Qinxue Congshu: Great Compendium of Qin Studies
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Qinxue Congshu
Great Compendium of Qin Studies 1		 琴學叢書
1910-1923 2
Table of Contents for Qinxue Congshu
From QQJC XXX (compare Qin Fu edition ToC)

(At right is the cover page of Book One of Qinxue Congshu. The date of the work is commonly given as 1910. Since Zha Fuxi's introduction to this compendium in QQJC XXX says it was actually published over a period from 1911 to 1931, as a series of 15 books, the 1910 publication date suggests the original draft had been prepared by then. In any case the QQJC edition ToC does not show the division into 15 books, but there is a cover page such as the one at right at the beginning of each publication, as described by Zha. The book numbers are thus added here in the indicated places based on this information. Note that Book 6 apparently came out over a period of time in three separate volumes, but there seems to have been only one plate such as the one at right. And for some reason the book division in the Qin Fu edition ToC is somewhat different.)

    Opening (QQJC XXX/3)

    This section includes a 總序 General Introduction a 目錄 ToC and a brief 聲律統考詳解 Focused Examination and Detailed Explanation of Musical Sounds that ends with a handwritten note that Yang Shibai died in 1933.

    冊一 Book One   琴粹一 Qin Cui (Specially Excellent Qualities of Qin) (1911; XXX/8-53)

  1. 琴粹 Qin Cui Part 1 (XXX/8)
    Introductions and ToC for Book 1; further commentary (XXX/8)

  2. 琴粹二 Qin Cui Part 2 (XXX/24)
    Rest of     Qin Cao of Cai Yong

    Afterwords for Qin Cao (XXX/31)

  3. 琴粹三 Qin Cui Part 3 (XXX/32)
    幽蘭原譜等 (    You Lan original tablature, etc.)

  4. 琴粹四 Qin Cui Part 4 (XXX/39)
    古琴考 Guqin Kao (Studies of Guqin

     
     冊二 Book 2   琴話卷 Qin Hua (Speaking of Qin) (1913; XXX/54-104)

  5. 琴話卷一 Qin Hua Folio 1 (XXX/54)
    Prefaces for Book 2 (XXX/54)
    Qin Hua Folio 1 (XXX/56)

  6. 琴話卷二 Qin Hua Folio 2 (XXX/68)

  7. 琴話卷三 Qin Hua Folio 3 (XXX/80)

  8. 琴話卷四 Qin Hua Folio 4 (XXX/92)

     
     冊三 Book 3   琴譜 Qin Pu (Qin Tablature) (1914; XXX/105-136)

  9. 琴譜一 Qin Pu Folio 1 (XXX/105)
    Book 3 Prefaces about the ancient     You Lan in Jieshi Mode (XXX/105)
    幽蘭自序 You Lan prefaces (XXX/108)
    幽蘭例言 You Lan Outline (XXX/109)
    幽蘭古指法解 You Lan Old Finger Techniques (XXX/111)
    幽蘭減字譜 You Lan in Shorthand Tablature (XXX/115)
    (Qinxue Congshu Folio 24 below has a version of this in its tablature with rhytmic indication)

  10. 琴譜二 Qin Pu Folio 2 (XXX/117)
    幽蘭雙行譜 You Lan in Longhand Tablature paired to Shorthand Tablature (XXX/117)

  11. 琴譜三 Qin Pu Folio 3 (XXX/131)
    流水自序」例言 Prefaces
    流水（天聞閣七十二滾拂版本）The 72 Gunfu Liu Shui from     Tianwen'ge Qinpu (copied with fingering explanations)

     
    冊四 Book 4   琴學隨筆 Qinxue Suibi (Qin Study Jottings) (1919; XXX/137-166)

  12. 琴學隨筆一 Qinxue Suibi #1 (XXX/137)
    Preface (XXX/137)
    Qin Study Jottings #1 (XXX/138)

  13. 琴學隨筆二 Qin Suibi #2 (XXX/152)

     
     冊五 Book 5   琴餘漫錄 Qin Yu Manlu (Casual Extra Notes about Qin) (1919; XXX/167-198)

  14. 琴餘漫錄一 Qin Yu Manlu #1 (XXX/167)

  15. 琴餘漫錄二 Qin Yu Manlu #2 (XXX/183)

     
    冊六 Book 6   琴鏡 Qin Jing (Mirror on the Qin) Part 1 (1918; XXX/199-239) Tablature in Qin Jing (expand)            
              (with Qin tablature using the system at right to indicate note values)

    Most of the tablature for the qin in Qinxue Congshu uses a special system that indicates rhythm, as at right. In this system there are three extra lines going along with the tablature. The first line has either the lyrics or the names of the relative pitch; the second line marks the beat [sometimes this is omitted, presumably where the music is particularly free]; the third line shows specifically what the hand is doing when the lyric or note occurs; the fourth has the actual tablature.)

