Huaxu Yin

"Huaxu" has long been poetic term for a utopian society or utopian landscape, and today it remains an allusion to a dreamland, i.e., a place where people have left their corporal bodies and exist as if in a dream ("Huaxu zhi meng: Huaxu Dream".⁴). An example of this is a well-known poem by Mi Fu (1051-1107) that compares it to the Buddhist dream world ("desire realm") called Tushita.⁵

Originally Huaxu is said to have been the name of the mother of the legendary emperor Fu Xi; as a result their clan took her name. Fu Xi was succeeded by Shen Nong, succeeded in turn by Huang Di (the Yellow Emperor, 2698 - 2598).⁷ The famous story that led to the name Huaxu being associated with a dreamland or utopia is first seen the book of Liezi, which relates a dream the Yellow Emperor is said to have had during a period in which he absented himself from government affairs, living it a hut in his courtyard. This story is repeated here in the preface to the melody Huaxu Yin.

Huaxu Yin is probably one of the oldest surviving qin melodies. It can be found in five qin handbooks from 1425 to 1670, but the claims for the antiquity in the 1425 version are supported by certain aspects of the style, as well as by the fact that three of the four later editions are virtually identical to the 1425 version.⁸ The version dated >1505 is identical but adds lyrics.

The Qin Shi Bu biography of the Yellow Emperor says that he ordered his assistant Ling Lun⁹ to create this melody. It was sometimes said that music itself originated when Ling Lun traveled to a remote western region and found a special sort of bamboo which he then cut into 12 tubes, forming the 12 notes of the chromatic scale.

The Huaxu, like Fu Xi himself, were said to be from Shaanxi Province.¹⁰ However, in the Yellow Emperor's dream, as recounted in Liezi, their country is thousands of miles west of the Middle Kingdom, i.e., far from civilization, enabling them to lead an idyllic existence free of anxieties.

In 1993 I used Huaxu Yin as my main example in a paper detailing the process of reconstructing music from Shen Qi Mi Pu tablature;¹¹ a transcription and recording are included with my complete Shen Qi Mi Pu transcriptions and recordings. There is also a transcription and some analysis of Yao Bingyan's reconstruction, together with a recording, in Bell Yung's Celestial Airs of Antiquity.¹² In addition, Dai Xiaolian, Yao Gongbai and Yao Gongjing have recorded this piece based on Yao Bingyan's reconstruction, while Liang Mingyue has a recording on cassette. All use metal strings. The most unusual aspect of the tablature is its indications of change on repeat passages. Each reconstructer has interpreted these repeats differently.

Original preface¹³

The Emaciated Immortal, based on what is written in Qin History¹⁴, says

this piece is a very old one, even older than Dunshi Cao. Some people say that the Yellow Emperor created it; other people say that he ordered Ling Lun to create it. According to Liezi,

The Yellow Emperor had ruled for 15 years but he worried because the world was not well-ordered; so he withdrew, resting himself in the Palace of the Great Court. He purified his heart and submitted his body (to plain living). For three months he himself had nothing to do with carrying out the affairs of state. Once he had a daytime dream about traveling around the state of the Huaxu clan. This was a natural place, where people had no cravings and did not die prematurely. They did not think about clinging to life, nor did think about the fear of death. (Ideas about) beauty and ugliness did not grow in their hearts. mountains and valleys did not cause them to stop walking, and they took lived happily. When the Yellow Emperor awoke he felt happy and contented; he now understood the greatest Dao. For the next 28 years the world was very well regulated, resembling the state of the Huaxu (in his dream). As a result we have this Huaxu Yin.

Music (See 見五線譜 transcription; timings follow the recording from my CD [聽錄音 listen])
Originally undivided; here arranged as three sections based on the musically identical version in Zheyin, which also adds lyrics. ¹⁵

(00.00) 1. Retire into leisure
(00.46) 2. Sleep and dream
(01.40) 3. Enjoy life
(02.34) -- harmonics
(02.53) -- End

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Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Huaxu Yin 華胥引
The dictionaries discuss the name Huaxu and tell the story of the dream of Huaxu, but do not mention a melody using this title.

