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Fengxuan Xuanpin
Profound Airs Spread Like the Wind 1		 風宣玄品
1539  
  Fengxuan Xuanpin: Burning incense and playing the qin2   
This handbook has 101 melodies, 34 with lyrics,3 67 without; only one has any inroductory prefaces.4 It was compiled by 徽藩 朱厚爝 Zhu Houjue, (Prince of the) Hui Region,5 central Henan province. In his preface Zhu mentions his collecting his melodies from various schools.6 For further information see:

So far I have reconstructed (made recordings and trancriptions) of all eight of the Fengxuan Xuanpin melodies that do not survive from earlier handbooks, plus seven originally thought to be the earliest surviving versions,7 as follows:

There is also further information on the 1539 version of the other four melodies earlier thought to survive first from here. All have lyrics, but (or therefore) for each of these, although I have written out transcriptions, the melodies I actually learned to play are the 1525 versions, which do not.11

Mention should also be made of two further new melodies not yet transcribed or otherwise reconstructed. Both are songs with previous settings of the same lyrics and having the same title:

For the qin songs in particular, although I have written out transcriptions and made recordings for many of them, I do not consider the rhythms finalized until I have played them with a singer.12

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Profound Airs Spread Like the Wind (風宣玄品 Fengxuan Xuanpin [or Feng Xuan Xuan Pin])
44734.148 風宣 Fengxuan: spread like the wind; 玄品 xuanpin: 21288.xxx

This handbook is an important source of early qin music. As printed in Qinqu Jicheng Volume II, the book can be divided into three parts:

  1. Pages 1 - 20: Essays, the content of which seems largely to come from material that elsewhere survives in the works alternatively titled Taigu Yiyin and Taiyin Daquanji (see in ToC).
  2. Pages 20-59: Illustrations also largely from the same source but, at least as published in QQJC, often seem to be of better quality, and with some added images (outlined in the ToC).
  3. Pages 60-382: Music tablature for 101 melodies. All but perhaps eight of them also survive in earlier handbooks. My introductions to many of these melodies makes brief comment on how the version here is related, but to my knowledge no systematic study has been done of the sources for the music actually included here.

There is biographical information below about the compiler, Zhu Houjue (or Zhu Houjiao). There is further information about the person who wrote the second preface, 張鯤 Zhang Kun, linked below.

As yet I have only heard of one article written focused on this handbook:

廖菊楝： 《明藩刻〈風宣玄品〉源流考述》，《歷史文獻研究》總第33輯，2014年4月
(Liao Julian, "A Study on the Origin and Development of the Ming Dynasty Imperial Edition of Fengxuan Xuanpin", Historical Documents Research, Vol. 33, April 2014)

However, I have not seen a copy.
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2. Illustration: Burning incense and playing the qin Explanation of suoling in 1539 (compare earlier?)      
Did the image above, from Fengxuan Xuanpin Folio One, p. 23 (QQJC III/19), depict Zhu Houjue himself? His students? As for the use of incense this is discussed further here.

As for the "hand movement illustration" shown at right, from Folio One, p. 47, these illustrations generally consist of two images: one showing the hand in movement, the other a poetic representations of the same. My translation of the image here is with the one in what is generally said to be the earliest such collection, dated to the Song dynasty but surviving only in copies published during the Ming. One of these is said to have been edited by Zhu Quan.

Regarding use of the term "folio", this is explained here.
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3. "Qin songs" reconstructed from 1539
Some of the melodies with lyrics are clearly songs, others seem to be instrumental pieces to which lyrics have been added. Regarding those that I have so far reconstructed, all could arguably have been sung; for those that did not seem to be singable I generally went to other handbooks to find ones without lyrics.
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4. No prefaces with melodies
The only one that might be an exception is #34 Ting Qin Yin, but what it has is continuing commentary that might be more seen as part of the melody.
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5. 朱厚爝 Zhu Houjue (or: Zhu Houjiao; Bio/567; 1506 - 1550), Prince of the Hui Region
Zhu Houjue was one of several Ming dynasty princes known to have published qin handbooks.

