General comments on qin tablature
 T of C 
Home 		My
Work		 Hand-
books		 Qin as
Object		 Qin in
Art		 Poetry
/ Song		 Hear,
Watch		 Play
Qin		 Analysis History Ideo-
logy		 Miscel-
lanea		 More
Info		 Personal email me search me
Taiyin Daquanji  ToC   Folio 4 ToC   /   "Folio 6" ToC     5/pt 1   /   6/pt 1   /   End, with tablature" 網站目錄
Taiyin Daquanji 1
Folios 5-6, General Comments on Qin Tablature: Annotated List of Contents
Explanations provided by the translator are put either in brackets ( ) or in footnotes.2		 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 page 1 (p.2 below) of Taiyin Daquanji; compare in Taigu Yiyin3  

  1. (Miscellaneous comments without separate headings) (QQJC I/89)

    Begins, "家語云，子路鼓琴，孔子聞之，曰...."

  2. 指法 Fingering (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 Shorthand Forms (QQJC I/91)
    Opens with a short commentary beginning, "Making tablature began with Yongmen Zhou....(see     complete passage).

    "Master Chen" and 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)

 
Folio 6?: Because the part of QFTGYY from the National Central Library ended here, it added the following from Taiyin Daquanji.
                Only the Zhu volume seems to divide this folio into two parts.

End of Taiyin Daquanji, Folio 5

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page) Continuation from top       

1. Taiyin Daquanji: various editions
See the Comment on the different editions: the original of this chapter is in the Taiyin Daquanji 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).
(Return)

 
Return to Taiyin Daquanji