Jing Hua Yuan

Flowers in the Mirror (completed in 1827) is a novel of fantasy and erudition in 100 chapters. In the first half of the novel, the protagonist, like Gulliver, travels to strange lands, reminiscent of what are mentioned in Shan Hai Jing. The second half of the novel is a display of Li's erudition, and reads more like an encyclopedia than a novel.

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.

Chapter 72 (see full original text)⁴
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.
Chapter 73 (see full original text)⁵
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:
- 『蜻蜓點水』(here) is the poetic allusion shown in this illustration comparing the playing of 泛音 harmonics to "dragonfies flitting on water".
- 『彈欲斷絃方入妙，按令入木始為奇』 refers to Xu Hong's explanation of "重 zhong" (the heavy touch)
- 『仙翁仙翁』 here seems to refer to "仙翁音 Xianweng Yin", a technique for tuning the qin pairing an open string with a stopped string. (As discussed here this custom seems to equate "xian" with open sounds and "weng" with matched stopped notes. Just before its mention here there was a discussion of how to play harmonics. Is the discussion here more about harmonics - how to play them correctly; how to use them to tune correctly - or about how to know if you are playing a stopped string in tune by pairing it with an open string?) More broadly, although "仙翁操 Xian Weng Cao" is the name of a beginner's melody that came in several forms (as with my video), that melody does not seem to be the reference here. There is some further discussion here about the connection between the technique and the melody.
- 『八法』 (eight methods) refers to the eight basic qin strokes: inwards and outwards for each of the four fingers (see #s 1 to 8 here; for the "forbidden finger" see Chapter 75 below).
This paragraph names the seven ladies who were qin players.
Chapter 75⁶
This chapter has a reference to the baby finger as the "forbidden finger" (q.v.); here, however, there is no mention of guqin.

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:

Li Ju-chen, Flowers in the Mirror; translated and edited by Lin Tai-Yi, University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, 1965.

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,

In preparing this manuscript for Unesco, I have tried to render a version which will appeal to the general Western reader. The original book has some 400,000 words, of which I have deleted most of the passsages which have to do with classical texts and discussions of the Chinese language, dissertations on history, poetry, phonetics, etc., which can be of little interest to the non-specialized reader.

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.
(Return)

2. 李汝珍 Li Ruzhen
From Wiki:

Li Ruzhen...courtesy name Songshi (松石), art name Songshi Daoren (松石道人), was a Chinese novelist and phonologist of the Qing dynasty. A native of Beijing, he was the author of the novel Jing Hua Yuan (鏡花緣), or Flowers in the Mirror. He also wrote Lishi Yinjian (李氏音鑑), a work of Chinese phonology, and complied Shou Zi Pu (受子譜), a valuable (handbook) of Go. (Return)

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.
(Return) this cover

4. Chapter 72
Here is the the complete original passage, comprising approximately the first half of Chapter 72, as copied from ctext.

