Sanqu Songs generally refer to Xiaoling (short lyric) and Taoshu (cycle of songs in a traditional opera) in the Jin and Yuan dynasties (1115-1368). Xiaoling were independent melodies, which had the same origin with Cidiao (tonal patterns and rhyme schemes of ci poetry); Taoshu were organized melodies in accordance with some rules.

Statistics show that there were about 160 writers of Sanqu Songs, with more than 3,800 Xiaoling works and 400 Taoshu works. The most representative writer was Ma Zhiyuan, who was good at describing the lonely and bleak feelings.

There were generally three types of Sanqu Songs: Xiaoling, which was a single stanza type; Taoshu, which was a string of single-stanza arias from the same mode, and the rhymes were arranged according to favored sequence pattern characteristic to the mode; Daiguoqu, which was a group of two or three Taoshu that can be sung continuously.

Compared with Cidiao, Sanqu had its own characteristics. First, the composers were free to add some padding words to the original melody so that the works were closer to colloquial and more vivid. Second, rhymes were more frequently used, and the Sanqu was more pleasant to listen to both by reading or singing. Third, the Sanqu did not intentionally avoid repetitive use of words, and thus the style was generally more forceful and expressive.