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Qin in Jing Hua Yuan
Flowers in the Mirror,1 a novel by Li Ruzhen2 |
古琴與鏡花緣
作者:李汝珍 |
Page from an illustrated edition 3 |
The book has significant references to qin in two chapters, 72 and 73. Unfortunately these two chapters were not included in the only available English translation, the translator apparently thinking Western audiences would not be interested in this erudition.
What is discussed below is thus only a tentative account.
In this chapter five "skilled ladies" are scheduled to play qin in a garden pavilion (古桐臺). One of them, "Jing Tall Spring" (井堯春 Jing Yaochun) suggests that it would take too long if they play one by one, so she suggests that they all play one melody, Ping Sha Luo Yan, in unison. They get so enthusiastic about how it sounds that they say the result can be compared even to the melodies praised by Ji Kang in his Rhapsody on the Qin.
The way this chapter praises the sound made by the five ladies playing Ping Sha together, apparently in unison, brings up for me some perhaps rather unorthodox questions. As discussed here (with songs as an example), this seems to support what might otherwise be considered a rather amateurish approach: professional Chinese music traditions such as Jiangnan Sizhu tend to be performaned heterophonically but guqin music played by ensembles, especially non-professional ensembles, quite likely would never have been played heterophonically.
To my knowledge, the main exception to this would be in a (Confucian) ritual orchestra, where the qin was obligatory ("the instrument of Confucius"), but it would have to be massed to be heard. However, I have never heard descriptions praising this music. Other court orchestras apparently did not include qin. (For further on this see under Qin and Togaku.)
Here the way the instruments are massed together raises the question of whether there was some satire intended in this account. In addition, does this idea of playing together reinforce the idea of Pingsha Luo Yan being used as a beginners' melody: advanced players would not normally play in unison like that. In fact, such playing together could be considered as rather at odds with the ideals of what in theory was a solo tradition for self-cultivation, not performance.
At the same time, though, one should allow for the possibilities of ignorance (though the writer is certainly very erudite), description of the sort of qin performance one might see, satire or simply poetic license on the part of the writer.
In addition, the reason given here (to amplify the naturally quiet sound of the guqin), plus the comparison made to the melodies of Ji Kang, suggest the author quite approved of the result.
The first section here mentions "打譜 dapu", the associated titles do not refer to qin melodies, as it would here, but to moves in the board game 圍棋 weiqi (go).
From the second section some of the ladies go to a quiet place to play qin. One of them seems to have been less familiar with qin and so much of the ensuing discussion is centered on explanations given to her about matters concerning qin play. Specific references include the following:
This paragraph names the seven ladies who were qim players.
The qin is mentioned in several other passages but they seem to be only passing references, as in such phrases as 琴棋書畫 qin qi shu hua.
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a
separate page)
1.
Flowers in the Mirror (鏡花緣 Jing Hua Yuan)
(Wiki)
This "fantasy novel" by 李汝珍 Li Ruzhen (c. 1763 - 1830) was published in 1827. The author apparently spent about 15 years writing it, and planned a sequel, but died before he could write it. As is, the novel is "known for its contribution to the idea of feminism".
The only English translation of Flowers in the Mirror seems to be this abridged one:
Now available in a 2015 reprint by Ishi Press, Tokyo and New York, this translation condenses the original from 100 to 33 chapters. As the translation states,
Where necessary I have written linking material (indicated by indentation) which is intended to flow smoothly from and back to the narrative, giving a synopsis of what happened....
As a result, the relevant events of Chapters 72 and 73 are condensed on p.239 as "others played on the lute" (just before mention of Lü Dongbin from Chapter 79).
The 100 chapter
(ctext) original text is easily found online.
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3.
Image: Page from an illustrated edition of Flowers in the Mirror
On the side the image is identified as 繪圖鏡花緣, 第二繪圖 the illustration of the second section from the Illustrated Edition of Flowers in the Mirror.
Compare this cover of an early edition.
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this cover
4.
Chapter 72
Here is the the complete original passage, comprising approximately the first half of Chapter 72, as copied from ctext.
No translation as yet.
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5.
Chapter 73
Here is the relevant original passage, comprising approximately the first half of Chapter 73, as copied from copied from
ctext.
No translation as yet.
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6.
Chapter 75
I am not sure of the context.
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