話說眾才女都到園中閑步，只見各處花光笑日，蝶意依人，四壁廂嬌紅姹紫，應接不暇。剛過了小橋曲水，又見些茂松修竹；步過幾層庭院，到了古桐台。錦雲道：「諸位姊姊莫走乏了，請到台上歇歇吃杯茶罷。」眾人道：「如此甚好。」都進了古桐台。
這平台是五間敞簷，兩旁數間涼閣，庭中青桐無數。壁上懸著幾張古琴。紫芝道：「我才看見這琴，忽然想起前在公主府，只顧外面看紫瓊、紫菱二位姊姊下棋，後來才知堯蓂、堯春二位姊姊同公主彈琴，可惜妹子未得聽見。我想當日伏羲削桐為琴，後來堯、舜都作過五絃琴，今二位姊姊香名皆取『堯』字，可見此道必精。妹子意欲求教，不知可肯賞臉？」井堯春道：「妹子這個名字叫做有名無實，那裡及得堯蓂姊姊彈的幽雅，他才名實相稱哩。」呂堯蓂道：「姊姊不必過謙。妹子前日原是勉強奉陪，今既高興，自然還要現醜。但舜英姊姊前在公主府因天晚未及領教，聞得瑤芝姊姊背後極贊指法甚精，今日定要求教。」田舜英道：「不瞞姊姊說：彈是會彈兩調，就只連年弄這詩賦，把他就荒疏了，所謂『三日不彈，手生荊棘』。設或彈的不好，休要見笑。」寶雲道：「瑤芝妹妹：前日業已讓你躲懶，今日遇見知音，還不替我陪客麼？」瑤芝道：「妹子正要叨教，怎敢躲懶。但琴主人不來陪客，未免荒唐。」素雲聽了，忙把兩手伸出道：「好姊姊！我並非躲懶，你看這兩手指甲，若剪去豈不可惜？況有四位盡夠一彈，何必定要妹子？」瑤芝也把手伸出道：「這兩年因要應試，無暇及此，那個不是一手長指甲；你是主人既怕剪，我更樂得不剪了。」紫芝道：「你們二位姊姊不彈，豈不把『瑤琴』、『素琴』兩個好名色埋沒了。瑤芝姊姊既肯陪客，素雲姊姊，你是主人，何能推脫？」
素雲無奈，只得命丫鬟把剪子取來。寶雲命人擺了琴桌，又焚了幾爐好香。紫芝道：「五位姊姊，香都上了，快把腳修好，請登壇罷！」素雲道：「我同舜英姊姊，你罵一句也罷了；難道你家瑤芝姊姊你也罵麼？」紫芝道：「妹子何嘗罵麼？」紫芝道：「我們三人在此剪指甲，你說把腳修好，豈非罵麼？」紫芝道：「原來姊姊聽錯了。我說把甲修好，並非把腳修好。甲者，指甲之謂也；姊姊奈何疑到我的屨中乎？」素雲道：「好！這句罵的更好！我看你咬文嚼字的，太把科甲擺在臉上了！」
堯春道：「我們現在共有五人，若每人各彈一套，須半天工夫，豈不誤了遊玩。此處琴既現成，莫若大家竟將《平沙》一套合彈。四位姊姊以為何如？」四人都道：「甚好。」歸了坐，慢慢把絃調了。丫鬟送上茶來。眾人茶罷，也有站的，也有坐的，聽他五人彈的真是聲清韻雅，山虛水深；兼之五琴齊奏，彩雲欲停，那些聽琴的姊妹也都覺得驚鴻照影，長袖臨風，個個有凌雲欲仙之意。都道：「從未聽過五琴合彈，倒也有趣。」師蘭言道：「這可算得『絕調』了。」言錦心道：「五位姊姊琴是撫的極妙，不必說了；我不喜別的，只喜蘭言姊姊這『絕調』二字，真可抵得嵇叔夜的一篇《琴賦》：任你怎樣贊他撫的好，彈的妙，總不如這兩字批的簡潔。」
大家出了古桐台，又往別處遊玩。紫芝道：「我不喜別的，難得五個人竟會一齊住。」因向井堯春道：「剛才五位姊姊彈過琴，此刻該弄五管笛兒吹吹，才不缺典呢。」堯春道：「此話怎講？」紫芝道：「姊姊豈不聞俗語說的『牧童橫騎牛背上，短笛無腔信口吹』？五位姊姊彈過琴，如今都變作牧童，難道不該弄個笛子頑頑麼？」眾人都笑道：「紫芝姊姊好罵。」

No translation as yet.
(Return)

5. Chapter 73
Here is the relevant original passage, comprising approximately the first half of Chapter 73, as copied from copied from ctext.