    There are 29 pieces using this tablature in five books, three (books #6, #7 and #8) called Mirror on the Qin, one (9) called Mirror on the Qin Supplement, and one (#13) called Mirror on the Qin Continuation. (Compare the tablature for qin and se together in Book 10.)

    琴鏡自序 Preface to Qin Jing (XXX/199)
    琴鏡目錄 ToC for Qin Jing (XXX/200)
    例言 Introductory Comments for Qin Jing (XXX/201)
    指法說明 Fingering explanations for Qin Jing (XXX/202)

  16. 琴鏡一 Qin Jing I; tablature for

  17. 琴鏡二 Qin Jing II; tablature for

  18. 琴鏡三 Qin Jing III; tablature for

     
    冊七六續 Book 6 (cont.)     琴鏡 Qin Jing (Mirror on the Qin) Part 2 (1922; XXX/239-276)
              (with qin tablature using the system     above to indicate note values)

  19. 琴鏡四 Qin Jing IV; tablature for

  20. 琴鏡五 Qin Jing V; tablature for

  21. 琴鏡六 Qin Jing VI; tablature for

     
    冊六續 Book 6 (cont.)   琴鏡 Qin Jing (Mirror on the Qin) Part 3 (1923; XXX/276-286)
              (with qin tablature using the system     above to indicate note values)

  22. 琴鏡七 Qin Jing 7; tablature for

  23. 琴鏡八 Qin Jing 8; tablature for

  24. 琴鏡九 Qin Jing 9; tablature for

     
    冊七 Book 7   琴鏡補 Qin Jing Bu (Supplement to Mirror on the Qin) (1923; XXX/313-347)
              (with qin tablature using the system     above to indicate note values)
    叙、目錄 Prefaces, ToC

  25. 琴鏡補一 Qin Jing Bu 1 (XXX/315)
    指法、上絃法、調絃法 Finger techniques, putting on strings, tuning methods

  26. 琴鏡補二 Qin Jing Bu 2 (XXX/319)

  27. 琴鏡補三 Qin Jing Bu 3 (XXX/331)

    The Continuation of Qin Jing (Book 12, below), has four more solo qin melodies using this system.

     
    冊八 Book 8   琴瑟合譜 Qin Se Hepu （Tablature for Qin with Se) (1925; XXX/348-369)
    自叙、目錄 Preface, ToC

  28. 琴瑟合譜一 Qin Se Hepu #1 (XXX/350)
              (using a variant of the     above tablature to indicate note values)
    例言 (includes charts such as hui marker positions for guqin).

  29. 琴瑟合譜二 Qin Se Hepu #2 (XXX/357)

  30. 琴瑟合譜三 Qin Se Hepu #3 (XXX/365)

     
    冊九 Book 9   琴學問答 Qin Xue Wenda （Qin Study Dialogue) (1923; XXX/370-381)

  31. 琴學問答 Qin Xue Wenda (XXX/370)
    琴師傳、瑟譜書後、彈琴詩

     
     冊十 Book 10   藏琴錄 Zang Qin Lu Record of Collected Qins) (1925; XXX/382-387)

  32. 藏琴錄 Zang Qin Lu (XXX/382)
    No images

     
     冊十一 Book 11   琴瑟新譜 Qin Se Xin Pu (New Tablature for Qin and Se) (1929; XXX/388-417)
              (using a variant of the     above tablature to indicate note values)

  33. 琴瑟新譜一 Qin Se Xin Pu 1 (XXX/391)
    12 short pieces with lyrics and notes but no qin tablature:

  34. 琴瑟新譜二 Qin Se Xin Pu 2 (XXX/398)
    9 short pieces with lyrics and notes but no qin tablature

  35. 琴瑟新譜三 Qin Se Xin Pu 3 (XXX/406)
    12 short pieces with lyrics and notes but no qin tablature

  36. 琴瑟新譜四 Qin Se Xin Pu 4 (XXX/414)
    孔廟釋尊樂章 Confucian Temple Songs with lyrics and notes but no qin tablature

