷”。
- ^ 《史记·秦始皇本纪》:“秦每破诸侯,写于其宫室,作之咸阳北阪上,南临渭,自雍门以东至泾、渭,殿屋复道周阁相属。所得诸侯美人钟鼓,以充入之”。
- ^ "曼妙多姿的战汉玉舞人". yuxibwg.com. 2021-06-25. Archived from the original on Jun 19, 2023.
- ^ a b 《词人与歌妓:歌妓对中国宋词文学的贡献》,中国知网学术论文,发布院校:吉利学院数字媒体与表演学院,作者:周文理
- ^ “昔为倡家女,今为荡子妇”考──兼论汉代“倡家”的实际社会生活状况·日本矢田博士 著,中国李寅生 译·中国知网《河池师专学报》·1998年
- ^ 汉代酒酣乐作的宴饮舞蹈
- ^ "【溯源甘肃】魏晋南北朝时期甘肃的乐舞艺术" [Music and dance art in Gansu during the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties]. gansu.gansudaily.com.cn. January 19, 2023. Archived from the original on Jun 19, 2023.
- ^ "铜雀妓二首原文、翻译及赏析".
- ^ 《魏晋南北朝时期女乐舞蹈艺术探究》·中国知网学术论文,发布院校:陕西师范大学·作者:夏诣超·发布日期:2018年5月
- ^ 《济阳伽蓝记》:“出西阳门四里,御道南有洛阳火市,周回八....南有调音、乐肆二里,里内之人,丝竹讴歌天下妙伎出焉。”
- ^ 《苕溪渔隐丛话》记载:“湖州德清县南前溪村,则南朝集乐之处。今尚有数百家习音乐。江南声伎,多自此出,所谓舞出前溪者也。”
- ^ "The "Seven Parts of Music" and "Nine Parts of Music" in the Sui Dynasty".
- ^ http://epaper.cnwomen.com.cn/html/2021-08/24/nw.D110000zgfnb%2020210824%203-5.htm[dead link]
- ^ 杜阳林 (2020-07-23). "薛涛 才倾大唐的女诗人". scdfz.org.cn. Archived from the original on Jun 7, 2023.
- ^ a b "音乐|永陵二十四乐伎 奏响前蜀乐章". cdcppcc.gov.cn. Archived from the original on Jun 7, 2023.
- ^ "隔屏舞转回红袖".
- ^ ""Da Song Palace Ci" Liu E: From Geji to queen, her life is more exciting than the TV series!". 15 April 2021.
- ^ "乐章集中的宋代歌妓".
- ^ 明朝冯梦龙《三言二拍喻世明言·第五卷》“众名妓春风吊柳七”:那柳七官人,真个是朝朝楚馆,夜夜秦楼。内中有三个出名上等的行首,往来尤密。一个唤做陈师师,一个唤做赵香香,一个唤做徐冬冬。这三个行首,陪着自己的钱财,争养柳七官人。怎见得?有戏题一词,名《西江月》为证:调笑师师最惯,香香暗地情多,冬冬与我煞脾和,独自窝盘三个。 “管”字下边无分,“闭”字加点如何?权将“好”字自停那,“奸”字中间着我。 一日,在赵香香家偶然昼寝,梦见一黄衣吏从天而下,道说:“奉玉帝意旨,《霓裳羽衣曲》已旧,欲易新声,特借重仙笔即刻便往。”柳七官人醒来,便讨香汤沐浴,对赵香香道“适蒙上帝召见,我将去矣。各家姐妹可寄一信,不能候之相见也。”言毕,瞑目而坐。香香视之,已死矣。慌忙报知谢玉英,玉英一步一跌的哭将来。陈师师、徐冬冬两个行首,一时都到。又有几家曾往来的,闻知此信,也来到赵家。
- ^ "Courtesan competed to sing Liu Yong's lyrics for fame. Song Renzong was ashamed to admit that he was his fan".
- ^ "宋词三百首笺注".
- ^ "【惠州文脉·西湖】苏东坡的"两个西湖"". 24 July 2020.