31910.153/1 華胥: clan name and place name, after 華胥氏 the mother of Fuxi; nothing about music; references are to 史記，補三皇本紀（I think this should be 補史記，三皇本紀 Addenda to Shi Ji, Three Emperors Basic Annal, by 司馬貞 Sima Zhen, 8th c. CE) and to Shi Yi Ji).

31910.153/2: 華胥 a peaceful area, from 31910.156 華胥之夢 Dream of Huaxu, which refers to Liezi, a Taoist book attributed to a supposed contemporary of the 5th century BCE philosopher Zhuangzi, but probably published no earlier than the 4th c. CE. (more on this below.)

31910.157 華胥調 Huaxu melody refers to the sound of Chen Tuan sleeping. This is apparently based on a story of a visitor visiting Chen Tuan, but finding him asleep. Next to Chen Tuan was someone writing. When asked, this person said he was writing "混沌譜 primary chaos tablature" of a Huaxu melody.

I cannot trace the references to "Addenda" or "Three Emperors Basic Annals". The only Shi Ji references given at 10.975 San Huang are to 天皇，地皇，人皇 (or 泰皇), translated by Knechtges (GSR I, p.136) as "His Heavenly Magesty, His Earthly Majesty, and His Primeval Majesty." A reference at 10.975 from 風俗通 Fengsu Tong says they are 伏羲，女媧，神農 Fu Xi, Nü Wa and Shen Nong.

As for Huaxu by itself, it can allude to a dreamland. An example of this occurs in the poem by 米芾 Mi Fu translated below.

Today an internet search for 華胥 Huaxu or 華胥夢 Huaxu Dream shows how much this story has morphed into popular culture. This perhaps got its biggest boost from a 2011 novel by 唐七公子 Tang Qi Gong Zi (aka Tang Qi, Vivien Tang), in 2015 made into a Chinese TV drama. Its story, according to one blurb, "makes Huaxu into a dream-realm casting a spell that allows people to live out their deepest desires and regrets in an alternate reality."
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2. Cold Misery Mode (Qiliang Diao
There is no separate title here in Folio One for the piece in Qiliang mode: it is written under the title for Huaxu Yin. This mode, the tuning for which is achieved by tightening the 2nd and 5th strings from standard tuning, is further discussed under Shenpin Qiliang Yi. See also Modality in Early Ming Qin Tablature.

Folio III has two modal preludes using this tuning (the second is called Shenpin Chushang Yi), plus three titled pieces grouped under it, but Huaxu Yin is modally different from all of them. They are all basically pentatonic (1 2 3 5 6), with 4 (fa) not uncommon. The latter pieces all have 2 (re) as the basic note and 6 (la) as the secondary note. Huaxu Yin ends as they do on 2, but this makes a striking modulation from the rest of the piece, which is centered throughout on 1 (do) and 5 (sol). See also the next melody in Shen Qi Mi Pu, #4 Gufeng Cao, for a similar ending modulation (listed as gong mode, it actually uses yu mode until the last phrase, where it modulates to gong).
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3. Peach Blossom Spring becomes a Huaxu dreamland?
The image above is of a painting called 夢遊桃源圖 Illustration of a Dream Journey to the Peach Blossom Land. It is by the Korean artist 安堅 An Jian (Korean: An Kyôn; active ca. 1440-1470). However, on a deleted Korean website (? compare here) it was identified as 愚諺 - 華胥之夢 Yu Yan - Dream of Huaxu (11220.xxx 愚諺 yu yan literally means something like "simple proverb"). The peach blossom spring story of Tao Yuanming is a much more common theme in art (see another example). Could it be that the former Korean website borrowed the Huaxu name here to explain the peach blossom spring dream because nowadays internet searches suggests that the Huaxu dream ("華胥之夢") has become much more popular in modern media?
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4. Dream of Huaxu (華胥之夢 Huaxu zhi Meng)
31910.156 華胥夢 Huaxu meng quotes the original story from the book of 列子 Liezi. The relevant section is translated in Graham, The Book of Lieh-Tzü, pp.34-5, as follows,

into water without drowning, into fire without burning. Hack them, flog them, there is no wound nor pain; poke them, scratch them, there is no ache nor itch. They ride space as though walking the solid earth, sleep in mid-air as though on their beds. Clouds and mist do not hinder their sight, thunder does not confuse their hearing, beauty and ugliness do not disturb their hearts, mountains and valleys do not trip their feet.

