Important Words from Miscellaneous Books

群書要語 Important words from miscellaneous books (QQJC I/80)
Quotations from 8 sources
彈琴賦 Rhapsody on Playing the Qin (QQJC I/81)
Excerpts from the Qin Fu by Xi Kang
彈琴法 Qin Playing Methods (continue QQJC I/81)
A long section with seven entries
1. Qi Song (compare QSCM)
  齊嵩云：「嵇三琴賦曰：摟、批、擽、捋、縹、繚、潎、洌，（或是：摟批、擽捋、縹繚、潎洌，）QSCM調手勢也。皆取其名。琴宜....」
2. Zhao Weize (compare QSCM, 趙維則)
  趙惟則曰：「趙師云，凡彈琴之法必資簡靜豈....」.
3. Caishi Wunong (Continuation of above? Compare the melodies)
  蔡氏五弄：並是側聲....」.
  (QQJC I/82)
4. Xue Yijian (in Qin Jue?)
  薛易簡曰：「鼓琴之時無問有人無人，常如對長者在前，身需端直，且神鮮意閑，視專思靜....」.
5. Zhao Xikuang (QSCB, p. 120; also in QSDQ, Folio 10)
  趙希曠云：「夫彈琴前指不付後指踢絃....」。
6. Qin Lu (Continuation of the above?)
  琴錄云：「琴有三調，足有五調. 清平（瑟）楚側都十弄，皆清調為之本....」.
7. Qu Zhan
  麴瞻云「凡彈琴散聲虛歌如風水之澹....」. (Partial translation in QSCB Folio 4; see also QSCM)
儀式 Demeanour: 禮少儀 Li Shao Yi (straddles QQJC I/82-3)
- The title Li Shao Yi seems to mean demeanour based what is in Shao Yi from the 禮記 Li Ji; see also in QSDQ, Jizai
琴瑟埶之皆在左手埶。琴之謂抱又謂推。手將鼓謂之援，謂之引。對琴而坐當以六徽為正....
琴制尚象論 Discussion of Qin Construction and Symbolic Representation (begins on QQJC I/83)
Begins "制氣尚象其來久矣。琴之為器其制詳其義...."
琴議篇 Qin Yi Pian: Qin Critique Chapter (straddles QQJC I/83-4; compare here)
Begins "琴者禁也。禁邪歸正以和人心。始於伏羲...."
三聲論 Discussion of Three Sounds (QQJC I/84)
Begins "琴有散聲、泛聲、木聲三者.... The qin has three types of sound, open, harmonics and "wood" (usually 按 "stopped")
琴本制起法象 Origin and Symbolism of the Qin (straddles QQJC I/84-5)
Begins "昔者伏羲氏之王天下也...."
絲附木論 Discussion of Silk Attached to Wood (QQJC I/85)
From 雲山集 Yunshan Ji Record of a Cloud-Filled Mountain (43170.xxx but web mentions one by 元初全真派道士姬志真 Ji Zhizhen 6368.xxx [?])
Begins "八音皆有聲，聖人用之以作樂。獨絲不能自為而聲出於木蓋蠶與馬同氣...."
琴材論 Discussion of Qin Materials (QQJC I/85)
Begins "樂由陽來虛所生也，故莊子曰，樂出虛，夫虛則通實...."
琴體說 Speaking of the Qin Structure (QQJC I/85-6)
Begins "琴之首曰鳳額....The head of the qin is called the phoenix forehead...."
論絃象七星 Discussing How the Strings Resemble the Seven Stars (QQJC I/86)
See further; from Fengsu Tong
One line for each string, beginning "一絃屬土，主宮，為天，為君，其色黃...."
取聲用指兼述琴人善惡 On Producing Sound and Identifying the Virtues and Faults of Qin Players (QQJC I/86)
Begins "凡彈琴調弄句度...."; ends "....絕此十二則妙矣 it would be good to avoid these 12 faults"
Seems to be a list, but not clear
五音審辨乃可議琴 The Five Tones Examined and Arranged so as to Explain Qin (QQJC I/86)
A list of five, the first being, "凡宮聲和平深厚粗大其音雄洪含通然...."
彈琴有七要 Seven Essentials for Qin Play (QQJC I/86)
The seven are:
1. 一曰：學琴者欲得風韻瀟洒，無塵俗氣，而與雅樂稱。
2. 二曰：蓄琴欲其九德具備，無收庸材。（音釋：九德者：奇、古、透、潤、靜、勻、圓、清、芬是也。）
3. 三曰：下指沉靜，而不得暴燥。
