Liezi Yu Feng
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35. Liezi Rides the Wind
- Jue mode, standard tuning:2 5 6 1 2 3 5 6
 		 列子御風 1
Liezi Yu Feng  
Riding the wind3 (compare here and here)          
 According to this famous ancient story, a student hears that the sagely Liezi can ride the wind. The student is impatient to learn, but Liezi spurns him, saying he spent many years assiduously learning from his masters before he could relax and, losing his awareness of ordinary human distinctions, drift with the wind, not knowing whether he is riding the wind or the wind riding him. This is not something which can be learned quickly. The phrase "Liezi yu feng" is originally found in the book of Zhuangzi, which briefly tells of Liezi traveling by riding the wind.4 A passage in the book attributed to Liezi gives more detail.5

Once a very popular piece, Liezi Yu Feng has undergone various revisions but is still recognizable in the 40 handbooks through 1876 which include it,6 as well as in the 1950s recording of Yue Ying7 playing it "from handcopied qin tablature", now available on CD.8

The numerous revisions have not affected the attribution tto the famous Song dynasty qin master Mao Minzhong (Mao Zhongweng). Looking at the SQMP pieces in order, this is the first of several it attributes to this famous Song dynasty qin player. The melody that precedes it, Lingxu Yin, seems to serve it as a prelude, and perhaps for this reason it later is also sometimes attributed to Mao Minzhong

 
Original Preface9

The Emaciated Immortal says,

as for this piece, Mao Zhongweng wrote it based on the account in the Yellow Emperor chapter of Liezi, in which (Liezi) rides the wind in such a way that his spirit roams throughout the universe.10 The flavor of the tune is the same as this story.

 
Music: 10 sections11 (timings follow the recording from my CD)
See transcription; also see this video (first string tuned to A).

(00.00) 01. Relying on the air to ride the wind
(00.25) 02. Looking down on the earth
(01.04) 03. How vast is the universe!
(01.33) 04. Not aware whether the wind is riding me
(01.51) 05. Not aware whether I am riding the wind
(02.31) 06. Aiming for the silent heavens
(03.01) 07. His spirit roams in the stratosphere
(03.43) 08. Howling in the empty azure sky
(04.05) 09. Shaking out clothing in the celestial wind
(04.44) 10. Having enjoyed everything, (the rider) returns
(05.23) --- play harmonics of the modal prelude
(05.36) --- Piece ends

The melodies in Shen Qi Mi Pu (1425) have no lyrics. The nearly identical version in Zheyin Shizi Qinpu (>1505) added them but the surviving edition is missing the first 7 and a fraction of its 10 sections. Although the version in Chongxiu Zhenchuan Qinpu (1585) seems almost completely different from 1425/>1505, its lyrics fit quite well the earlier tablature following the common pairing method (see especially the last few sections). To do this, however, the phrasing is sometimes different from that given by Zha Fuxi's Guide (q.v.).

With some care, all this can be seen and heard by reading the following complete version of the text while listening to my recording.

  1. 憑虛馭風 Riding the Wind, Trusting in Emptiness (泛音 harmonics)

    人間天上兩茫茫，銀河一水長，馭風有客徜徉。
    Between earth and sky all is vast and boundless, the Milky Way flows like a single endless river, I ride the wind, drifting along freely.

    非鸞非鶴，步武看飛揚，憑虛撞破天荒。
    I am neither phoenix nor crane, yet with every step I seem to soar. Trusting in emptiness, I break through the outermost heavens.
     

  2. 俯視寰壤 Looking Down Upon the World

    瑤臺上，九重天，俯視寰壤一茫然。
    From the Jade Terrace, atop the Ninth Heaven, I look down at a world so vague and distant.

    心空眼小大三千：看他!
    My heart is empty as my eyes behold the vast Three Thousand Worlds: look there!

    那趨名趨利客爭先，
    Those scrambling for fame and profit as they rush to get ahead.