- ^ "钱王故里 宋韵临安丨寻宋⑦:琴操墓".
- ^ "苏轼是"低情商大炮" 让好友家"河东狮吼"出名".
- ^ "Poets and Gejis". 17 November 2023.
- ^ "宋朝也流行"好声音":第一组为"小唱"选手".
- ^ 欧阳珍.以《全宋词》为蓝本看宋代歌妓词人及其词作.文学教育 古典重读.2016年11月
- ^ "Qinglou Ji(青楼集)".
- ^ 《元史·顺帝本纪》载:顺帝怠于政事,荒于游乐,以宫女三圣奴、妙乐奴、文殊奴等十六人舞十六天魔舞。
- ^ 元人张昱在《辇下曲》诗中赞《天魔舞》:“西天法曲曼声长,璎珞垂衣称绝装。大宴殿中歌舞上,华严海会庆君王。西方舞女即天人,玉手昙花满把青。舞唱天魔供奉曲,君王常在月宫听。”
- ^ "Sixteen large restaurants in the Ming Dynasty were spread throughout Nanjing and beyond".
- ^ 《万历野获编》补遗卷三:“洪武二十七年,上以海内太平,思与民偕乐,命工部建十酒楼于江东门外,有鹤鸣、醉仙、讴歌、鼓腹、来宾、重译等名。既而又增作五楼,至是皆成。诏赐文武百官钞,命宴于醉仙楼。而五楼则专以处侑酒歌妓者,盖仿宋故事,但不设官酝,以收榷课,最为清朝佳事。”
- ^ "金陵十二钗,没有黛玉也没有宝钗".
- ^ "Why was the beloved concubine of the Ming Dynasty buried alone at the foot of Yanshan Mountain?". Sohu.
- ^ 《亘史钞》:“武宗南征驻跸金陵,选教坊司乐妓十人备供奉。宝奴(王眉山)为首,姿容瑰丽出众,数得持巾栉近。圣尊班中,人争求希以媚上,或毁妆以自全。”
- ^ 《明史·刘观传》:“臣僚宴乐,以奢相尚,歌妓满前”。
- ^ "(张二乔) 蕙质如纸薄,兰心比天高".
- ^ "相识之初被冒辟疆婉拒的董小宛,何以成就传奇爱情".
- ^ a b Lin Yutang: Courtesans taught the Chinese people romantic love
- ^ ""秦淮八艳"能否上文化墙".
- ^ "【中华文化溯源】秦淮河:桨声灯影逢盛世".
- ^ "The status of dancers in the Qing Dynasty was humble, and there are only a handful of them in historical records".
- ^ 《国朝名家诗钞小传》郭元釪:“维扬为东南都会,俗尚淫侈,而豪商大贾尤以财雄视闾左,率鲜衣怒马,选妓征歌,载酒平山堂、二十四桥为乐。”
- ^ ""二十四桥"之谜".
- ^ 《觚剩续编》卷三《事觚》“季氏之富”:“家有女乐三部,悉称音姿妙选。阁宴宾筵,更番佐酒。”
- ^ 顾彩《容美纪游》“田舜年”条:“女优皆十七八好女郎,声色俱佳,初学吴腔,略带楚调。”
- ^ "李渔私家戏班首演在徐州".
- ^ "西汉至民国,扬州24位美女来了!".
- ^ "《扬州画舫录》·卷九_汉程国学".
- ^ "永寿宫的汉妃秘闻".
- ^ "乾隆嫔妃中的民女们:她们是如何进宫的?".
- ^ a b "四春琐谭五则".
- ^ "The Willow and the Flower". Temple Illuminatus. 4 February 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
- ^ a b Harris, Rachel; Pease, Rowan; Tan, Shzr Ee (2013). Gender in Chinese music. Rochester, NY: Univ. of Rochester Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-1580464437.
- ^ a b c Precious Records: Women in China's Long Eighteenth Century
- ^ Ward, Jean Elizabeth (June 27, 2008). Li Qingzhao: an Homage to. Lulu.com. p. 108. ISBN 978-1435715134.
