General comments on qin tablature
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Taiyin Daquanji  ToC   Folio 4 ToC  /  Folio 5 parts 1  /  2&3  /  4  /  5&6  /  7  /  8  /  9&10  /  "Folio 6": ToC 網站目錄
Taiyin Daquanji 1
Folios 5-6, General Comments on Qin Tablature: Annotated List of Contents2		 太音大全集
卷五、六，目錄
Folio 5-6 originally had no Table of Contents; one is added here for convenience. Folio 5 p.1 (p.2 below) of Taiyin Daquanji (I/89a); compare in Taigu Yiyin3  
Folio 5 uses Taigu Yiyin as well as Taiyin Daquanji images (page bottoms)   

  1. 琴譜總說 Miscellaneous Comments on Qin Tablature (Various related comments without separate headings; QQJC I/89)

    Begins, "家語云，子路鼓琴，孔子聞之，曰...."

  2. 指法 Finger techniques (QQJC I/89)

    Begins, "傳云，琴瑟雖有妙音，而無妙指，終不能發...."

  3. 手訣 Hand Mnemonics (QQJC I/89)

    First of the six entries is, "凡取聲不可造作，搖身作勢"

  4. 右手指法 Right Hand Finger Techniques (QQJC I/89)
    Comment credits Liu Ji: 劉籍琴議(?)，諸家不同，隨指疏之

    75 explanations. First 22 have shorthand forms, later are often repeats.

  5. 左手指法 Left Hand Finger Techniques (QQJC I/90)
    Continues the previous

    49 entries, no shorthand forms

  6. 左手指法譜 Tablature for Left Hand Techniques (QQJC I/91)

    35 shorthand forms plus their full forms

  7. 字譜 Tablature notation (QQJC I/91)
    Tablature notation, also discussed here and elsewhere, was originally 文字譜 longhand tablature but some time during the Tang dynasty was largely replaced by 簡字譜 simplified or shorthand tablature. Elsewhere on this site mention has been made to the development of longhand tablature. It then gives

    75 shorthand forms plus their full forms

  8. 唐陳居士聽聲數應指法並注譜訣 Finger Technique Explanations attributed to Master Chen (Chen Kangshi or Chen Zhuo; QQJC I/91)

    A. Full name, shorthand form, then explanation for 30 right hand techniques
    B. Same for 20 left hand mnemonics (左手訣法)
    C. Same for 4 general instructions (雜調寄意)

  9. 外調轉絃 Changing the Tuning for Non-standard Modes (QQJC I/93)
    No indication of source: could it be the same as previous?

    A. 19 tunings
    B. More: 20 tunings

  10. 轉絃宗派 Heritage of Tunings (QQJC I/93)

    A chart with each succeeding level having one additional string re-tuned

    (The Taigu Yiyin in the National Central Library, Taiwan ends here)

 
Table of Contents for Folio 6 (aka the second part of Folio 5)
- Continue to content
    Because the edition of QFTGYY from the National Central Library ended here, Qin Fu added the following from Taiyin Daquanji.
    Only the Zhu volume seems actually to divide this folio into two sections. As for numbering the different parts of what is considered here as the Folio 6, the dividing places are not actually clear: there is a lot of repetition and the material seems to have been brought in from a variety of sources without specifying what these are. Was there an original volume to which things were gradually added? In any case, until all this can be clarified the divisions used here are unnumbered and tentative.

  1. Untitled section of 24 entries with a variety of themes (QQJC I/94 - 101)
    Finger techniques and rules that should be followed

    1. 名數發端 Fundamentals for names and numbers (used in qin tablature) (I/94)
      Begins "置琴者鳳嗉在右，龍鬚在左.... Extend the qin with phoenix crop at right and dragon's beard at left...."