    真不如鶴背神仙，
    That is really nothing like being an immortal on a crane’s back,

    駕馭自便便，三清八極任我週旋。
    Riding as I please, through the Three Pure Lands and Eight Extremes, wandering freely.      

  3. 渺焉六合! How Vast is the Universe!

    天宮月府，渺焉六合無多路。
    In Heaven’s palace, by the moon’s abode, the six directions seem not so far.

    憑虛仙客輕飛步。
    I tread on emptiness, light of foot,

    十萬程途隱隱天風助，
    Carried for ten thousand leagues by gentle celestial winds.

    太和一氣也。乾坤門戶，八荒凝固，
    On the breath of Great Harmony, I pass the gate of Heaven and Earth. The Eight Wastes freeze still—

    扶搖直上，鳳車鸞輅，鸞輅，鸞輅。
    Then up I spiral, in phoenix carts and luan chariots, luan chariots!
     

  4. 不知風乘我 Not aware whether the wind is riding me

    天風馭我，紅雲一朵。
    The wind of heaven carries me, on a red cloud - a single tuft.

    直上瓊樓入青瑣。
    Up I rise, into the jasper tower through the green-latticed gate.

    無方不可，雨露恩重荷
    No direction is closed to me. Blessed by the grace of rain and dew,

    遐舉空升
    I ascend empty skies,

    水中身煉火的煉火
    Where in water, my body refines fire — truly fire.
     

  5. 不知我乘風 Not aware whether I am riding the wind (泛音 in harmonics)

    我馭天風，漢外雲中；看乘鸞仙路遙通。
    I ride the wind of heaven, among the clouds beyond the Han frontier. A luan bears me down the road to immortality.

    天地全功耳笙鏞。丹成鉛汞，砂鼎金紅。
    Heaven and earth have done their work so my ears ring with the sound of sheng and bells. The elixir is formed, lead and mercury conjoined; the alchemical cauldron glows gold-red.

    長房縮地騰空，蓬海任西東，
    (Just as）Zhang Fang (the Han dynasty Daoist 長長房 Zhang Changfang) contracted the earth and rose into the void, I cross the Isles of Immortals covering west and east.

    儀同人間，不我容，問何從牝牡三筇。
    Although I seem the same as those of the mortal world, they do not accept me, so I ask: why should I need the male-female three staffs (supernatural yin-yang) staffs?)
     

  6. 志在沖漠 Aiming for the silent heavens

    志在沖溟（沖溟）快衢亨，習習清風兩腋生。
    My heart is set on that vast and flowing path, where gentle fresh winds rise under both arms.

    骨換一身輕，（身輕）萬里行程，
    My bones transmute into weightless form, (in weightless form) as ten thousand li I travel,

    遨遊玉府天京。駕裴氏雲英玉階仙仗，
    Roaming the Jade Palace and Heavenly Capital. Riding in Lady Pei's "cloud-bloom", we mount the jade steps with an honor guard of immortals,

    攜手重行行，天梯上搭層層，玉簫細和聲聲。
    Hand in hand we respectfully proceed, level upon level going up the heavenly ladder, while a jade flute's soft tones gently harmonize.

    (露華涼，墜零零。
    The dew is glistening and cool, falling gently. [not paired])

    紫鸞煙駕一笑相迎。
    And the purple luan bird with its misty carriage smiles in greeting.
     

  7. 遊神太清 His spirit roams in the stratosphere

    大清佳勝寓神遊，碧落露華秋。
    In the flawless realm of Great Purity my spirit wanders under the azure sky and amidst the brilliance of autumn dew.

    玉蘭涼夜，月悠悠，仙境清幽。
    Magnolias refresh, the moon drifts slowly, the immortal's realm is clear and serene.

    (The >1505 fragment begins here)

    鬱羅世界，金碧五雲頭，乾坤創自由。
    In a world of layered radiance (Yuluo) — gold and jade (palaces appear amidst) multi-colored clouds, where Heaven and Earth create boundless freedom.