Liezi himself is said to have lived like this, as epitomized in the qin melody Liezi Yu Feng (Liezi Rides the Wind). This story was also the likely inspiration for other tales of people (whether named or anonymous) who became one with the Dao and thus could fly away into this type of immortality. Thus we have such melodies as Guanghan You, Shen You Liu He, Lingxu Yin, Ba Ji You, Tao Yuan Chun Xiao and Yao Tian Sheng He.
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5. Mi Fu poem: About the Panorama Pavilion (米芾：題多景樓 Ti Duojing Lou
For Mi Fu (1051-1107) see Wiki and also under this gathering. He is said to have himself written out the poem in his famous calligraphy while living near the Panorama Pavilion (多景樓 Duojing Lou) in 1102. The pavilion, once part of a Sweet Dew Temple complex (甘露寺 Ganlu Si), was built early in the Northern Song Dynast on 北固山 Beigu Mountain (more of a hill) overlooking the 鎮江 Zhenjiang River shortly before it enters the Yangtze River in Zhenjiang city. Little but a 鐵塔 iron pagoda remains of the temple grounds, and the 中國米芾書畫公園 China Mifu Calligraphy Park that features a large size replica of the poem in Mi Fu's calligraphy was built at the southern edge of parkland south of the 十里長山 Ten-Li Long Mountains, perhaps 10 miles to the south-southwest (opened 2013).

The poem text begins by suggesting that the temple mentioned in the title of the poem actually evoked the realm of the Huaxu and also Doulü, a spiritual Buddhist realm.

Further references:

華胥 Huaxu: the Yellow Emperor is said to have gone there in a dream)
兜率 Doulü: Tushita, a Buddhist heaven attainable through meditation.
鰲 ao turtles: said to support the world's islands;
漢星 Han xing: "Han stars" presumably referring to the 銀漢 Milky Way (also 銀河);
牛 niu: ox star; could refer to 牛宿, one of 28 "lunar mansions".
滄洲 Cangzhou ("blue isles") suggests a place of Daoist retreat.

The full text and translation of the poem is as follows:

米芾：題多景樓
華胥兜率夢曾游，天下江山第一樓。
冉冉明廷萬靈入，迢迢溟海六鰲愁。
指分坱圠方輿露，頂矗昭回列緯浮。
衲子來時多泛缽，漢星歸未覺經牛。
雲移怒翼搏千裡，氣霽剛風御九秋。
康樂平生追壯觀，未知席上極滄洲。
多景樓。禪師有建樓之意。故書。

Mi Fu: About the Panorama Pavilion (Duojing Lou, near Zhenjiang)
To Huaxu and Tushita in dreams I have traveled;
(and now this) amongst all the world's rivers and mountains is its foremost tower.
Gently into the radiant court come myriad spirits;
while far off under the dark sea six giant ao turtles stir somberly.
Distinguishable in the vast expanse the land's shape is now revealed,
its summit stands tall, shining and turning, with constellations floating in rows
As patched-robed monks arrive their alms-bowls are mostly floating,
the Han stars return without seeming to notice they've passed through the Ox (constellation)
Clouds shift like fierce wings struggling to go great distances;
clearing air rides strong winds to master nine autumns.
"Kangle" (Xie Lingyun) all his life sought out grand sights;
but just from his mat alone he could reach Cangzhou's farthest shores.
This Panorama Pavilion: a Chan master had the intent to build this tower, and so this (poem) has been written.