- ^ "1860年:英法联军只焚烧了圆明园吗?".
- ^ "Why did Emperor Tongzhi die at the age of only 19? It's all the fault of Bada Hutong".
- ^ "Famous Chinese Daughters of the Past Dynasties Hua Yanfang".
- ^ 莊于寬(Chuang, Yu-Kuan) (2004). "Musical activities of Taiwan Yidans in the 1930s - taking "369 Tabloid" as the main analysis document". 臺灣大學音樂學研究所學位論文. 2004. 國立台灣大學學位論文: 1–148. doi:10.6342/NTU.2004.02466.
- ^ "Are there geishas in Taiwan? Taiwanese Yidans who are performing arts but not prostitution".
- ^ "Preferred collection: Sing the song and the fireworks will disappear—Taiwan Yidan's career and life".
- ^ "[Yan Zhi You Wu] Flower Hall‧Restaurant‧Hoe Barbecue Party─Traveling through the late Qing Dynasty and the Japanese occupation period for a meal". 7 May 2021.
- ^ "Taiwan Record Development".
- ^ "Jiang Weishui's Emotions and Family Life".
- ^ "Based on Taiwanese Yidan Wang Xiangchan, Ruan Opera Troupe's "Xiang Chan" interprets the multiple faces of the legendary woman".
- ^ 清稗类钞·音乐类·女弹词:“上海称女弹词曰先生,奏技于书场曰坐场,又曰场唱。开场各抱乐具,奏乐一终,急管繁弦,按腔合拍。乐终,重弄琵琶,则曼声长吟,率为七言丽句,曰开篇。其声如百啭春莺,悠扬可听。曲终,诵唐人五绝一首。说书时,口角诙谐,维妙维肖,以能描摹尽致,拟议传神者为贵。所虑者,不失之生涩,即流于粗疏,忘其为女子身也。”
- ^ 清稗类钞·音乐类·女弹词:“女弹词皆有师承,例须童而习之。其后限制稍宽,有愿入者,则奉一人为师,而纳银币三十圆于公所,便可标题书寓,后并此银不复纳矣。及书寓众多,于是有每岁会书一次之例。会书者,会于书场而献技,各说传奇一段,不能与不往者,自是皆不得称先生,不得坐场。未几而此例亦废。”
- ^ 清稗类钞·音乐类·女弹词:“妓席招弹词女至,不陪席,别设远坐,不敬烟,命女佣代敬。惟宴于其家,席无妓,始陪坐,曰堂唱,赉以银币二,独与客对,亦敬烟。凡此斤斤,盖其自处,即谚云卖口不卖身耳,然其中难言者亦颇有之。”
- ^ 清稗类钞·音乐类·女弹词:“上海书寓创自朱素兰,久之而此风大著,同治初最盛。素兰年五十许,易姓沈,犹时作筵间之承应。继素兰而起者,为周瑞仙、严丽贞。瑞仙以说《三笑姻缘》得名,然仅能说其半,丽贞则能全演。惜兰摧玉折,遽赴夜台。瑞仙年逾大衍,犹养雏姬以博买笑赀。”
- ^ "Shuyu woman,beautiful hongguanrens".
- ^ 晚清·王延鼎日记《南浦行云路》:“自杭州至南昌沿途记听书,难后(灭太平天国后)女说书者风行与沪上,实即妓也,亦称先生。”
- ^ 上海通志·第四十六卷特记 第五章烟、赌、娼 第三节娼妓·上海市地方志办公室主办
- ^ "Shanghai's Porn Industry in the Late Qing Dynasty: The Collapse of the Old Qinglou Culture".
- ^ Centenary of Zhang Ailing’s birth|Reading "Flowers of the Sea" ③: Is there love in "Love in a Fallen City"
- ^ "Centenary of Zhang Ailing's birth|Reading "Flowers of Shanghai" ②: How much does it cost to drink flower wine in Shanghai in the late Qing Dynasty?".
