Qu Yuan (ca. 340 - 278), original name Qu Ping, is most famous for having drowned himself in the Milo River. This event is commemorated annually in the Dragon Boat Festival, the original purpose of which was apparently to feed Qu Yuan's spirit from boats. A nickname for Qu Yuan is Shui Xian (Water Immortal), and some versions of the melodies of with title (see Shuixian Qu) connect it to Qu Yuan.

Qu Yuan is said to have written such qin melodies as Song of Drowning Oneself,³ Zepan Yin and Li Sao, but these melodies were certainly written by later people who were inspired by his thoughts. His wife is said to have written a lament called Chen Xiang Yuan.

The original Qin Shi essay begins as follows.

Further details in preparation.

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1 屈原 7845.70 戰國楚人，名平別號靈均。 Chu Yuan, from Chu during the Warring States period, had the original name Ping and another nickname Lingjun (Return)

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3 自沈曲 Zi Chen Qu (Return)

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