As background, his grandfather 朱見沛 Zhu Jianpei (1462–1505), ninth son of the Yingzhong emperor, was in 1467 declared Prince Zhuang of Hui (徽莊王 10503.xxx; Ming Shi 119), and in this capacity was in 1482 sent down to an area centered on 鈞州 Junzhou, the modern 禹州 Yuzhou, 70 km south of the Yellow River in central Henan, and 75 km southeast of 嵩山 Songshan, one of China's "Five Sacred Peaks. This region, now part of 許昌市 the Xuchang Municipality, was then said to be part of 徽藩 Huifan (10505.xxx), the Hui Commandary or Hui Frontier (no apparent connection with 安徽 Anhui). Zhu Jianpei's son 朱祐檯 Zhu Youtai (1482-1525) succeeded his father as prince of Hui in 1508. Zhu Houjue, though said to have been born of a secondary wife of Zhu Youtai, succeeded is father as prince of Hui in 1526. Previous to this he had been enfeoffed as 安邑王 Prince of Anyi (in what is today southwest 山西 Shanxi but only about 100 miles WNW of Luoyang in Henan). Moving back to Junzhou in 1526, he remained there until his death in 1550, at which time he was given the posthumous title 徽恭王 Prince Gong of Hui.

Hucker, Official Titles, p.71, says that during the Ming dynasty "the nobility in general was an ornament on the Ming social scene, not a factor in government", suggesting Zhu was not intended to have any particular power. Zhu Houjue apparently was particularly noted for being a Daoist (Wang, p.53). Nevertheless, in this position he is said to have "usurped authority", surviving perhaps because he was said to have been particularly favored by the Jiajing emperor (r. 1521 to 1567).

Ming Shi 119 relates two stories about Zhu Houjue while he was responsible for Junzhou, from 1526 to 1550.

  1. He defended an unnamed qin maker criticized by officials -- the Jiajing emperor had the officials punished, causing "some observers to think badly of Zhu Houjue."
  2. He made friends with 陶仲文 Tao Zhongwen (Bio/2055; d. 1560; from Hubei but serving in the palace), a Taoist master highly regarded by the Jiajing emperor, 朱厚熜 Zhu Houcong (r.1521–1567). As a result the Jiajing emperor gave Zhu Houjue the Taoist title 太清輔元宣化真人 Taiqing Fuyuan Xuanhua Zhenren.

Qinshi Xu has qin-connected stories about two other princes around this same time (Van Gulik mentions them briefly in Lore, pp. 214ff):

  1. 朱厚燆 Zhu Houqiao, Prince of 衡 Heng, ordered a qin called Taigu Yiyin;
  2. 朱厚炫 Zhu Houxuan, Prince of 益 Yi, was a "good qin player".

In his own preface to Fengxuan Xuanpin, Zhu Houjue says there were two types of qin melodies at that time, the 浙操徐門 Zhe melodies of the Xu tradition, and the 江操劉門 Jiang melodies of the Liu tradition. The Xu tradition is discussed in various places. See, for example, Xu Shen. For Liu see a discussion of the Jiang tradition.

It is said that Feng Xuan Xuan Pin was rarely seen after its initial printing. Only one copy survives today and apparently the version printed here is "從明刻本手抄，抄寫精細。 a meticulously handwritten transcription from the Ming edition".
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6. Two Prefaces in Fengxuan Xuanpin
The first is by Zhu Houjue himself, the second by a high government officia name Zhang Kun

  1. By Zhu Houjue himself
    This one is in a semi-cursive writing style that is particularly difficult to read. As best I can see so far, it begins and ends as follows (    see original):