     
     冊十二 Book 12 琴鏡續 Qin Jing Xu (Continuation of Mirror on the Qin (1931; see Book 6 above; XXX/418-464)
                  (with more qin tablature using the system above to indicate note values)

  37. 琴鏡續一 Qin Jing Xu 1 (XXX/419)
    Essays

  38. 琴鏡續二 Qin Jing Xu 2 (XXX/428)

  39. 琴鏡續三 Qin Jing Xu 3 (XXX/445)

  40. 琴鏡續四 Qin Jing Xu 4 (XXX/458)
    Two pieces from Shen Qi Mi Pu

     
    冊十三 Book 13 (琴鏡釋疑 Qin Jing Shiyi (Resolving Issues about Mirror of the Qin) (1931; XXX 465-502)

  41. 琴鏡釋疑 Qin Jing Shiyi (XXX/467)

     
     冊十四 Book 14 (幽蘭和聲 You Lan Hesheng (The Harmony of You Lan) (1931; XXX 465-502)

  42. 幽蘭和聲 You Lan Hesheng (XXX/480)

     
     冊十五 Book 15 (琴鏡釋疑 Qin Jing Shiyi (Dispelling Doubts about Mirror of the Qin) (1931; XXX 465-502)

  43. 聲律通改詳節 (XXX/484 [-503])
 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. 琴學叢書 Qinxue Congshu
Available in facsimile edition, Tong Kin-Woon's Qin Fu and the 2010 edition of Qinqu Jicheng.

As mentioned on the main page, Qinxue Congshu is an encyclopaedia of the qin, with numerous essays and melodies in tablature. The compiler was Yang Zongji (Yang Shibai).

A few original editions of Qinxue Congshu are available in libraries, but most commonly available are two facsimile editions, as follows:

  1. Qinqu Jicheng Volume 30
    This is the complete version: 43 卷 folios bound in 14 冊 books
  2. Qin Fu, pp. 727-1147
    This edition, having only Folios 1 - 24, is said to consist of the first of two 函 cases.

Elsewhere I have left online the Table of Contents I made from Qin Fu edition of this book, before seeing the complete version. This has not been a focus of my own research and I what did there was mainly to help me locate references that were not in the Qin Fu edition. Further details were generally added as I need them for reference. I made the above ToC from QQJC XXX at the end of 2014.
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3. Four Grand Vistas (四大景 Si Da Jing)   (Zha Guide [41(x)/---/555]; also Müller)
Also: Four Grand Sites; Four Great Sceneries, etc. There are three tablatures that should be considered (Zha Guide p.41 [41] lists only 1910 and is missing this title [see the blank space after 五瓣梅 Wu Ban Mei]). These details are discussed further below.

Melodies with these titles, Si Da Jing in particular, appear in repertoires for quite a variety of instruments and ensembles. For example, in traditional 潮州 Chaozhou music there is a Si Da Jing said to date back to the Tang dynasty; the full piece consists of a prelude and four titled sections: 序曲、一景《柳搖金》、二景《金毛獅》、三景《鬧元宵》」四景《柳青娘》. And there is a version in gongche notation from around 1770 that can be found in a book called 絃笛琵琶譜 Xian Di Pipa Pu (further information at www.joh.cam.ac.uk). I do not yet know how these might be musically related to the extant qin versions.

On the other hand, the lack of information on this title in ZWDCD (4782.xxx) suggests it does not have ancient classical lineage. Likewise ZWDCD has no entry for the name of the earliest surviving guqin version, called Spring Vista (春景 Chun Jing; 14146.xxx).

As for the guqin versions, mention is made above of three surviving entries from extant qin handbooks dated 1825, 1844 and 1910 respectively. The first two of these are related, the third different; none has commentary. Further information regarding these three is given below together with commentary on a related melody apparently from Okinawa. Zha Guide has brief comments on all three qin versions but is a bit garbled, giving it two separate entries in the index but mentioning the 1844 version only under handbook introductions and lyrics; its comments are included below:

  1. Chun Jing; 1825 (QQJC XX/319; 1 section; lyrics; see tablature [.jpg])
    The title "Spring Vista" suggests that the four vistas are one for each season.
    Zha Guide p.40 (40), Chun Jing, lists only 1825 but adds that the original table of contents called it Si Da Jing.
    The original 1825 lyrics are:

    春色嬌麗，融和暖氣暄，景物飄飄美堪羨。
    花開三月天，妖嬈嫩蕊鮮。
    草萌芽，桃如火，柳如煙，仕女王孫，戲耍鞦韆。
    暗傷殘，春閨兩淚漣，愁鎖兩眉尖。
    蝴蜨兒，對對穿花，把兩翅兒搧。
    清明賞景園，和風吹牡丹，玉樓人，沉醉在杏花天。
    玉樓人，沉醉在杏花天。

    This is the only version to begin in harmonics. Another oddity is that these harmonics, as well as those at the end, do not follow the standard pairing method of one character for each right hand stroke, used for almost all qin songs prior to the 20th century. Comparing this with the 1844 version leaves the suspicion that there were interesting lyrics and interesting music perhaps from another medium, and that these attempts to apply them to guqin were not considered successful.

    This YouTube recording called "江君古琴之《春景》" (Chun Jing by Jiang Jun on guqin seems to follow the 1825 tablature. After the opening tablature the melody seems similar to the following, though the words are not paired similarly.

  2. Si Da Jing; 1844 (QQJC XXIII/244; 1 section; lyrics; see tablature and [.jpg])
    Lyrics and music are related to the previous.
    Zha Guide p.162 (204), Zhang Ju Tian Qinpu (1844), lists Si Da Jing, saying it includes only the first section, Chun Jing.
    The original 1844 lyrics are:

    春色嬌麗艶陽天，景物飄飄美堪研。
    花開三月天，嬌紅嫩蕊鮮。
    草萌芽，桃似火，柳如烟。 仕女王孫，戲耍鞦韆。
    暗傷殘，春閨兩淚漣，愁鎖兩眉尖。
    蝴蜨穿花，兩翅兒搧。
    清明賞錦園，和風修透禮仙，玉樓人，沉醉在杏花天。
    玉樓人，沉醉在杏花天。

    A recording by Chen Changling says it comes from 1844.

    This YouTube recording by 黃鴻文 Huang Hongwen (said to be based on Wang Di's transcription in her Xian'ge Yayun) has also been included in a CD, where he is called "Huang Hong Win"). Here the melody has a distinctive folk-style quality, in 4/4 time (except possibly one phrase). The lyrics seem to be trying to fit according to the standard pairing method, but this is especially problematic at the beginning. Here this music seems to have (at least through "羨") five 4/4 measures. After this the pairing seems fairly standard, though with a few added notes throughout.

  3. Si Da Jing; 1910 (QQJC XXX/219; 8 sections; no lyrics; see tablature and transcription [.jpg])
    The transcription is from GQQJ, I/268; its commentary (p.10) says it is unrelated to the 1825 and 1844 songs. This transcription was based on the reconstruction by 管平湖 Guan Pinghu; the .jpg shows the first page of Guan's reconstruction (GQQJ, I/268) alongside the beginning of the original 1910 tablature. From this it can be seen that Guan made many changes to the original, elaborating it in a way that seems to bring out its folk music quality. His interpretation can now also be heard online via a recording by 戴曉蓮 Dai Xiaolian, currently here.

  4. Si Da Jing from Okinawa
    A recording from Okinawa is currently (2014) online     here. It is sung in Mandarin but said to be "Okinawan Court Music". If historically correct, this suggests that in Okinawa they had a version with similar music and lyrics to the earlier two qin versions from China (compare it with recordings from 1825). The lyrics from Okinawa are as follows:

    春色豔，日融和，暖氣暄，景物飄飄，美膏新。
    花開三月天，嬌嬌孅慈鮮。
    草萌芽，桃似火，柳如煙。
    士女王孫，戲耍鞦鞭。
    暗傷殘，春關兩淚漣，愁鎮兩眉尖。
    蝴蝶艷，對對穿花，兩扇翹。
    清明賞明園，和風吹牡丹。
    玉樓人，泥醉倒在杏花天。
    杏花天。

Regarding the last two lines of each of each set of lyrics above, 杏花天 Xing Hua Tian is the name of yet another qin melody (in 松聲操 Song Sheng Cao [1687], XII/408 & 409; 37/--/532). One can find online commentary suggesting a connection between this and Si Da Jing, mentioning in particular a version transmitted by 王仲皋 Wang Zhonggao (citing the 琴學備要 Qin Xue Bei Yao by Gu Meigeng, 2004?). However, I have yet to find what if any melodic connection there might be.
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