Shen Yue facts for kids

Shen Yue (traditional Chinese: 沈約; simplified Chinese: 沈约; 441–1 May 513), also known by his courtesy name Xiuwen (休文), was a very important Chinese historian, music expert, poet, and politician. He was born in Huzhou, Zhejiang province. Shen Yue worked for several emperors during different periods in Chinese history, including the Liu Song Dynasty, the Southern Qi Dynasty, and the Liang Dynasty.

He was a leading scholar during the Liang Dynasty. He is famous for writing the Book of Song, which is a history book about the earlier Liu Song Dynasty. Shen Yue is also well-known for creating the first rules for how sounds (tones) should be used in Chinese poems. These rules helped make poetry sound more beautiful and balanced. He was also a top expert on music during his time.

Poetry and Writing

Shen Yue loved writing poetry. He wrote many poems, including a series called Six Poems on Remembering. These poems described his feelings for someone special at different times of the day. His poems often showed deep emotions and beautiful descriptions.

Rules for Poetry Sounds

Shen Yue was a key figure in developing new ideas for Classical Chinese poetry. He helped create the rules for how tones (the rising and falling sounds of words) should be used in poems. This was very important for a type of poetry called regulated verse. These rules later became crucial for famous poems written during the Tang Dynasty, especially a style called lüshi (poetry).

Understanding Yuefu Poems

Shen Yue is also given credit for being the first to use the term Yuefu in a broader way. Before him, Yuefu usually referred to the Han imperial Music Bureau, which was a government office that collected and wrote songs. Shen Yue started using Yuefu to describe a style of old Chinese ballad-like poetry from the Han Dynasty.

The Book of Song

Shen Yue played a big role in writing and putting together the Book of Song. This book is a detailed history of the Liu Song Dynasty. One of the most important parts of this book is his Treatise on Music, which covers volumes 19 to 22. This section gives us a lot of information about music from that time. Another historian, Pei Ziye, later wrote a shorter version called Summary of Song. Shen Yue was very impressed by this shorter version, saying he could not have made it so good himself.

Advice to the Emperor

After a new emperor, Emperor Wu of Liang, came to power in 502 CE, he asked for advice about the previous emperor, Xiao Baorong. Shen Yue advised the new emperor to be careful and not let the former emperor cause future problems. Based on this advice, Emperor Wu made a difficult decision regarding Xiao Baorong.

See also

• Lüshi (poetry)
• Regulated verse
• Six Dynasties poetry
• Twenty-Four Histories