- ^ "Rehabilitation of prostitutes in 1949: Someone tried to strangle the instructor". Sohu.
- ^ "Reasons for the prosperity of prostitute in Tianjin during the Republic of China".
- ^ "Palindrome poems chanted by Puji".
- ^ 清稗类钞·娼妓类一·京师之妓:“京师指妓馆所在地曰衚同。衚同者,火弄之音转耳。凡小巷皆曰衚同,而独以衚同为北里代名词,遂以游妓馆为逛衚同。又指妓馆曰小班。小班之名,起于光绪中叶,内城口袋底、砖塔衚同等志,均有蓄歌妓者,曰小班,以别于外城剧园名某班某班者云尔。自经庚子之乱,内城歌妓星散,而外城各妓馆遂沿袭其名,非十年前之旧也。”
- ^ 清稗类钞·娼妓类一·京师之妓:“京师妓馆分三级,一等即小班,二等谓之茶室,三等谓之下处。此乃营业等级之区别,别有南帮、北帮之称,则地理上之关系也。妓寮向分南北帮,界限颇严,南不侵北,北不扰南。大抵南帮活泼,而不免浮滑,北帮诚实,而不免固执。南帮仪态万方,酬应周至,若北帮则床第外无技能,偎抱外无酬酢。顾亭林论社会情况,以「闲居终日,言不及义,好行小慧」评南人,以「饱食终日,无所用心」评北人,觏南北两帮之妓女亦犹是也。”
- ^ 《孽海花》第三五回:“至於妓女,只有那三等茶室,上流人不能去。还没有南方书寓变相的清吟小班;有之,就从口袋底儿起。”
- ^ 《明诗综》卷九十八:“薛五校书有十能,诗、书、画、琴、弈、箫、绣,而驰马、走索、射弹,尤绝技也。”
- ^ 陈寅恪:柳如是别传·第三章(一) 参汪然明汝谦春星堂诗集贰绮咏载陈继儒序云:“又有二三女校书,如王修微林天素,才类转丸,笔能扛鼎,清言无对,诗画绝伦。”
- ^ "Introduction by Xue Tao".
- ^ 明·汤显祖《牡丹亭·第三出》:“怎念遍的孔子诗书,但略识周公礼数。不枉了银娘玉姐只做个纺砖儿,谢女班姬女校书。”
- ^ 明·商景兰《赠闺塾师黄媛介》诗:“才华直接班姬后,风雅平欺左氏餘……今朝把臂怜同调,始信当年女校书。”
- ^ 梁章钜《称谓录·倡》:“按《履园丛语》,吴门称妓女曰小姐。形之笔墨,或称校书,或称录事。有吴兴书客钱景开者,常在虎丘开书铺,能诗,尤好狭邪。花街柳巷每经其品题甲乙,多有赠句。袁简斋先生每邀景开为狎友,命之曰小姐班头。”
- ^ 《周礼·天官·女史》:“女史掌王后之礼职,掌内治之贰,以诏后治内政。”
- ^ "Sweeping the pen between the eyebrows to attack and cut poems: Appreciation of Dong Xiaowan's regular script poetry fan".
- ^ 《游戏报》:“本报昨登张书玉校书家有客摆酒一节,今校书已移居东荟芳里,合为更正。俾问津渔父,不至误认。桃源按校书,本姑苏城外某村人,毋庸妓院挈之来沪,醴泉芝草本出小家,从弹词王松南习南词,工琵琶,一曲登场,歌喉宛转,颇能得抑扬之致。”
- ^ 《游戏报》:“四马路一带书场林立,其生意最佳者,首推品玉楼、天乐窝两家,缘时髦唱曲倌人独多也。王秀兰、小如意等声价既高,及至登场亦复不苟,言不苟笑,以尊身份,听客亦因爱重之。”
- ^ "Centenary of Zhang Ailing's birth|A close reading of "Flowers of the Sea" ①: From Changsan's Shuyu to a big house in Hong Kong".
- ^ "Unjust is doomed to destruction".
