Qin Critique Chapter

Part Six: Qin Critique Chapter
琴議篇 Qin Yi Pian
This essay, elsewhere attributed to Liu Ji, is discussed by Xu Jian in QSCB. (Corrections) here in the text come from other editions.

琴者禁也，禁邪歸正。以和人心。
“Qin" signifies "restraint", meaning it restrains evil and returns one to propriety, harmonizing the human heart.

始手伏羲，成於文、武。
It began at the hand of Fuxi then was perfected by Wen Wang and Wu Wang.

形像天地。炁包陰陽。
Its form resembles Heaven and Earth; its vital energy encompasses yin and yang.

神思幽深。聲、韻清越。
Its spirit and thought are profound; its sound and sonority are clear and far-reaching.

雅而能暢，樂而不淫揺。
It is refined yet expressive, joyous but not indulgent or wavering.

扶正國風，翼贊王化。
It upholds the righteousness of national customs and assists in the transformation of the ruler’s virtue.

善聽者，知吉凶休咎。國家存亡。
One who listens well can discern fortune and misfortune, prosperity and calamity, as well as the survival or downfall of a nation.

善豉者，變動陰陽。聚散鬼神。
One who plays well can influence the movements of Yin and Yang and summon or disperse spirits and deities.

是以古人左琴、右書。無故則不徹。琴之為義大矣哉。
Therefore, in ancient times, scholars placed a qin to their left and books to their right, and they would not play it without purpose. How great is the significance of the qin!

夫和而鳴者謂之聲，參叙相應謂之韻，韻而成文謂（之）音。
Whatever is concordant when resonating is called "sound" ("聲 sheng");
if (these sounds) mix in an organized manner as they resonate it is called "sonority" ("韻 "yun");
when sonority forms meaningful patterns it is called "music" ("音 yin").

夫人志於所守，蘊積於中而形於言。
A person’s will adheres to what they uphold; it accumulates within and manifests in words.

言之不足謂之文，文又不盡謂之音。
When words are insufficient, they become writing (文). When writing is still incomplete, it becomes sound (音).

故音哀樂雅正，剛柔怨怒，必在乎人。
Thus, sound contains sorrow and joy, refinement and righteousness, strength and gentleness, resentment and anger—all of these are found within human nature.

由乎國風理國治家，化人成俗。
Through national customs, it governs the state and regulates the family, transforming people and establishing traditions.

政教興廢，道德盛衰，於是聽之則聲之音。其道深矣。
The rise and fall of governance and education, the flourishing and decline of morality—all of these can be understood through listening to sound and tone. Its principle is profound indeed.

夫人多聽聲而不聽音者，近而不知遠也。
Many people listen only to ‘sound’ (聲) but do not perceive ‘tone’ (音); they focus on what is near and do not understand what is distant.

俗諺云，不惜歌者，若但傷知音稀。誠哉是言也。
As the common saying goes: "One does not grieve for the singer, but rather laments how rare it is to find someone who understands the music." How true these words are!

余早味幽隱，酷嗜絲桐。頗曾留意。
Since my early years I have taken delight in seclusion, with an intense love for silk and tong wood. I have devoted considerable attention to it.

時屬絕絲，而能之。
Yet at times, the tradition of silk strings (guqin playing) was severed, and still, I was able to carry it on.

雖奇聲雅韻，寂然而廢。
Though its wondrous sounds and refined resonance fell into silence and neglect,

幽情遠興，緬想常存。
My deep sentiments and distant inspirations remained, lingering in thought.

今者以其端味，以傳同好。
Now, I wish to capture its essence and pass it on to those who share this passion.

但跡形容，列之于後：
I merely record its traces and descriptions, setting down (its virtues) here below:

夫聲雅正。
Its sound is elegant and upright.

用指分明。
Its use of the fingers is clear and distinct.

運動閑和。
Its movements are measured and harmonious.

取舍無跡。
Its execution leaves no trace of hesitation.

氣格高峻。
Its spirit and character are lofty and imposing.

才思豐逸。
Its talent and inspiration are abundant and free-flowing.

美而不艷。
It is beautiful but not gaudy.

哀而不傷。
It is sorrowful but not distressing.

質而能文。
It is simple yet refined.

辨而不詐。
It is articulate but not deceitful.