話說易紫菱笑道：「這紫芝妹妹真會取笑，怪不得公主說你淘氣。」紫芝道：「芷馨姊姊既喜觀陣，自然也是高棋了？」姚芷馨道：「不瞞姊姊說，妹子向在外洋，除養蠶紡機之外，惟有打譜，或同蘅香姊姊下下棋。雖說會下，就只駛些，每日至少也下百十盤。」香雲道：「就是隨手亂丟，一日也不能這些盤。」芷馨道：「我們這棋叫做『跑棋』。彼此飛忙亂趕，所以最快。」香雲道：「依我說：姊姊既要下棋，到底還要慢些。譜上說的：『多算勝，少算不勝。』如果細細下去，自然有個好著兒；若一味圖快，不但不能高，只怕越下越低。俗語說的好：『快棋慢馬弔，縱高也不妙。』圍棋犯了這個『快』字，最是大毛病。」紫瓊道：「時常打打譜，再講究講究，略得幾分意思，你教他快，他也不能。所以這譜是不可少的。」芷馨道：「妹子打的譜都是『雙飛燕』、『倒垂蓮』、『鎮神頭』、『大壓梁』之類，再找不著『小鐵網』在那譜上。」香雲道：「倒像甚的『武庫』有這式子，你問他怎麼？」芷馨道：「妹子下棋有個毛病，最喜投個『小鐵網』。誰知投進去，再也出不來；及至巴巴結結活一小塊，那外勢全都失了。去年回到家鄉，時常下棋解悶，那些親戚姊妹都知妹子這個脾氣，每逢下棋，他們就大起『小鐵網』。妹子原知投不得，無如到了那時，不因不由就投進去。因此他們替妹子取個外號，叫作『小鐵網』。姊姊如有此譜，給妹子看看，將來回去，好去破他，」紫菱道：「妹子當日也時常打譜，後來因吃個大虧，如今也不打了。」紫芝道：「怎麼打譜倒會吃虧呢？」紫菱道：「說起來倒也好笑：我在家鄉，一日也是同親戚姊妹下棋，下未數著，竟碰到譜上一個套子，那時妹子因這式子變著兒全都已得，不覺暗暗歡喜，以為必能取勝。下來下去，不意到了要緊關頭，他卻沉思半晌，忽然把譜變了，所下的著兒，都是譜上未有的；我甚覺茫然，不知怎樣應法才好。一時發了慌，隨便應了幾著，轉眼間，連前帶後共總半盤，被他吃的乾乾淨淨。」紫芝道：「姊姊那時心裡發慌，所下之棋，自然是個亂的。那幾個臭著兒被他吃去，倒也無關緊要；我不可惜別的，只可惜起初幾個好譜著兒也被他吃去，真真委屈。所以妹子常說，為人在世，總是本來面目最好。即如姊姊這盤棋，起初下時，若不弄巧鬧甚麼套子，就照自己平素著兒下去，想來也不致吃個罄淨。就如人家做文，往往竊取陳編，攘為己有，惟恐別人看出，不免又添些自己意思，雜七雜八，強為貫串，以為掩人耳目；那知他這文就如好好一人，渾身錦繡綾羅，頭上卻戴的是草帽，腳上卻穿的是草鞋，所以反覺其醜。如把草帽草鞋放在粗衣淡服之人身上，又何嘗有甚麼醜處！可見裝點造作總難遮人耳目。」
只見素雲同井堯春走來望一望道：「我這紫芝妹妹話匣子要開了，有半天說哩，我們還是彈琴去罷。」堯春道：「如此甚好。但此地過於熱鬧，我們須找靜些地方才好。」於是約了呂堯蓂、田舜英、孟瑤芝仍到古桐台去。適值陰若花、田秀英從海棠社走來，堯春素聞二人彈得一手好琴，攜了二人一同來到古桐台。七個人，彈琴的彈琴，講究指法的講究指法，正在說笑，只見紫芝也走來。井堯春道：「妹妹那段草帽講完麼？」紫芝道：「話不過隨嘴亂說，長也由得我，短也由得我；比不得諸位姊姊撫琴，定要整套彈完才歇哩。」呂堯蓂道：「妹妹將來何不學學？如學會了，到那風清月朗時候，遇見知音，大家彈彈，倒是最能養心、最可解悶的，在我們閨中，真可算得良朋益友；就是獨自一人，只要有了他，也可消遣的。」紫芝道：「正是。剛才妹子聽你們五琴合彈，到得末後正在熱鬧之際，猛然鴉雀無聲，恰恰一齊住了，實在難得！我至今還是佩服。」瑤芝笑道：「諸位姊姊：你說紫芝妹妹這話可是外行不是外行？他且不講人家撫的好，只說五個人難得一齊住，也不思想人家既會彈，難道連個彈完還不知道麼？」