4. 四曰：曲調雅正，不挾淫哇。（音釋：哇音蛙。）
5. 五曰：不為俗奏，以玷古人之高風。
6. 六曰：聲無映奪，欲得純正。
7. 七曰：聽欲靜慮，不逐聲色。
The list is followed by an essay (straddline QQJC I/86-7) that begins, "琴太古樂也。正聲之所自出...." It is not clear whether it belongs together with the list it follows, or in fact what if any connection it has with the preceding several sections.
琴有九德 Qin has Nine Virtues (QQJC I/87)
The nine are:
1. 一曰「奇」，謂輕鬆脆滑者乃可稱奇。蓋輕者，其材輕；鬆者，扣而其聲透，久年之材也. 脆者，質緊而木聲清長，裂文斷斷，老桐之材也；滑者，質澤聲潤，近水之材也。
2. 二曰「古」，謂淳淡中有金石韻，蓋緣桐之所產得地而然也。有淳淡聲而無金石韻，則近乎濁；有金石韻而無淳淡聲，則止乎清。二者備，乃謂之「古」。
3. 三曰「透」，謂歲月綿遠，膠膝乾匱，發越響亮而不哽塞。
4. 四曰「靜」，謂之無殺颯以亂正聲。
5. 五曰「潤」，謂發聲不躁，韻長不絕，清遠可愛。
6. 六曰「圓」，謂聲韻渾然而不破散。
7. 七曰「清」，謂發聲猶風中（之）鐸。
8. 八曰「勻」，謂七弦俱清圓，而無三實四虛之病。
9. 九曰「芳」，謂愈談而聲愈出，而無彈久聲乏之病。
A somewhat revised version of these nine, as included in Gao Lian's Eight Discourses on Living, is translated by Pei-You Chang on her website.
琴有四虛 Qin (body can) have Four Weaknesses (QQJC I/87)
Brief list:
1. 一曰兌虛，謂槽腹太寬也
2. 二曰散虛，謂膠縫脫落也
3. 三曰濁虛，謂材太慢也
4. 四曰精虛，謂材太薄也
琴有所宜 Qin has those who are dignified (QQJC I/87)
Begins with a list of five types of gentlemen, followed by a brief characterization of each:
黃門士、隱士、孺士、羽士、德士。此五者，雅稱聖人之樂，故宜於琴。黄門士，鼓大雅聖徳之頌。隱士操流水高山之調。儒士撫清和治世之音。羽士操御風飛仙之曲。徳士彈枯淡清虚之吟。
This is followed by a long yinshi, then five more lines each with a rule, plus a closing statement:
- 騷人逐客，遊子怨女，皆寄情於琴，以伸快其意。古人皆尚之。
- 凡學琴必須要有文章，能吟詠者。 (whoever studies qin should be those with essays and the ability to "hum and chant")
- 貌必要清，要古怪，不麄俗者。
- 心必要有仁慈徳義能甘貧守志者。
- 言必要有誠信，無浮華薄飾者。
凡鼓琴必擇明堂室。竹間松下。他處則未宜。
琴有所忌 Qin has things to shun (straddles QQJC I/87-8)
Four characterizations of people who shouldn't play qin: several types of common people, people from military households, people in commerce and professional performaners.
Begins "鼓琴有三俗：心中無德；口上無髯；腹內無墨...."
琴經須知 Qin Standards that must be known (QQJC I/88)
Begins "下指不欲粗慕則聲不真全...."
琴不妄傳 Qin should not be improperly transmitted (QQJC I/88)
Begins "洞虛皇甫先生世以琴道鳴。弟子甚眾而喪門雜然...."

End of Taiyin Daquanji, Folio 4

Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1 See the Comment on the different editions: the original of this chapter is in the Taiyin Daquanji reprinted in QQJC Vol. I, pp. 80 - 88 (70-78 in earlier edition). It is nearly identical to the same passage as reprinted in QFTGYY, pp. 74 - 84, with the latter adding punctuation. It should be noted that the meaning of a number of passages still eludes me.
(Return)

2. Added explanations
These are mostly my own added comments concerning the structure of the original text.
(Return)

3 Page 1 of Folio 4 in Taigu Yiyin
The text here seems to be much the same as that in Taiyin Daquanji, and is much easier to read.
(Return)

Return to Taiyin Daquanji