    銀漢耿耿，翠光浮浮，家景致夷猶。
    The Milky Way glows, green light floats, and my home's beauty lingers.

    控金鉤珠簾十二樓，翼翼也豁仙眸，
    I draw the golden hook, lift the pearl curtains of the Twelfth Tower, and calmly open my immortal gaze.
     

  8. 長嘯空碧 Howling in the empty azure sky (泛音 in harmonics)

    長嘯凌空碧，空碧，河漢秋聲瑟瑟。
    With a long cry I soar into the azure sky, azure sky; in the Milky Way, autumn winds sough.

    響遏行雲，四方無極，天南北。
    The sound halts the drifting clouds; all four directions stretch beyond limit, to the ends of heaven, north and south.
     

  9. 振衣罡飆 Shaking out clothing in the celestial wind

    振衣罡飆，天路迢迢，兩袖氣蕭蕭，
    I shake my robes in the fierce gang wind, the celestial road is long and distant, and air howls through both sleeves,

    鶴駕鶴駕飄飄。步虛 環珮寥寥
    as cranes bear my chariot, drifting and soaring. Stepping into the void, my ornaments chime faintly.

    仙客得那衣霞綃。
    Clothed in gauze dyed with morning cloud,

    身上五雲霄，似欲那曉趨朝，看扶搖，
    My body robed in five-colored mist, I seem about to hasten to court at dawn.

    悠悠步出天橋。
    Spiraling upward, I slowly step onto the heavenly bridge.
     

  10. 興盡而返 Having enjoyed everything, (the rider) returns

    看興盡而還，馭風的那遙出雲端。
    When my delight is spent I return; riding the wind, I vanish beyond the clouds.

    下上不為難，神仙路遠隔人寰。
    There’s no struggle to go down or up, the path of immortals lies far from the human world.

    快鵬摶，駕回鸞。天上，
    And like the great peng bird I soar, and guide my luan home. As for heaven:

    天上也人間。雲山回首漫漫，
    it is heaven but somehow still part of earth. As I look back at clouded peaks stretching on,

    佳興寓琴彈，《御風列子》世相傳。
    my joy takes form in a qin melody, and thus "Liezi Rides the Wind" " has been passed down through the ages.
     

    入本調泛音 Play the harmonics of the modal prelude.

Return to the Shen Qi Mi Pu ToC or to the Guqin ToC.

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Liezi Rides the Wind (列子御風 Liezi Yu Feng
ZWDCD has only 1921.2 列子 the book; 10392.75 御風 quotes Zhuangzi Section 1: 列子御風而行. Nothing about a melody.
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2. Jue mode (角調 jue diao)
For more information on jue mode see Shenpin Jue Yi. See also Modality in Early Ming Qin Tablature.
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3. Image: Riding the Wind (御風 Yu Feng)
This image, excerpted from a larger anonymous painting, was probably not specifically intended to depict Liezi, but it suits the concept of his riding the wind. Regarding the seal, "古希天子 Ancient Rarity (belonging to the) Son of Heaven", see further.

Compare the image with the one for the prelude, Lingxu Yin, as well as the image of Qu Yuan with Li Sao, which also involve being seated on an animal or chariot, and note that although he is on a cloud, there does not seem to be a comparable expression "ride the clouds", or even for humans "flying".
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4. Liezi Rides the Wind, from the book of Zhuangzi
China Text Project, Zhuangzi, Chapter 1 逍遙遊 - Enjoyment in Untroubled Ease (also the name of a separate melody here translated as Carefree Roaming), gives both the original text and the Legge translation, as follows:

夫列子御風而行，泠然善也，旬有五日而後反。彼於致福者，未數數然也。此雖免乎行，猶有所待者也。若夫乘天地之正，而御六氣之辯，以遊無窮者，彼且惡乎待哉！故曰：至人無己，神人無功，聖人無名。
There was Liezi, who rode on the wind and pursued his way, with an admirable indifference (to all external things), returning, however, after fifteen days, (to his place). In regard to the things that (are supposed to) contribute to happiness, he was free from all endeavours to obtain them; but though he had not to walk, there was still something for which he had to wait. But suppose one who mounts on (the ether of) heaven and earth in its normal operation, and drives along the six elemental energies of the changing (seasons), thus enjoying himself in the illimitable - what has he to wait for? Therefore it is said, 'The Perfect man has no (thought of) self; the Spirit-like man, none of merit; the Sagely-minded man, none of fame.'

Other online translations include that of Burton Watson (search for "Lieh Tzu7 could ride the wind and go soaring").
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5. Liezi Rides the Wind, from Chapter 2 "黃帝 Yellow Emperor" in The Book of Liezi
The A. C. Graham translation (The Book of Lieh-Tzŭ, pp. 35-37), is as follows (romanization changed to modern pinyin):

Liezi had Old Shang as a teacher, and Bogaozi as his friend. When he had nothing more to learn from either of them, he came home riding the wind. Yin Sheng heard of him, joined his disciples, and for several months did not look for lodgings. Ten times, when Liezi was not busy, he took the opportunity to beg for his secrests; and each time Liezi turned him away and would not tell him. Yin Sheng was indignant and took his leave; Liezi made no objections.

A few months after Yin Sheng withdrew he had not renounced his aim, and went to join Liezi again.

'Why do you keep coming and going?' Liezi asked him.

'Not long ago I made a request to you, but you would not tell me. It is true that I felt some rancour against you, but now it is all gone. So I have come again.'

'I used to thik you intelligent; are you really as vulgar as all that? Here, I will tell you what I learned from my own Master. Three years after I began to serve the Master and befriend a certain man, my mind no longer dared to think of right and wrong, my mouth no longer dared to speak of benefit and harm, and it was only then that I got as much as a glance from the Master. After five years, my mind was again thinking of right and wrong, my mouth was again speaking of benefit and harm, and for the first time the Master's face relaxed in a smile. After seven years, I thought of whatever came into my mind without any longer distinguishing between right and wrong, said whatever came into my mouth without any longer distinguishing between benefit and harm; and for the first time the Master pulled me over to sit with him on the same mat. After nine years, I thought without restraint of whatever came into my mind and said without restraint whatever came into my mouth without knowing whether the right and wrong, benefit and harm, were mine or another's, without knowing that the Master was my teacher and the man I have mentioned was my friend. Only then, when I had come to the end of everything inside me and outside me, my eyes became like my ears, my ears like my nose, my nose like my mouth; everything was the same. My mind concentrated and my body relaxed, bones and flesh fused completely, I did not notice what my body leaned against and my feet trod, I drifted with the wind East or West, like a leaf from a treee or a dry husk, and never knew whether it was the wind that rode me or I that rode the wind.

'Now you come to be my disciple, and before even a year has gone round, you are indignant and resentful time and again. The air will refuse your slip of a body, the earth will refuse to carry one joint of your finger; can you hope to tread the void and ride the wind?'

Yin Sheng was deeply ashamed, held his breath for a long time, and did not dare to speak again.

The original Chinese text (see China Text Project) is as follows:

列子師老商氏，友伯高子；進二子之道，乘風而歸。尹生聞之，從列子居，數月不省舍。因間請蘄其術者，十反而十不告。尹生懟而請辭，列子又不命。尹生退。數月，意不已，又往從之。列子曰：「汝何去來之頻？」尹生曰：「曩章戴有請於子，子不我告，固有憾於子。今復脫然，是以又來。」列子曰：「曩吾以汝為達，今汝之鄙至此乎。姬！將告汝所學於夫子者矣。自吾之事夫子友若人也，三年之後，心不敢念是非，口不敢言利害，始得夫子一眄而已。五年之後，心庚念是非，口庚言利害，夫子始一解顏而笑。七年之後，從心之所念，庚无是非；從口之所言，庚无利害，夫子始一引吾並席而坐。九年之後，橫心之所念，橫口之所言，亦不知我之是非利害歟，亦不知彼之是非利害歟；亦不知夫子之為我師，若人之為我友：內外進矣。而後眼如耳，耳如鼻，鼻如口，无不同也。心凝形釋，骨肉都融；不覺形之所倚，足之所履，隨風東西，猶木葉幹殼。竟不知風乘我邪？我乘風乎？今女居先生之門，曾未浹時，而懟憾者再三。女之片體將氣所不受，汝之一節將地所不載。履虛乘風，其可幾乎？」尹生甚怍，屏息良久，不敢復言。

A number of other translations can also be found online.
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6. Tracing 列子御風 Liezi Yu Feng (see tracing chart)
Zha Guide 5/56/80: the 40 handbooks through 1876 also include the variant titles 御風行 Yu Feng Xing (1585) and 列子 Liezi (1596).

There is also an old story here mentioning a melody called 御風曲 Yu Feng Qu.
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7. 樂瑛 Yue Ying
Sometimes written incorrectly as "Le Ying"; a recording she made of the Liezi Yu Feng from 1766 can be found here.
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8. Other recordings
There are metal string recordings of the 1425 Liezi Yu Feng on CDs by Wu Wenguang and Chen Changlin (this mp3 is from this CD). There are also a silk string recording of the version in Xilutang Qintong (1525) by Wang Duo and another from 1766 by Le Ying.
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9. Preface
See original Chinese text.
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10. "Riding the wind in such a way that the spirit roams throughout the universe"
"御風擬神遊六合"; 擬 is "determine, resemble, compare"; "神遊六合" is also the name of another qin melody, Shen You Liu He .
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11. Music for Liezi Yu Feng
The lyrics from the version in 1585 can be paired to the 1425 tablature following the standard formula, suggesting the whole of Liezi Yufeng in the original edition of Zheyin Shizi Qinpu had the same tablature as here. However, as with other pieces in the >1505 handbook, this does not necessarily mean that anyone ever sang the lyrics to the 1425 melody. For example, the phrasing of these lyrics does not fit well with my current understanding of the 1425/>1505 music. This suggests either that my phrasing is wrong, or that the tablature and lyrics were paired by someone following the standard formula but not knowing the actual music. As for the latter, one must consider the possibility that the 1585 version has a different melody because the person who created the 1585 melody wanted to use the >1505 lyrics but could not make them fit the >1505 melody in a way that was satisfying.

See also the original Chinese section titles.
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Appendix: Chart Tracing 列子御風 Liezi Yu Feng
Based mainly on Zha Fuxi's Guide, 5/56/80
Further comment above; compare Lingxu Yin

      琴譜
    (year; QQJC Vol/page)		 Further information
(QQJC = 琴曲集成 Qinqu Jicheng; QF = 琴府 Qin Fu)
  1.  神奇秘譜
      (1425; I/149 [here])		 10 titled sections; attrib. Mao Minzhong
 
  2.  浙音釋字琴譜
      (>1505; I/203)		 Only Sections 8-10 (front of book is missing);
What is here is same as 1425 plus the lyrics
  3. 西麓堂琴統
      (1525; III/136)		 10T; afterword attributes Mao; many differences
 
  4. 風宣玄品
      (1539; II/215)		 10; many differences
 
  5. 梧岡琴譜
      (1546; I/424)		 御風行 Yu Feng Xing; 8 (combines 1&2 and 3&4
Drops sharps and flats; other differences
  6. 步虛僊琴譜
      (1556; III/xxx)		 10; closely related to 1425/1546
Facsimile #21
  7. 太音傳習
      (1552; IV/105)		 9T; related
 
  8. 太音補遺
      (1557; III/353)		 8; related
 
  9. 琴譜正傳
      (1561; II/430)		 御風行 Yu Feng Xing
Identical to 1546
10. 龍湖琴譜
      (1571; 琴府/253)		 10T (but unnumbered); no lyrics; still related
 
11. 新刊正文對音捷要
      (1573; #46)		 Same as 1585?
 
