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| Handbook List Table of Contents / Xu Qi | 首頁 |
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Wuzhizhai Qinpu
Qin Handbook from the Studio of Five Knowings 1 |
五知齋琴譜
1722 (or before 1670) by 徐祺 Xu Qi First two pages of tablature 2 |
This website is generally focused on qin music published during the Ming dynasty, and in this context a handbook published in 1722 seems somewhat late. In addition, Wuzhizhai Qinpu is often said to be the basic handbook of a style of play popular in the Qing dynasty, the Guangling Qin School. However, a good case could be made that much of the tablature in the handbook dated from the end of the Ming dynasty since it was apparently compiled through an extended project that overlapped the two dynasties. Its commentary gives the source of many of the melodies, and these seem to come from various parts of China. It is thus difficult to confine its style to just one "school".
Some details of this handbook were outlined by Xu Jian in the QSCB chapter on Guangling qin players. Here, after briefly summarizing the activities of Xu Qi (as well as his son Xu Jun and their assistant Zhou Lufeng, it says of his handbook,3
Meanwhile, the preface by Zha Fuxi in Qinqu Jicheng says,4
This tablature is distinctive from other tablature in several ways. The fingering has been standardized, the copying is meticulous and thorough, each melody has commentary. It carefully clarifies points about the original tablature's school, source and/or revisions. And it even for each phrase or for some sounds gives indications of light/heavy, hurried/calm, theoretical and actual changes (?) and the intended emotions, for all this giving annotations in the margins. From this one can see the special nature of Xu Qi and his son's performance art and aesthetic sense: emphasize tradition, but also pay attention to changes. Everything starts from being "vivid" ("lifelike"). Emphasize for both the right and left hands the correlative contrasts between light and heavy plus slow and fast, as well as firm and soft plus empty and firm, and also dexterity and a natural flow. Thus in the performances the deep feelings are distinctive, and the imagery is vivid, causing one's emotions to flow. (Thus) during the Qing dynasty and afterwards (this handbook) has been held in very high esteem within qin circles.
The "Wuzhizhai" tablature is the most broadly transmitted existing Qing dynasty qin handbook. The tablature has gone through numerous reprintings, so the versions are numerous. The present photocopy is made from the best surviving version -- the original copy on white cotton paper of the Qing dynasty Kangxi edition in the collection of the Music Research Institute at the Chinese Academy of Art. To this is added the missing Xu preface and the Qianlong copy of Yang Huiji's biography at the end, for use as reference.
According to Van Gulik5 this handbook was and remained to his day the "most popular handbook in existence". He also wrote that the scholarship shown on this handbook was not very high. It is not clear precisely what this means, but it could be related to the way the materials that had been gathered by Xu Qi himself were collated and edited by his son and Zhou Lufeng.
Another characteristic of the handbook is that almost all of the melodies have both a preface and an afterword. The first afterword says it was written by Xu Jun, with the date given. Perhaps this means he wrote all of the afterwords, otherwise it is not clear where most or all of the comments originated.6
The handbook has 33 melodies that seem to be from all over. More specifically, its commentary categorizes 27 of the melodies as belonging to one of the following schools (some [marked "?"] seem to be associated with more than one school):
Discussion of schools is complicated. For example,
this chart was intended to clarify things but, of the schools mentioned here, the chart has only the Guangling school, which it traces to Xu Qi. Meanwhile it is not clear how the Shu School of Changshu was connected to the Yushan School (also called the Chuan School and Fanchuan School), said to have been the most important school in the Qing dynasty. Regarding this see the above-mentioned
schools chart (which does not mention the Yushan school) as well as
this discussion.
Xu Qi apparently aimed to be as accurate as possible to tablature he found. Thus, any revision to the melodies Xu Qi found is thought to have been done by Xu Qi himself to eliminate perceived mistakes. Related to this it is not clear whether he himself transcribed (some of) the music from actual performance, or whether he only collected existing tablature, and if so whether he then edited it himself. It is assumed that Xu Jun and/or Zhou Lufeng re-copied it but added commentary any time they thought something had been changed.
The following list has links to the tracing list or chart for the earliest version of each piece. Note that:
Folio 2
Folio 3
Folio 4
Folio 5
Folio 6
Folio 7
Folio 8
Afterword by 徐 ? Xu ? (XIV/585)
Biography of 楊恢基 Yang Huiji (XIV/588)
1.
Wuzhizhai Qinpu 五知齋琴譜）
(QQJC XIV/371-588)
Of wu zhi (the "five knowings") 1/362 says, "為五種修身克己之道 it refers to five ways of controlling self-cultivation". It gives two versions (262.499 五知 wu zhi has the same):
Ren Bu had a study room called 五知堂 Hall of the Five Knowings.