The calligraphy survives apparently through tracings and recopies. The one most published today seems to be one in the Shanghai Museum. They have reproduced the first line on a coffee cup.
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7. The Shi Ji (Record of History), begins with the Yellow Emperor, apparently ignoring Fu Xi and mentioning Shen Nong only in passing.
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8. Tracing Huaxu Yin
See Zha Fuxi's Guide 2/19/13; details are in the appendix below. The fact that three of the four later versions are virtually identical emphasizes Zhu Quan's claim that this was an old melody no one played anymore: if they did, the tablature would not simply be copied out but reflect the natural changes made by active playing. On the other hand it does not seem to be on any of the more ancient historical lists of melody titles, such as those mentioned here.
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9. Ling Lun 伶倫
Ling Lun was reputed musical assistant of Yellow Emperor; further here.
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10. 31910.153ff does not mention this.
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11. My reconstruction of Huaxu Yin
For the rhythms of Huaxu Yin in my recording, see John Thompson, Rhythm in Shen Qi Mi Pu, in Asian Music with special reference to China and India - Music Symposia of 34th ICANAS, Centre of Asian Studies, University of Hong Kong, 1997, pp. 40-72. (A revised version without music notation examples is at Rhythm in Early Ming Tablature.)
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12. Other reconstruction of Huaxu Yin
The transcription of Yao Bingyan's reconstruction in Bell Yung's Celestial Airs of Antiquity is published by A-R Editions, Inc. (Wisconsin, 1997, CD published together with a book of transcriptions; Huaxu Yin timing: 1.52). For Yao Gongjing, see Yaomen Qin Music, Hugo HRP 748-2 (2.18). For Dai Xiaolian see Dai Xiaolian: L'Art de la Cithare Qin, Auvidis Ethnic B6765 (2.05: track 3, mistakenly called Ao'Ai). Liang's cassette, which may have originally been a phono disc (SMT), is called Mists and Clouds of Dongting Lake, SMCM 1017 (3.00).
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13. For the original Chinese see 華胥引.
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14. 琴史 Qin Shi: book name, or just the history of qin? Zhu Quan's sources are problematic. Zhu Changwen's Qin History does not have this story. (The biography of the Yellow Emperor is in the later Qinshi Bu.
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15. Music
The original Chinese is:

1. (閒退 Xian tui);
2. (寢夢) Qin meng - after 1st harmonics);
3. (樂生 Le sheng - begins with 2nd [brief] harmonics).

See also the original lyrics; there is another copy of the transcription here.
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Appendix: Chart Tracing Huaxu Yin;
based mainly on Zha Fuxi's Guide, 2/19/13.

琴譜
(year; QQJC Vol/page) Further information
(QQJC = 琴曲集成 Qinqu Jicheng; QF = 琴府 Qin Fu)

1. 神奇秘譜
(1425; I/118) Not divided into sections; 2nd edition adds some phrasing
Further discussion above

2. 浙音釋字琴譜
(>1505; I/260) 3TL, but same music (lyrics and sections added; see below)

3. 風宣玄品
(1539; II/305) Same as 1425; no sections, but adds phrasing and updates a few of the fingering technique indications (zhifa)

4. 重修真傳琴譜
(1585; IV/432) Has identical lyrics to Zheyin and similar structure, but music is rather different. Tuning seems to be 1235612

5. 琴苑新傳全編
(1670; XI/416) 3 sections, but divided differently from >1505; music as 1425; no phrasing

Return to top, to the Shen Qi Mi Pu ToC or to the Guqin ToC.

琴譜 (year; QQJC Vol/page)	Further information (QQJC = 琴曲集成 Qinqu Jicheng; QF = 琴府 Qin Fu)
1. 神奇秘譜 (1425; I/118)	Not divided into sections; 2nd edition adds some phrasing Further discussion above
2. 浙音釋字琴譜 (>1505; I/260)	3TL, but same music (lyrics and sections added; see below)
3. 風宣玄品 (1539; II/305)	Same as 1425; no sections, but adds phrasing and updates a few of the fingering technique indications (zhifa)
4. 重修真傳琴譜 (1585; IV/432)	Has identical lyrics to Zheyin and similar structure, but music is rather different. Tuning seems to be 1235612
5. 琴苑新傳全編 (1670; XI/416)	3 sections, but divided differently from >1505; music as 1425; no phrasing