紫芝道：「妹子也曾學過。無奈學了兩天，泛音總是啞的，因此不甚高興。往常瑤芝姊姊同素雲姊姊彈時，我去問問，他們總不肯細心教我，說我性子過急，難以學會；我實不服。請教這個泛音究竟怎樣才響？」秀英道：「苦論泛音，也無甚難處，妹妹如要學時，記定左手按絃，不可過重，亦不可太輕，要如蜻蜓點水一般，再無不妙。其所以聲啞者，皆因按時過重；若失之過輕，又不成為泛音。『蜻蜓點水』四字，卻是泛音要訣。」紫芝道：「泛音既有如此妙論，為何譜上都無此說？他卻秘而不宣，是個甚麼意思？」瑤芝道：「他那譜上單論八法，盡夠一講，那還說到這個，況且他又怎能曉得有人把個泛音算做難事哩。」田舜英道：「妹妹要學泛音，也不用別法，每日調了絃，你且莫彈整套，只將蜻蜓點水四字記定，輕輕按絃，彈那『仙翁』兩字；彈過來也是『仙翁仙翁』；彈過去也是『仙翁仙翁』，如此彈去，不過一兩日，再無不會的。」若花道：「阿妹把泛音會了，其餘八法，如：『擘』、『托』、『勾』、『踢』、『抹』、『挑』、『摘』、『打』之類，初學時倒像頭緒紛紜，及至略略習學，就可領略，更是不足道的。」紫芝道：「還有幾句歌訣，這兩年沒去弄他，我倒忘了，不知共有幾句？」
秀英道：「歌訣雖有八句，第一卻是『彈欲斷絃方入妙，按令入木始為奇』這兩句是要緊的。此訣凡譜皆有，你細細揣摩，自能得其大意。」紫芝道：「姊姊：你說泛音要如蜻蜒點水一般，我要請姊姊彈個樣兒，我也好彈。」秀英隨即按著絃，「仙翁仙翁」彈了一陣。紫芝也按著絃彈了幾聲，誰知按不得法，仍是啞音，不覺著急道：「秀英姊姊！莫是這絃也有嘴眼罷？你們按的得法，按了他的眼，所以有聲；我按的不得法，按了他的嘴，所以啞了。只好懇那位姊姊，要象先生教學生寫字樣子，用個『把筆』法兒把把我才好。」瑤芝道：「不知六位姊姊當日學時可有這個把法？真是學個琴兒也是古怪的！」若花笑道：「阿妹過來，我來把你。」於是把著紫芝兩手又彈一陣「仙翁」。把了多時，紫芝道：「我會了。」若花把手放開，隨他自彈，果然彈的竟成泛音。紫芝道：「你們且彈，我去去就來。」
說罷，來到白蒁亭，向紫雲道：「他們寫字的寫字，畫畫的畫畫，下棋的下棋，彈琴的彈琴，我們也想甚麼頑的才好，不然，這許多姊姊不要悶氣麼？」紫雲道：「今日人多，據我主意：須分幾樣頑法。莫若我們挨著問問，先派幾桌雙陸、馬弔；再派幾桌花湖、象棋，餘者或投壺、鞦韆、拋毬；甚至鬥草、垂釣，無所不可，如不喜頑的，或做詩聯句，悉聽其便。你道如何？」綠雲在旁點頭道：「姊姊所論極是。不如此，也分派不開，也不足盡興。」隨命丫鬟預備調擺。
紫雲向蔣春輝、董青鈿道：「這件事必須二位姊姊同我們挨著問問，分派分派；不然，再也分派不開。」蔣春輝道：「如今弄的滿眼都是人，也不知除了他們琴棋書畫，還剩幾位姊姊？」紫芝道：「這個妹子都記得，等我數給你聽：那彈琴的是堯春、堯蓂、舜英、若花、秀英、瑤芝、素雲七位姊姊；那下圍棋的是紫瓊、紫菱、芷馨、香雲四位姊姊；那寫扇子的是書香、文錦、巧文、月芳、繡田、紫綃、紅紅、亭亭八位姊姊；那畫扇子的是墨香、題花、麗娟、銀蟾、鳳雛、蕙芳六位姊姊。共計二十五位。下存七十五位；再除大解、小解二十五位，實存五十位。」說的眾人不覺好笑。寶雲道：「紫芝妹妹真好記性！至於那處那幾位，我原都曉得，你要教我一位一位念他名姓，這個實實不能。今日全仗妹妹替我各處照應照應；此時也不知都在此處，也不知有到別處去的，弄的糊裡糊塗，這才叫做慢客哩。」

No translation as yet.
(Return)

6. Chapter 75
I am not sure of the context.
(Return)

Return to the Guqin ToC