A Study of Color Words in Tang Poetry and Song Lyrics

Abstract

Throughout history, litterateurs have always attached great importance to the use of color words in their works. Tang poetry and Song lyrics, the most brilliant parts of Chinese literature history, are perfect examples in using color words to create artistic conception and express the thoughts and feeling. In this paper, high-frequency color words that appear in “All-Tang Poetry” (The collection of ancient Chinese poetry in 618–907 A.D.) and “All-Song Poetry” (The collection of ancient Chinese lyrics in 960–1279 A.D.) are chosen as research objects, and the optimal algorithm is employed to study the collocation of the color words in Tang poetry and Song lyrics by comparing the effects of PMI and Word2vec extraction collocation. The detailed analysis of works of twenty poets in Tang and Song Dynasties are also carried out from both macro and micro perspectives, from the use of color words in “All-Tang Poetry” and “All-Song Poetry” to that specific works. As a result, most “ Open image in new window (white)” in Tang poetry expresses frustration or sadness. “ Open image in new window (red)”, the most popular word used in Song lyrics, expresses femininity, indicating that “ Open image in new window (Tang Poetry expresses aspiration and ambition, and Song lyrics express personal emotions between lovers)”.