On the other hand, according to 宋李繹 the Song dynasty's Li Yi (nickname 五知先生 Mr. Five Knowings) the five are,
However, it is not yet clear whether or how this connects to Xu Qi.
2.
First two pages of tablature
3.
Quote from Qin Shi Chu Bian (QSCB, p.156)
This largely took its information for the entry on Xu Qi in Qin Shi Xu.
4.
Preface by Zha Fuxi in Qinqu Jicheng (QQJC XIV/iii)
該譜與他譜不同之處有：指法規範統一，記錄細緻周到。每曲均有曲評，並注明譜本的傳派、源流或改動之處。甚至每個樂句或某個樂音的輕重疾徐、虛實變化和應有表情，均用旁注注明。由此可看出徐琪父子演奏藝術與美學思想的特點是：重視傳統，更注意創新，一切從「傳神」出發，強調左右兩手輕重疾徐、剛柔虛實與靈巧跌宕的對比變化，因而其演奏，情深意切，形象生動，令人神往。在清代及清以後的琴壇上享有極高的聲譽。
《五知齋》譜是現存清代琴譜中流傳最廣的一部琴譜。該譜歷來屢經翻刻，故版本甚多。此次影印，採用的是現存最佳版本——中國藝術研究院音樂研究所藏清康熙原刻白棉紙精印本。另將所缺徐序與乾隆翻刻本增人的楊恢基傳附列于後，作為參考。
Translation tentative. 河東楊恢基傳 Yang Huiji of Hedong's "傳 chuan" ("transmission"?) seems to refer to the preface (序 xu) at XIV/585-587. It is dated 1724, so presumably comes from that "official" edition.
5.
Van Gulik on Wuzhizhai Qinpufor
6.
Prefaces and afterwords
As for the other afterwords, there are none for six melodies, #s
6,
7,
9,
12,
32 and
33.
Meanwhile, three of the melodies have no prefaces beyond what was written directly under the title: #6, #7 and #12. All three of these also had no afterword.
6.
Five Grand Qin Melodies (五大琴曲 Wu Da Qin Qu)
This characterization comes from the afterword to the Jishan Qiu Yue here in Wuzhizhai Qinpu (see QQJC XIV/479). This handbook, which has all five of these melodies, begins its afterword to Jishan Qiu Yue as follows:
The afterword then proceeds to give the characteristics of each of these five pieces. Here are the full titles, given in the order in which the afterword presents the characterizations. It is not clear why they are given in this order, why this afterword was written with Ji Shan Qiu Yue instead of with one of the others (none of which mentions this appellation). In this regard perhaps it is relevant that, like most handbooks,
Wuzhizhai Qinpu arranges its melodies following a traditional modal order and each of the five melodies is in a different mode.
The Ji Shan Qiu Yue complete afterword is:
Not yet translated. Of these five I have at present learned the earliest versions of two (Qiu Hong and Hujia) and written out a transcription of a third (Dong Tian).
Return to the annotated handbook list
or to the Guqin ToC.
五知齋琴譜目錄
Wu Zhi Zhai Qin Pu Table of Contents
Folio 1 (XIV/373)
Prefaces, Essays, player list, famous qin images, fingering diagrams and explanations, etc.
Gong mode, 18 sections, Shu (Changshu) school; one of the
"Five grand qin melodies"
Gong mode, 8 sections, Shu (Changshu) school
Gong mode, 7 sections, Jinling school
("good for beginners"; further details)
Gong mode, 3 sections, Jinling school ("mode perhaps qing gong")
Shang mode, 13 sections, Wu school; originally copied in 1677....
Transcription of a
recording by Xu Yuanbai in
Guqin Quji 1/216
Shang mode, 10 sections, both Shu schools but this one Sichuan school (?)
Shang mode, unnumbered sectioning, no school mentioned; compared with
1665; lyrics (南無佛陀....) paired.