    風宣玄品序
    予觀夫琴，乃正樂也。聖君、賢相、高人、良士，侂此寫孤懷，寄憂悒。 雖一時之見，風俗之淳漓、人心之美惡，於斯可知。 其中和之音，足以感天地、格鬼神，可以禁邪心、養德性。琴之用大矣哉！ 世傳操有二，曰浙操徐門、江操劉門....因題曰：風宣玄品__。 予觀夫琴，乃正樂也。聖君、 賢相、高人、良士，託此寫孤 懷，寄憂悒。雖一時之見，風 俗之淳漓，人心之美惡，於斯 可知。其中和之音，足以感天 地，格鬼神，可以禁邪心，養德 性。琴之用大矣哉！世傳操有 二，曰浙操徐門，江操劉門。調 （）二。曰正調：宮、商、角、徵、羽。曰外 調：凄凉、蕤賓等是也。

    The preface then continues,

    自古以 來有譜而 followed by 8 lines apparently making the point that tablature along does not make the music. One must understand the context and intention. It uses as example the Boya-Ziqi story, with phrases such as "以會其意。若伯牙志載高山，鐘子曰峨峨（乎？）若太山志在流水，鐘子曰洋洋乎。若江河，故曰.... and ending 載。
    The preface then ends:
    ....人自得之耳。
    予之奉藩事親之暇，讀書 吟詠之餘，援琴以鼓之，效前人指 訣，深有樂趣。萃諸家之譜而 觀之，或譜訛而文謬，或言舛 而音乖，深為初學之病。久欲 校讎，旁午未遑。茲延專門 之輩，參互考訂，使訛者更 之，謬者正之，音調而字脗。如 撥雲霧而睹青天，剪荊棘 而循大道，深愜雅懷。遂裒 為一帙，命工刊裝布之，為初 學一助，因題曰：風宣玄品云。

    Profound Airs Spread Like the Wind, Preface

    I have observed that the qin is the embodiment of proper music. Sagely gentlemen, worthy ministers, talented people and recluses have used it to express solitary emotions and to entrust their sorrows. Though it reflects the outlook of its time, through it the purity or decay of customs and the virtue or depravity of people's hearts can thereby be discerned. Its harmonious sounds are enough to move heaven and earth, influence spirits and deities, restrain wicked thoughts, and cultivate moral character. Truly, a qin's function is of great significance.

    The traditions of qin playing passed down through generations are of two main styles: the Zhe school's Xu tradition and the Jiang school's Liu tradition....

    (The middle section has too many characters I have not been able to interpret [see above] so it is not translated. It then closes:)

    During such intervals as I, while holding my princely post, had leisure from serving my parents, and in the spare moments left from reading and chanting poetry, I would take up the qin and play it, following the finger methods of earlier masters, and found deep pleasure in it. But when I gathered together and examined the scores of the various schools, I found that in some the tablature was corrupt and the wording mistaken, while in others the verbal explanations were confused and the musical sounds went astray. This was truly a serious obstacle for beginners.

    For a long time I had wished to collate and correct them, but my affairs pressing in from many directions left me no opportunity. Now I have invited those specially versed in the subject, and through joint comparison and careful examination we have revised them: replacing what was erroneous, correcting what was mistaken, bringing the pitches into accord and matching the characters to them properly. It was like parting clouds and mist and seeing the blue sky, or cutting away brambles and thorns and following the great road; it deeply satisfied my refined thoughts.

    So I have gathered the results into a single collection, ordered craftsmen to carve, print, bind, and distribute it, to serve as an aid for beginners. Accordingly have I entitled it Fengxuan Xuanpin.

  2. By 張鯤 Zhang Kun (Chinese Wikipedia)
    Though a high government official (see his signature at the end of the preface), Zhang Kun was also renowned for his poetry and prose as well as his "upright spirit". After he was placed on "indefinite leave" in 1538 on the grounds of "lack of circumspection", he returned to his hometown near Kaifeng, there lecturing at the 輞山書院 Wangshan Academy, where he oversaw the publication of several works.