- ^ "The first case of prohibition of prostitution in Nanjing". 13 June 2010.
- ^ "An investigation into the income and influencing factors of dancing girls in Shanghai during the Republic of China——Also talking about the professional identity of Shanghai dancing girls during the Republic of China".
- ^ "The living style and group appearance of Chinese dancing girls in Shanghai during the Republic of China (1932-1937)".
- ^ "[Talking about Shanghai] The disappear profession—Shanghai dancing girl". Sohu.
- ^ "Dance ban stirred up by frugal movement".
- ^ "The 1948 Shanghai Dancing Girl Parade that shocked the country".
- ^ 《桨声灯影里的秦淮河》朱自清:秦淮河上原有一种歌妓,是以歌为业的。从前都在茶舫上,唱些大曲之类。每日午后一时起,什么时候止,却忘记了。晚上照样也有一回,也在黄晕的灯光里。我从前过南京时,曾随着朋友去听过两次。因为茶舫里的人脸太多了,觉得不大适意,终于听不出所以然。前年听说歌妓被取缔了,不知怎的,颇涉想了几次,却想不出什么。这次到南京,先到茶舫上去看看,觉得颇是寂寥,令我无端的怅怅了。不料她们却仍在秦淮河里挣扎着,不料她们竟会纠缠到我们,我于是很张皇了,她们也乘着“七板子”,她们总是坐在舱前的。舱前点着石油汽灯,光亮眩人眼目:坐在下面的,自然是纤毫毕见了─—引诱客人们的力量,也便在此了。舱里躲着乐工等人,映着汽灯的余辉蠕动着;他们是永远不被注意的。每船的歌妓大约都是二人;天色一黑,她们的船就在大中桥外往来不息的兜生意。无论行着的船,泊着的船,都是要来兜揽的。
- ^ "Xiguan City Affairs丨"Shi Niang" and "Nv Ling" were active in the mature period of Cantonese song, and they can be seen everywhere in Xiguan".
- ^ "Culture and entertainment - Foshan folk artists in the old society".
- ^ "Cantonese song originated from Cantonese opera? No!".
- ^ "Paramount's first Chinese jazz band".
- ^ "Clothing in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period: Deep-collared clothing and Hu clothing, a hundred schools of thought in the clothing world". Sohu.
- ^ "What were the main clothing styles during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period".
- ^ "战国来的断袖舞女".
- ^ "A study of the Chu people's slim and beautiful fashion and clothing culture".
- ^ "Appreciation of Women's Clothing in the Han Dynasty".
- ^ "Han Dynasty women's clothing".
- ^ "List of Clothing in the Han Dynasty".
- ^ 《赵飞燕外传》:成帝于太液池作千人舟,号合宫之舟。后歌舞《归风》《送远》之曲,侍郎冯无方吹笙以倚后歌。中流歌酣风大起。后扬袖曰:“仙乎仙乎去故而就新宁忘怀乎?"帝令无方持后裙。风止裙为之绉。"他日宫姝幸者,或襞裙为绉号“留仙裙”。
- ^ "Go back to the Sui Dynasty to watch the live performance! This band has its own "atmosphere group"".
- ^ "广裁衫袖长制裙,金斗熨波刀剪纹——唐代女性服装".
- ^ "Tang Dynasty Women's Clothing".
- ^ "What are the characteristics and designs of Tang Dynasty dancing girls' costumes".
- ^ "A look at women's clothing in the Tang Dynasty from the Complete Tang Poems".
- ^ "穿越到大唐,如何成为一个"时尚酷女孩"".
- ^ "The elegant costumes in "Qing Ping Le" show how women in the Song Dynasty dressed".
- ^ "History of Chinese Clothing/Clothing in the Song Dynasty (VI)".
- ^ "Illustrations of Women's Clothing in the Song Dynasty".
