巴人下里 Xia Li Ba Ren
Explanation
下里巴人，原指古代楚国流行的民间歌曲，后泛指通俗的、粗俗的艺术或音乐。
Xia Li Ba Ren originally referred to popular folk songs from the ancient Chu Kingdom, and later generally to popular or vulgar art or music.
Origin Story
战国时期，楚国音乐家屈原创作了大量的精美诗歌和音乐作品，其中不乏如《离骚》般高雅的艺术，但也创作了一些通俗易懂的歌曲，深受百姓喜爱。这些通俗的歌曲，在当时被称为“下里巴人”，与屈原那些高雅的作品形成鲜明对比。这些歌曲通常以百姓生活为题材，旋律轻快，歌词简洁，深受民众欢迎。然而，“下里巴人”并非贬义词，只是指其通俗易懂的特点。时至今日，我们仍能从一些古代文献中窥探到这些歌曲的影子，它们是那个时代文化生活的一个重要组成部分，展现了古代中国音乐文化的丰富性和多样性。
During the Warring States period, the Chu musician Qu Yuan created a large number of exquisite poems and musical works, including elegant art like "Li Sao," but also some easily understood songs that were deeply loved by the people. These popular songs were known as "Xia Li Ba Ren" at that time, forming a stark contrast to Qu Yuan's elegant works. These songs typically used the lives of ordinary people as their subject matter, with brisk melodies and simple lyrics, making them very popular with the masses. However, "Xia Li Ba Ren" was not a derogatory term; it simply referred to its easy-to-understand characteristics. Even today, we can still glimpse the shadows of these songs in some ancient texts. They were an important part of the cultural life of that era, showcasing the richness and diversity of ancient Chinese musical culture.
Usage
用作定语、宾语，多用于形容艺术或音乐作品
Used as an attributive or object, it is mostly used to describe works of art or music.
Examples
-
他的音乐作品，虽然没有阳春白雪的高雅，但也并非下里巴人
tā de yīnyuè zuòpǐn, suīrán méiyǒu yángchūn báixuě de gāoyǎ, dànyě bìngfēi xià lǐ bā rén
His musical works, though not as elegant as "Yangchun Baixue", are not as commonplace as "Xia Li Ba Ren"