Shang mode, unnumbered sectioning, no school mentioned; 參改 examined and revised based on central sections; lyrics (迦迦迦妍界....) paired
Shang mode, 3 sections, Shu (Changshu) school
(here associated with Li Mian)
Jue mode, 13 sections, Shu (Changshu) school
Jue mode, 24 sections, Shu (Changshu) school
(no lyrics;
one of the "Five grand qin melodies")
Jue mode, three sections, Shu (Changshu) school
Transcription of a
recording by Guan Pinghu in
Guqin Quji 1/226
Zhi mode, 10 sections, Shu (Changshu) and Jin(ling) schools but this one Jinling
Zhi mode, 10 sections, northern tablature of Shu (Changshu) school
Zhi mode, 18 sections, Shu (Changshu) and Jin(ling) schools;
lyrics added at end ("家住吳楚大江頭....") are as for the unrelated raised 5th string versions of 1491 and
1585
Transcription of a
recording by Wu Jinglue in
Guqin Quji 2/78 and
a recording by
by Wu Zhaoji in Guqin Quji 1/104
Zhi mode, 13 sections, Wu school
Zhi mode, 16 sections, revised based on northern Shu (Changshu) tablature but played by Jinling and Shu (Sichuan) schools
Zhi mode, 9 sections, Jinling school; "also called Sao Shou Wen Tian"
Transcription of a recording by Wu Jinglue in Guqin Quji 1/152
Zhi mode, 12 sections, examined versions of
Xu Qingshan
(1673) and
Yin Ertao
(? cannot find here)
Zhi mode, 3 sections, Shu (Changshu) school
Yu mode, 16 sections, Jinling school, lyrics at end ("昭陽昭陽昭陽殿....")
as in 1589
Yu mode, 9 sections, Shu (Sichuan) school
(related to Shui Long Yin)
Yu mode, 13 sections, no school mentioned
Yu mode, 14 sections, Shu (Changshu) school; lyrics at end (天和風日暖....)
Transcription of a recording by Wu Jinglue in
Guqin Quji 2/37
Yu mode, 10 sections, Wu school
Shangjiao mode, 13 sections, Shu (Changshu) tablature that should be 輕舒緩奏 lightly and smoothly
Shangjiao mode, 30 sections, Shu (Changshu) school; 4th surviving version; one of the "Five grand qin melodies"
Shangjiao mode, 10 sections, Shu (Changshu) school
附徴羽音 belongs to Zhiyu mode, 7 sections, Shu (Changshu) school
Ruibin mode (tighten 5th string), 18 sections, Shu (Changshu) school
Transcription of a
recording by Wu Jinglue
Guqin Quji 1/181
Huangzhong mode (tighten 5th, loosen 1st), 18 sections, Shu (Sichuan) tablature, Wu school;
at end is a short afterword then the famous lyrics (我生之初尚無為....;
see all), which are the same as in
1597 though melody is different and does not fit;
instead it is an early version of the most common modern interpretation: see chart tracing Da Hujia and
this analysis.
The transcription ("14.07") in
Guqin Quji 1/135 is of a
performance by Wu Jinglue (listen,
but note: "15.36")
One of the "Five grand qin melodies"
Guxian mode (tighten 2nd, 5th and 7th), 36 sections, no school mentioned;
after the tablature instead of an afterword there are the lyrics as in
1491 ("澤國秋高封露凉...."
[q.v.]: closer to 1585?
[q.v.]);
one of the "Five grand qin melodies"
Qingshang mode (tighten 2nd, 5th and 7th), 12 sections, no school;
lyrics at end "秋風起，碧雲飛，胡草...." (from
1589; see
1589 transcription) don't fit.
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a
separate page)
Attributed to 徐祺 Xu Qi, but edited and published by 徐俊 Xu Jun and 周魯封 Zhou Lufeng, 1722. The "Wuzhi Zhai" of the title has been translated as the Studio (齋 Zhai) of the "Five Knowings" (五知 wu zhi). "Zhai" suggests that the studio is intended as a quiet sort of retreat; as for the "wu zhi" there are at least two interpretations, as follows.
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Note the interlineal comments such as 爰乍 (緩作 do it slowly), 巠 (輕 lightly), ? (重 heavily?), 起 (起 rise?), etc. Compare "輕重疾徐、虛實變化和應有表情" from Zha Fuxi's preface. These do not seem to have explanation.
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The original Chinese text is as follows:
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The original text is,
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See Lore, p.185.
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The afterword for #1 Dongtian Chunxiao says it was written by Xu Jun; see details
there. Could this have been intended to apply to all the afterwords in Wuzhizhai Qinpu?
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262.xxx; for context see Melodies with 18 or more sections for which there is existing qin tablature
(contrast the 四大曲 Four Great Melodies as well as the 蔡氏五弄 Five melodies of the Cai family. "大 Da" could also be "great", "big", etc.
The qin has five grand melodies. They are: Dong Tian, Ji Shan, Yu Hua, Qiu Hong and Hu Jia....
洞天和靜，淸遠，有髙曠之風，而無枯寂之態。
羽化恬雅圓潤，如美人歌喉婉轉，如明珠光色照人，可以養心適志。
秋鴻，宏亮奇特，聽之發人壯志，時作鵬專九萬之思。
胡笳，悲壯淋灕，如高漸離擊築燕市，令人慷慨悲歌。
至若箕山，幽奇古澹，如在幽崖邃壑，聽萬頃松濤，浩浩乎憑虛御風，不復知有人世間也。
熟此五調，則其餘可以思過半矣。
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