- ^ 浅析民族艺术乔吉杂剧中的歌妓服饰民俗·作者:郑深月·《青春岁月》2022年09期·中国知网·2022年
- ^ 明史·卷六十七 志第43 舆服三:“宫中女乐冠服:洪武三年定制。凡中宫供奉女乐、奉銮等官妻,本色皪髻,青罗圆领。提调女乐,黑漆唐巾,大红罗销金花圆领,镀金花带,皂靴。歌章女乐,黑漆唐巾,大红罗销金裙袄,胸带,大红罗抹额,青绿罗彩画云肩,描金牡丹花皂靴。奏乐女乐,服色与歌章同。嘉靖九年,祀先蚕,定乐女生冠服。黑绉纱描金蝉冠,黑丝缨,黑素罗销金葵花胸背大袖女袍,黑生绢衬衫,锦领,涂金束带,白袜,黑鞋。教坊司冠服:洪武三年定。教坊司乐艺,青字顶巾,系红绿褡愬。乐妓,明角冠,皂褙子,不许与民妻同。”
- ^ “赐友德宴,命叶国珍陪饮,拨与歌妓十余人。太祖令内官觇视,后国珍令歌妓脱去皂冠、皂揩子,穿华丽衣服混坐。太祖怒,令壮士拘执国珍,与妓妇连锁于马坊,妓妇劓去鼻尖。”(《国初事迹》)
- ^ "A Probe into the Reasons of Women's Fashion Consumption in Jiangnan Area in the Mid- and Late Ming Dynasty".
- ^ 陆容《菽园杂记》:马尾裙始于朝鲜国,流入京师,京师人买服之,未有能织者。初服者惟富商、贵公子、歌妓而已。以后武臣多服之,京师始有织卖者,于是无贵无贱,服者日盛。至成化末年,朝臣多服之者矣。大抵服者下体虚奢,取观美耳。阁老万公安冬夏不脱;宗伯周公洪谟重服二腰;年幼侯伯、驸马至有以弓弦贯其齐者。大臣不服者惟黎吏侍淳一人而已。
- ^ 《咏歌姬诗》·江洪·南北朝:“宝镊间珠花,分明靓妆点。薄鬓约微黄,轻红澹铅脸。发言芳已驰,复加兰蕙染。浮声易伤叹,沈唱安而险。孤转忽徘徊,双蛾乍舒敛。不持全示人,半用轻纱掩。”
- ^ 唐·崔令钦《教坊记》:庞三娘善歌舞,其舞颇脚重,然特工装束。又有年,面多皱,帖以轻纱,妙用云母和粉蜜涂之,遂若少容。尝大酺汴州,以名字求雇。使者造门,既见,呼为“恶婆”,问庞三娘子所在。庞绐之曰:“庞三是我外甥,今暂不在,明日来此,奉留之”。使者如言而至。庞乃盛饰,顾客不之识也,因曰:“昨日已参见娘子阿姨”。其变状如此,故坊中呼为“卖假脸贼”。
- ^ 唐·崔令钦《教坊记》:有颜大娘,亦善歌舞,眼重、脸深,有异于众,能料理之,遂若横波,虽家人不觉也。尝因儿死,哀哭,拭泪,其婢见面,惊曰﹕“娘子眼破也!”
- ^ "What kind of makeup did women in the Tang Dynasty wear? Find the answer from the painted dancing girl figurines".
- ^ 《花间十六声》,作者:孟晖,出版时间:2006年9月,生活.读书.新知三联书店,第88页,书号:9787108023421
- ^ 《花间十六声》,作者:孟晖,出版时间:2006年9月,生活.读书.新知三联书店,第123页,书号:9787108023421
- ^ 浅析民族艺术乔吉杂剧中的歌妓服饰民俗·作者:郑深月·《青春岁月》2022年09期·中国知网·2022年
- ^ "City of Marvel and Transformation: Changan and Narratives of Experience in Tang Dynasty China Five Negotiating the Pleasure Quarters".
- ^ "Muses for Poets: Prostitutes in Ancient China Sex was off the table". 28 January 2021.
- ^ "Pioneering Nineteenth-Century Chinese Fiction: The Sing-Song Girls of Shanghai". 29 November 2021.