12. 五音琴譜
      (1579; IV/227)		 11; related
 
13. 重修真傳琴譜
      (1585; IV/412)		 9T; same preface as 1425; lyrics related to >1505;
Pattern of lyrics fits the 1425 melody and has some melodic relationship, but it is very different
14. 玉梧琴譜
      (1589; VI/47)		 8; attrib. Mao Minzhong; related
 
15.a 真傳正宗琴譜
      (1589; VII/98)		 10; no T; lyrics related to but diff from 1585;
 
15.b 真傳正宗琴譜
      (1609; Fac/)		 Identical
 
16. 琴書大全
      (1590; V/500)		 10; related
 
17. 文會堂琴譜
      (1596; VI/232)		 Called 列子 Liezi; related
 
18. 藏春塢琴譜
      (1602; VI/360)		 Identical to 1589
 
19. 陽春堂琴譜
      (1611; VII/396)		 9; related
 
20. 松絃館琴譜
      (1614; VIII/114)		 10; related
 
21. 理性元雅
      (1618; VIII/232)		 10T; again diff. but related lyrics
 
22. 太音希聲
      (1625; IX/181)		 10T; preface; lyrics like 1585 but music not as different
 
23. 古音正宗
      (1634; IX/320)		 10; 列子御風行 Liezi Yu Feng Xing; related (no special connection to 1546);
Long introduction; compare 1589
24. 義軒琴經
      (late Ming; IX/429)		 Has 1-9 then missing; related
 
25. 徽言秘旨
      (1647; X/117)		 角音; 10; related
 
26. 徽言秘旨訂
      (1692; fac/)		 Same as 1647
 
27. 友聲社琴譜
      (early Qing; XI/143)		 10T; "嚴譜" (1614?)
 
28. 臣奔堂琴譜
      (1663/5; XI/100)		 10; related
 
29. 琴苑新傳全編
      (1670; XI/369)		 御風行 Yu Feng Xing; 10; preface attribs Mao Minzhong; afterword;
No special connection to 1546; compare
30. 大還閣琴譜
      (1673; X/378)		 10; like 1614; afterword
 
31. 德音堂琴譜
      (1691; XII/543)		 角音; 10; related; compare 1614
 
32. 琴譜析微
      (1692; XIII/88)		 角音; 10; related; compare 1614
 
33. 誠一堂琴譜
      (1705; XIII/366)		 角音; 8; related; compare 1614
 
34. 臥雲樓琴譜
      (1722; XV/67)		 角音; 10; related; compare 1614
 
35. 穎陽琴譜
      (1751; XVI/94)		 角音; preface; "10" but only 9 sections marked; phrases separated; elaboration of earlier;
 
36. 蘭田館琴譜
      (1755; XVI/234)		 角音; 10; 徐青山譜; compare 1614
 
37. 研露樓琴譜
      (1766; XVI/467)		 角音; 10; compare 1614
Reconstructed and recorded in 1962 by 樂瑛 Le Ying (listen)  
38. 自遠堂琴譜
      (1802; XVII/473)		 宮調角音; 10; compare 1614
 
39. 小蘭琴譜
      (1812; XIX/444)		 角音; 14; shorter sections but many changes esp. towards end
 
40. 峰抱樓琴譜
      (1825; XX/320)		 角音; 10; compare 1614
 
41. 悟雪山房琴譜
      (1836; XXII/387)		 中呂均，角音 (zhonglü jun, jue yin); 10; compare 1614
""  
42. 天聞閣琴譜
      (1876; XXV/289)		 "= 1705"
 

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