    風宣玄品序刻 Profound Airs Spread Like the Wind, Preface to the engraved edition

    風宣玄品者：琴譜之玅選也。 嗟乎！嘗聞大樂興，天地同和， 而琴備之。是故太史公曰：琴 長八尺一寸，正度也。弦大小 相次，故宮為君，商為臣，角為 民，徵為事，羽為物。五者不亂， 則無□□之音矣。吾 王般之以為州異國殊，情俗 不同，乃博采風俗，協比聲律，       (the first of four double-pages ended here)
    綴訂茲譜，刊之 徽邸，補短衫化，助流政教，以 示後來。且令緩急殊習，和正 援琴，勿鼓之凡。聞宮音使人 溫舒而廣大，聞商音使人方 正而好義，聞角音使人惻隱 而愛人，聞徵音使人樂善而 好施，聞羽音使人整齊而好 禮。故曰：音者生於人心者也， 樂者通於倫理者也。唯□子       (the second of four double-pages ended here)
    審聲以知音，審音以知樂，審 樂以知政........

    Fengxuan Xuanpin is a marvelous selection from among qin handbooks. Ah! I have heard that when great music flourishes, Heaven and Earth are in harmony together, and the qin fully embodies this. Therefore the Grand Historian said: “The qin is eight chi plus one cun in length; this is the proper measure. Its strings, from thicker to thinner, are arranged in due sequence; thus gong serves as ruler, shang as minister, jue as the people, zhi as affairs, and yu as things. When these five are not in disorder, then there will be no [deviant or obstructed] sounds.” Our prince considered that regions differ and lands are not the same, and that feelings and customs are therefore different. So he broadly gathered regional usages, harmonized and compared their pitch-patterns,

    then compiled and corrected this handbook and had it printed at the Hui princely residence, in order to remedy deficiencies, aid the spread of moral and political teaching, and leave it as a model for later generations. He also intended that, whether one’s habits were leisurely or hurried and however different one’s prior training, one might bring them into proper harmony through taking up the qin, and not play it in a merely vulgar way. Hearing the gong tone makes people gentle, calm, broad, and magnanimous; hearing the shang tone makes them upright, correct, and fond of righteousness; hearing the jue tone makes them compassionate and loving toward others; hearing the zhi tone makes them delight in goodness and enjoy generosity; hearing the yu tone makes them orderly and fond of ritual. Therefore it is said: “Sound is that which is born from the human heart; music is that which gives access to the principles of human relations.” … "By examining sound one comes to know tones; by examining tones one comes to know music; by examining music one comes to know government"....

    The next double page and a half have even more difficult to read characters. Then the second half of the last double page has the signature, as follows:

    嘉靖巳亥歲，仲秋上漧吉旦，賜進士，出身前（使部考切）即山西右布政使，臣張鯤謹序。

    (Signed) In the Jiajing era sihai year (1939), mid-autumn on an auspicious morning of shangjian, having been conferred the jinshi degree and originally from the Ministry of Rites (as my examination record attests), and now as Provincial Administration Commissioner of the Right in Shanxi, I, Zhang Kun, humbly submit this preface.

A number of the characters in both prefaces are either unclear or probably printing errors.
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7. Melodies learned from Fengxuan Xuanpin
"Learned" means I completed my dapu (reconstruction), including working out an interpretation of the notes and note values, writing this out as transcriptions into staff notation, learning to play them from memory, then recording them. See recordings.
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8. Sung melodies reconstructed from 1539
Of the 34 melodies in Fengxuan Xuanpin with lyrics, six are the earliest versions of these melodies and five others were originally thought to be the earliest. Although I have transcribed into staff notation and recorded all eleven of these sung melodies, I will not be satisfied with the note values until I have been able to perform them with a singer.
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9. Instrumental melodies reconstructed from 1539
Of the 67 melodies in Fengxuan Xuanpin with lyrics, two are the earliest versions of these melodies and six others were originally thought to be the earliest. Those I have reconstructed (and recorded) comprise both of the former, five of the latter, pls two further melodies.
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10. Ten melodies earlier thought to survive first from 1539
Of the four not reconstructed all have lyrics, but mostly seem to be melodies that were not really intended to be sung.
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11. 1539 versions with lyrics
At present the transcriptions of Yi Qiao Jin Lü and Li Ling Si Han are only handwritten, not in my computer program (Encore).
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12. See comment above.
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