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Qu Yuan and Verses of Chu
TheChu ci(Verses of Chu) is the first collection of romantic poetry in China. The principal authors, Qu Yuan and Song Yu, were citizens of Chu during the Warring States period (475–221BCE). Strongly infused with Chu characteristics in both language and content, the poems have had a profound influence on Chinese literature.
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《九歌》中的眾多神靈
《九歌》中的《大司命》和《少司命》兩篇所祭祀的是掌管壽命的神。大司命總管人類生死,所以稱之為「大」;少司命則專門掌管兒童的命運,所以稱之為「少」。舊說他們都是天上的星宿演化而來的。
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楚國神曲——《九歌》
《九歌》是楚國祭祀用的樂歌,共十一篇,基本按祭祀的順序排列,以眾神之首的《東皇太一》的頌歌開始,用送神曲《禮魂》結束。這些古樂歌相傳是夏代的君主啟從天上把它偷下人間,一直在民間流傳。