溫潤調暢。
It is warm, smooth, and well-balanced.

清逈幽奇。
It is pure, distant, deep, and unique.

參韻曲折。
Its sonority is layered and intricate.

立聲孤芳。
Its sound stands apart like a solitary fragrance.

此琴之德也。
Those are the virtues of the qin.

如遇物發聲，想像成曲：
When encountering things, sounds emerge; imagining them, melodies take shape.

江山隱映，㘅落月于絃中。
The rivers and mountains are veiled in mist, casting the setting moon into the strings.

松風颼飀，貫清風于指下。
The rustling of the pine winds flows through the fingers, carrying the essence of the pure breeze.

此則境之深矣。
This is the depth of artistic conception.

又若賢人烈士，失意傷時，結恨沉憂，寫于韻聲，
Or when virtuous men and heroic scholars, having lost their way in troubled times, pour their grievances and deep sorrows into the sonority of sound,

始激切以暢鬼神，終練德而和雅頌。
At first, their tones are intense and stirring, moving even spirits and deities; in the end, they refine their virtue, harmonizing into elegance and praise.

使千載之後，同聲見知。
Thus, across a thousand generations, those who share this sound will understand one another.

此乃琴道深矣。
This is the profundity of the "way of the qin

若夫徇時棄本，艷巧多端，實傷敗德也。
And yet, if one conforms to worldly trends and abandons the fundamental essence, indulging in excessive ornamentation and artificial complexity, it truly harms and corrupts virtue.

夫琴之五音者，宮、商、角、徵、羽也：
The five sounds of the qin are gong, shang, jue, zhi, and yu.

宮象君，其聲同當，與眾同心，故曰同也。
Gong represents the ruler; its sound is unified and fitting, resonating with the people’s hearts—thus it is called "harmony" (同).

商象臣，其聲行，君令臣行，故曰行也。
Shang represents the minister; its sound is active and directive—when the ruler commands, the minister acts—thus it is called "action" (行).

角象民，其聲從，君令臣行民從，故曰從也。
Jue represents the people; its sound follows—when the ruler commands and the minister acts, the people follow—thus it is called "obedience" (從).

徵象事，其聲當，民從則事當，故曰當也。
Zhi represents affairs; its sound is appropriate—when the people follow, affairs are conducted properly—thus it is called "correctness" (當).

羽象物，其聲繁，民從事當則物有繁植，故曰繁也。
Yu represents things; its sound is abundant—when the people follow and affairs are in order, material things flourish—thus it is called "prosperity" (繁).

是以舜作五絃之琴，鼓「南風」而天下大治，此之謂也。
Thus, Emperor Shun created the five-stringed qin, and when he played “Southern Wind” (南風), the realm became peaceful and well-governed. This is precisely the meaning here.

後文、武各加一絃，故六名文，七名武也。
Later, King Wen (文王) and King Wu (武王) each added one string to the instrument—hence, the six-stringed qin was named "wen" (civilization), and the seven-stringed qin was named "wu" (military might).

夫琴之聲弄，各有異端，不可雷同。總呼為「弄」，合節者為「聲」，不合節者為「弄」。
Regarding the various qin (that come under the collective term) melodies, each have their own distinctive qualities, they cannot all sound the same. When they align with rhythm, they are called "tones" (聲); when they do not align with rhythm, they are called "pieces" (弄).

音葉稱音，音繁曰樂：
Tonal harmony is called "yin" (音 sound), then when sound becomes complex and abundant, it is called "yue" (樂 music).

禽獸但知聲而不知音，
Birds and beasts only recognize sound but do not understand tonal harmony.

常人但知音而不知樂。
Ordinary people understand tonal harmony but do not comprehend the essence of music.

君子能知其樂者，明國之興衰，察人之哀樂。
The gentleman, however, is able to grasp the true nature of music, for he can discern the rise and fall of a state and perceive the joys and sorrows of its people through sound.

故：
Thus:

哀心感者其聲焦以殺。
With a sorrowful heart the sound becomes withered and diminished.

樂心感者其聲舒以緩。
With a joyful heart the sound is expansive and flowing.

喜心感者其聲發以散。
With a happy heart the sound is bright and disperses freely.

怒心感者其聲麗以厲。
With an angry heart the sound is forceful and sharp.