    2. 右手指法 Right hand finger techniques (I/94)
      8 short forms, 45 explanations, then 47 short forms; no indication of source; compare above and below

    3. 左手指法 Left hand finger techniques (I/97)
      20 explanations then 38 short forms; also no indication of source; compare below
    4. （上）絃法 Rules of (putting on) the strings (I/98)
      宮絃先上，急則下小絃自絕。宮為君之象，為衆音之主。切宜寬緩。
    5. 軫絃 Tuning pegs for the strings (I/98)
      How to tighten and loosen the tuning pegs
    6. 彈琴法 Playing qin method (I/98)
      Where to pluck, press down hard, etc.
    7. 彈琴之要有五 Five requirements of playing qin (I/98)
      1. Attitude: severe; 2. Fingering: orderly; etc.
    8. 指象 Appearance of the fingers (I/98)
      Left middle finger is like head of a phoenix; etc.

    9. 對琴法 Method of facing the qin (I/99a)
      Where to sit, etc.
    10. 品絃法 Fixing the strings (I/99a)
      Details on tuning the strings using stopped sounds

      Compare the next 12 sections with the same in Shilin Guangji; in TYDQJ they begin here

    11. 調琴指要 Essential points for qin play (I/99a)
      Ten 4 character phrases, beginning 一：心不散亂 1. The mind should be focused....(      Shilin Guangji #1)
    12. 彈琴五切 Five precisions when playing qin (I/99a)
      Five 4 character phrases, beginning 一：指法合宜 1. The fingering must be appropriate....(      Shilin Guangji #2)
    13. 十善 Ten positive things (I/99b)
      Ten 4 character phrases commenting on 欲 needs. beginning 淡欲合古 1. Lightly must be in accord with antiquity....(      Shilin Guangji #3)
    14. 五能 Five skills (I/99b)
      Five 3 character phases with 欲 in middle, beginning 坐欲安 1. When sitting must be peaceful....(      Shilin Guangji #4)
    15. 九不詳 Nine (methods) lacking precision (I/99b)
      Eight 4 character phrases then 1 of six, beginning 不撫正聲 1. Not playing the correct tones....(      Shilin Guangji #5)
    16. 五病 Five ills (I/99b)
      Five 4 character phrases, beginning 布指拙恓 1. Arrange fingers awkward troublesome (?)....(      Shilin Guangji #6)
    17. 十疵 Ten defects (I/99b)
      Ten 4 character phrases, beginning 太淡而拙 1. Too light are awkward....(      Shilin Guangji #7)
    18. 五謬 Five gross errors (I/99b)
      Five 4 character phrases, beginning 頭足搖動 1. Head and feet twisting around....(      Shilin Guangji #8)
    19. 五不彈 Five times not to play (Shilin Guangji #9 [original]; later lists are longer and paired with good times4; I/99b) 1. 疾風甚雨不彈 In a strong wind or heavy rain don't play;
      2. 廛市不彈 In a marketplace don't play;
      3. 對俗子不彈 In front of common people don't play;
      4. 不坐不彈 When not seated don't play;
      5. 不衣冠不彈 When not in formal dress don't play.       (There is a closing comment saying that these five rules are there so that people will act correctly with regard to the qin.)
    20. 彈琴大病有七 There are seven major flaws when playing qin (I/99b)
      These more detailed descriptions begin with, When seated don't look around and fidget....(      Shilin Guangji #10)

    21. 彈琴小病有五 There are five minor flaws when playing qin (I/100a)
      As previous, rather detailed descriptions of flaws (Shilin Guangji #11).
    22. 蘇翰林易簡論十二病總括 Discussion of 12 flaws (I/100a)
      Shilin Guangji #12
    23. 調絃 Tuning the strings (I/100b)
      Describes open string - stopped string correspondences
    24. 知音端緒 Clues to understanding music (I/100b)
      A six-line essay beginning,

      夫始學之士尤貴審音，何謂音聲成文謂之音今之學者徒知其聲之 亮而不知其音之節
      Whenever a gentleman begins to study he especially examines the sounds....