- ^ 张爱玲《海上花开》:“吴语‘先生’(对高级妓女的称谓)读如“西桑”,上海的英美人听了误以为“sing-Song”,因为她们在酒席上例必歌唱;sing-song girl因此得名,并非‘歌女’译名。
- ^ YEH, CV. Shanghai love : courtesans, intellectuals, and entertainment culture, 1850–1910. Seattle : University of Washington Press, c2006. pp. 21–95, 2006. ISBN 0295985674
- ^ "柳永 Liu Yong ( 984-1053 AD )".
- ^ "Top 10 most glamorous courtesans in ancient China".
- ^ "Basalt Library Staff Pick: 'The Courtesan' by Alexandra Curry". October 2015.
- ^ "Dylan Suher reviews Kong Shangren's The Peach Blossom Fan".
- ^ André Lévy, commentaires à « L'amour trahi », dans Histoires d'amour et de mort de la Chine ancienne, p. 146-147.
- ^ Kevin Tsai, S. -C (2004). "Ritual and Gender in the "Tale of Li Wa"". Chinese Literature: Essays, Articles, Reviews (Clear). 26: 99–127. doi:10.2307/4140623. JSTOR 4140623.
- ^ Lieu, Lorraine S. Y.; et al. (1978). "The Oil Peddler Courts the Courtesan". In Ma, Y. W.; Lau, Joseph S. M. (eds.). Traditional Chinese Stories: Themes and Variations. Columbia University Press. pp. 177–208. ISBN 0231040598.
- ^ "Women and the Guqin".
- ^ 清·曹雪芹《红楼梦·第五回》:“那宝玉忙止歌姬不必再唱,自觉朦胧恍惚,告醉求卧。”
- ^ 清·曹雪芹《红楼梦·第五回》:“此离吾境不远,别无他物,仅有自采仙茗一盏,亲酿美酒几瓮,素练魔舞歌姬数人,新填《红楼梦》仙曲十二支。可试随我一游否?”
- ^ 清·曹雪芹《红楼梦·第五回》:“饮酒之间,又有十二个舞女上来,请问演何词曲。”
- ^ "Guangming Daily Chinese Studies Edition: The tradition of "music education" should be carried forward".
- ^ "Ancient Actors: Social Status, Destiny and Ending". 21 September 2021.
- ^ "Women in Ancient China".
- ^ ""The Qinhuai River in the Sound of Oars and Shadows of Lights" by Zhu Ziqing".
- ^ 《康熙字典》263.01 娥:《唐韻》五何切《集韻》《正韻》牛何切,𠀤音蛾。好也。《揚子·方言》秦謂好曰娥。又星娥,帝少昊母。娥皇,堯女舜妻。見《史記》。又嫦娥,羿妾。《後漢·天文志》嫦娥竊羿不死藥,奔月,及之,爲蟾蜍。又夸娥,天女也。見《列子·湯問篇》。又韓娥,歌妓也。《博物志》韓娥之齊,粥歌假食,旣去,餘響繞梁三日。又姓。見《姓苑》。
- ^ 《韩娥善歌》:昔韩娥东之齐,匮粮,过雍门,鬻歌假食。既去而余音绕梁欐,三日不绝,左右以其人弗去。过逆旅,逆旅人辱之。韩娥因曼声哀哭,一里老幼悲愁,垂涕相对,三日不食,遽而追之。娥还,复为曼声长歌,一里老幼喜跃抃舞,弗能自禁,忘向之悲也。乃厚赂发之。故雍门之人,至今善歌哭,放娥之遗声。
- ^ 《列子·汤问》:昔韩娥东之齐,匮粮,过雍门,鬻(yù)歌假食,既去而余音绕梁,三日不绝。左右以其人弗去。过逆旅,逆旅人辱之,韩娥因曼声方哀哭,一里老幼悲愁,垂涕相对,三日不食,遽而追之。娥还,复为曼声长歌。一里老幼喜跃忭(biàn)舞,弗能自禁,忘向之悲也。
- ^ "Liang Haiyan: Political and philosophical implications in the construction of Han and Tang Yuefu".
- ^ "A Comparative Study of Female Images in Yuefu Folk Songs of the Northern and Southern Dynasties".
- ^ "On the Oral Transmission of Tang Poetry by Gejis". 内蒙古大学学报(哲学社会科学版) (6). 2012. doi:10.13484/j.cnki.ndxbzsb.2012.06.008.
- ^ "On the Influence of Gejis on the Development of Song Ci Culture".
- ^ "Geji and the prosperity of zaju in the Yuan Dynasty".
- ^ 《吾国与吾民·妓女与姬妾》·林语堂:妓女在中国的爱情、文学、音乐、政治等方面的重要性是怎么强调都不会过分的。男人们认为让体面人家的女子去摆弄乐器是不合适的,于她们的品德培养有害;让她们读太多的书也不合适,于她们的道德同样有害。绘画与诗歌也很少受到鼓励。但是男人们并不因此而放弃对文学与艺术上有造诣的女性伴侣的追求。那些歌伎们都在这些方面大有发展,因为她们不需要无知来保护自己的品德。
- ^ "Four great female poets of the Tang Dynasty".
- ^ "Tianfu Culture Cloud Lecture Hall: Get to know the legendary life of Xue Tao, a talented woman from Shuzhong".
- ^ "Tianfu Culture Cloud Lecture Hall: Get to know the legendary life of Xue Tao, a talented woman from Shuzhong".
- ^ "蜀女多才 薛涛秀冠".
- ^ "The Development of Female Literature in Ming and Qing Dynasties".
- ^ "Ma Xianglan, one of the Eight Beauties of Qinhuai who wrote Kunqu Opera scripts".
- ^ "[博弈篇]名手无数的明朝时期".
- ^ "韩约素:纤弱女子 篆刻名家 金石鉴赏".
- ^ "中国古代十大名厨:董小宛善做腌菜发明走油肉".
- ^ "中国古代的六大美女厨神".
- ^ "原国立中央大学著名曲艺理论家陈汝衡编写中国首部评书理论研究专著". Sohu.
- ^ "2022年浙江音乐学院艺硕必考716中国音乐史真题解析".
- ^ "天津小洋楼王益孙旧居:益德王出银办"南开"".
- ^ 清朝《杌近志》第八卷:杨翠喜者,直隶北通州人也。家素贫,十二岁时,其父母携往天津。时拳匪势张,乃逃避至芦台。匪乱既炽,无可谋生,其父售翠喜于土棍陈某。联军攻破天津,陈某遂挈翠喜至津,居城中白家胡同,与杨茂尊为邻,转售翠喜于杨,是为翠喜堕落孽海之始。是时津沽间之声伎,颇称一时之盛。
- ^ 沈晓昭.《30年典藏:全52册》[M].北京.中国文史出版社.2013年12月.1958卷(上)京剧名伶杨翠喜
- ^ 书籍:纵乐的困惑:明代的商业与文化,作者:[加]卜正民,译者:方骏,出版社:生活·读书·新知三联书店,出版时间:2004,ISBN: 9787108020062,页码:262—264
- ^ "Lin Yutang: Courtesans taught Chinese people romantic love".
- ^ "At that time, women couldn't ask for more".
- ^ "Lin Yutang: Courtesans taught Chinese people romantic love".
- ^ Morris, Peter Thomas. (1992) Cantonese Love Songs: An English Translation of Jiu Ji-Yung's Cantonese Songs of the Early 19th century. Hong Kong University.ISBN 962-209-284-5
Well, that’s interesting to know that Psilotum nudum are known as whisk ferns. Psilotum nudum is the commoner species of the two. While the P. flaccidum is a rare species and is found in the tropical islands. Both the species are usually epiphytic in habit and grow upon tree ferns. These species may also be terrestrial and grow in humus or in the crevices of the rocks.
View the detailed Guide of Psilotum nudum: Detailed Study Of Psilotum Nudum (Whisk Fern), Classification, Anatomy, Reproduction