This is followed by:

  1. 右手指法 Right Hand Finger Techniques (QQJC I/101a)
    (Numbering follows from top) Again no indication of source. Different from     these above, but almost the same as some that are named 曹氏減字法 Caoshi Jianzifa (Simplified Methods of of Mr. Cao (Rou), for example, in 1557 (further comment)

    23 simplified forms with explanations

  2. 左手指法 Left Hand Finger Techniques (QQJC I/101b - 102a)
    Compare with     above; again no indication of source

    25 simplified forms with explanations

  3. 琴操辨議 Qin Cao Bian Yi (Discerning the Significance of Qin Melodies; QQJC I/102a)
    By Yuan Junzhe

    Begins, "琴操傳于世者有江操、閩操、浙操之不一...."

  4. 古琴曲調名 Guqin melodies and title names
    This title comes from the QQJC's own Table of Contents (I/3b). Taiyin Daquanji simply continues without a break right into:
    Five short modal preludes, each with an attached Melody List (QQJC I/102b - 103a):

    1. Gong Yi   (compare Shenpin Gong Yi)
    2. Shang Yi  (compare Shenpin Shang Yi)
    3. Jiao Yi     (compare Shenpin Jiao Yi)
    4. Zhi Yi      (compare Shenpin Zhi Yi)
    5. Yu Yi       (compare Shenpin Yu Yi)

End of Taiyin Daquanji, Folio 5

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)  

1. Taiyin Daquanji: various editions
See the Comment on the different editions: this site generally follows the copy of the original version of Folio Four as printed in the Taiyin Daquanji as reprinted in QQJC Vol. I, pp. 79 - 93. It is nearly identical to the same passages as reprinted in QFTGYY, pp. 85 - 107 (the original of which had a number of pages missing, so these missing pages are copied from Taiyin Daquanji); the latter divided this folio in two; it also has punctuation (perhaps added by TKW).
(Return)

2. Explanations by translator
This is called "Folios 5-6" because most editions have only 5 folios but some have 6. See also some further comments concerning the structure of the original text.
(Return)

3. Editions
See details on different editions.
(Return)

4. Rules regarding when, where and for whom to play and not to play the qin
Perhaps the earliest list of such rules is the one above, there copied from the Song dynasty Shilin Guangji.

Such prescriptions seem to have become more detailed later. Here for example are two lists from Fengxuan Xuanpin (1539; QQJC II/24). The translations here are modified when necessary from the corresponding passages in Chongxiu Zhenchuan Qinpu, Folio 2 (1585; IV/288-9), as translated in R. H. Van Gulik, Lore, pp. 61-2 (the order there is slightly different).

    14 Appropriate times for playing the qin

  1. Meeting someone who understands music.
  2. Meeting a suitable person.
  3. For a Daoist recluse.
  4. In a high hall.
  5. Having ascended a storied pavilion.
  6. In a Daoist cloister.
  7. Having climbed a mountain.
  8. Resting in a valley.
  9. Sitting on a stone.
  10. Roaming along the waterside.
  11. In a boat.
  12. Resting in the shadow of a forest.
  13. When the two essences of nature are bright and clear.
  14. In a cool breeze and when there is a bright moon.
    14 Inappropriate times for playing the qin

  1. When there is wind and thunder, and in rainy weather.
  2. When there is a sun or moon eclipse.
  3. In a court room (other versions say In a prison).
  4. In a market or shop.
  5. For a barbarian (夷狄 yidi; Van Gulik says this is often especially emphasized).
  6. For a vulgar person.
  7. For a merchant.
  8. For courtesans or actors (對娼優; 1585 only says "對娼妓 For courtesans").
  9. After inebriation.
  10. After fierce anger (惡怒後; 1585 has "鼓動喧嚷 In loud and noisy surroundings").
  11. After having had sexual intercourse.
  12. When formal dress is not in order (衣冠不肅; 1585: "不盥手揧漱口 Not having washed one's hands and rinsed ones mouth").
  13. In dishevelled and strange clothes.
  14. When flushed and covered with persperation.

In addition to the variations of this in other handbooks, there are also arguments on such points as drinking and playing for merchants. And Van Gulik points out that some apparently wished even to prohibit Buddhists from playing (see further).
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