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Introducing the Qin
Qinshu Daquan Folio 1 (V/20-28) 1 |
序琴
琴書大全一卷 |
16 Essays introducing the qin
Additionally, the Qin Cao states: “The width is six cun, symbolizing the six directions (the four cardinal directions plus up and down). The top of the cavity (underneath a qin) is called the chi (pond), indicating its harmony. The lower part is called bin (‘shore’), signifying its submission. The front is broad while the back is narrow, symbolizing hierarchical order. Its top is round and bottom square, following the principles of heaven and earth.” (Other editions add: 又徒鼓瑟謂之步。 Training on the se is called "stepping".)
The 廣雅 Guang Ya (9693.225) cited by Erya Shu is a lexicographic work attributed to 魏張挕 Zhang Die of the Wei dynasty (220-265). It is a compilation of glosses that had been found in earlier texts. Its comments are quite obscure and sometimes seem to conflict with other information, so the present translation very tentative.
In antiquity, when the enlightened kings established music, it was not for the sake of personal amusement, to indulge their desires, or to seek pleasure. Rather, they did so as a means of governance. Proper instruction begins with sound, for when sound is correct, conduct will be correct.
Thus, music serves to stir the blood and vital energy, allowing it to flow freely and harmonizing the heart and mind. Each of the five tones corresponds to a bodily organ and a fundamental virtue. Thus:
Thus, music internally supports the rectification of the heart and externally differentiates between noble and base. It is used above to serve the ancestral temples and below to transform the common people.
The qin, measuring eight feet and one inch in length, embodies the proper standard. The string that is 大者 ("largest". but actually thickest and thereford strongest) is gong, so it occupies the central position and is the 君 ruler. Shang extends to its right, the others are arranged in order from large to small (actually thickest to thinnest), and thus, the hierarchy of ruler and minister are correct.
Ritual (禮) enters from the outside, whereas music (樂) emerges from within.
Thus, a gentleman must never be without ritual, for if he is even briefly separated from it, unruly and reckless behavior will extend outward. Likewise, he must never be without music, for if he is even briefly removed from it, deceit and wickedness will arise from within. Music nourishes a gentleman’s sense of righteousness.
In ancient times, the Son of Heaven and the feudal lords were never far from the sounds of bells and chimes in their courts, and the ministers and great officers were never without the sounds of qin and se in their presence. This was so they could cultivate proper conduct and guard against indulgence and excess.
Excessive indulgence arises from the absence of ritual. Thus, the sage-kings ensured that people’s ears heard only the refined sounds of hymns and odes (雅頌之音), their eyes beheld only the dignified forms of ceremonial rites (威儀之禮), their steps conformed to reverent postures (恭敬之容), and their mouths spoke only of the principles of benevolence and righteousness (仁義之道).
In this way, when a gentleman speaks all day long, there is no place for wickedness and deviation to enter.
The passage here and next are from Folio 119 of Chen Yang's work, a chapter called (Discussion of) Qin and Se (琴瑟論 Qin Se Lun).
CTP currently has an unpunctuated OCR copy of the entire work (see Folio 119). There are some textual inconsistencies throughout; some corrections made here from other editions are indicated in (brackets.
Qin Se Lun was written in three sections; the central section says little about the qin and is missing from this section of Qinshu Daquan. Here is the third (final) section then Section 4 from the same chapter. #8 below has the First Section. Although the middle section is missing from here, it can also be found with the other sections under Chen Yang.
Seems to refer to the
Qin Cao by 蔡邕 Cai Yong (133 - 192)
Fuxi made a qin in order to cultivate moral character, regulate disposition, and return to a natural state.
By Liu An (d. 122 BCE)
The Shen Nong clan made the first qin.
Running commentary (疏 shu) on the 爾雅 Er Ya (20199.17; an ancient Chinese lexicographic work, apparently a collection of early glosses and explanation on words appearing in Zhou texts." (ICTCL, p.315, which adds that the traditional attributions are variously to
Zhou Gong,
Confucius and
Zixia, but that it is probably 3rd or 2nd c. BCE).
The Guangya says, The qin is three chi, six cun and six fen in length. The one with five strings is the one most commonly used. (The length) symbolizes the 366 days in the year. The five strings represent the five elements
The large string (lowest string) represents the master (jun); small strings represent the ministers. King Wen and King Wu added two strings to harmonize the benevolence between the ruler and minister. Also regarding the five strings, the first one is called gong and after this come shang, jue, zhi and yu. The two additional strings added by King Wen and King Wu are called lesser gong and lesser shao.
Taishi Gong (the Grand Historian, Grand Scribe, Grand Astrologer, etc.) was 司馬遷 Sima Qian (ca.145 - c.85 BCE). This extract from the Book of Music (樂書 Yue Shu), Annal 24 of his Grand Scribe's Records (史記 Shi Ji), is the last section of that annal, coming directly after the passage on Shi Kuang from Annal 24, included here at Folio 16, #8.
This extended passage refers back to a book called
Shi Ben (Book of Origins), attributed to 劉向 Liu Xiang but surviving only in fragments. This excerpt is translated in its entirety in Van Gulik, Lore, pp.72-3.
(The same passage as quoted in Qinyuan Yaolu has a different ending.)
Fengsu Tong said: After careful consideration
Shi Ben respectfully gives the opinion that
Shen Nong created the qin. Yue Shu says, Shun played a five string qin, sang the Southern Wind lyrics, and all under heaven was orderly....
Here "Yue Shu" refers to the
Chen Shi Yue Shu attributed to 陳暘 Chen Yang, not the one that forms Annal 24 of the Shi Ji (see #5 above); there are also numerous other early works called Yue Shu.
See above: this is 陳暘 Chen Yang, 琴瑟上 Qin and Se, First Section (of three. The middle section is missinger here. It begins, )
(added Section 2 and translation)
15829.88xxx (yue zhi: no book, no lun)
By 劉昺 Liu Bing (Song dynasty; see in Qinshu Bielu, #72).
5960.1128xxx (大晟詞 music during 1068-78)
Dasheng Yueshu: Great is the qin for making music. Its structure is careful/detailed, so its
righteousness is deep. Its sounds are beautiful so its effects are great....
Cui Zundu (954 - 1020); the following is also included with his Qin Shi biography.
21570.89 琴德﹕為琴所寓之德性 qin virtue: the virtuous nature that lies within the qin; quotes Baihu Tong and
Xi Kang's Qin Fu
This is the same as the ninth section in
Folio 6 of Zhu Changwen's Qin Shi.
First quotes the first 2/3rds of Zhu Changwen's
preface to his Qin Shi. However, it then skips to the second preface, by his grandnephew (Zhu) Zhengda.
琴史，序，曰﹕琴之為器起於上皇之世。後聖承承亦加潤餘其材則....嘗不知琴也。
"Received from Antiquity Qin Extracts" (12407.14 zhen gu only) is #145 in Qinshu Cunmu, but there is no information other than that it is listed in the
Luzhutang Shumu.
Another section is in Folio 16, #63
Lu Shi, by 羅泌 Luo Mi (or Bi; prob. 13th c.; has biographies from pre-history)
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a
separate page)
1. Further information in the Preface. (V/....) refers to page numbers in Vol. V of Qinqu Jicheng. (Return)
2.
"The qin signifies restraint" 琴者禁也
Van Gulik, Lore, p. 42, translates the commentary on this famous saying not from Baihu Tong but from 風俗通義 Fengsu Tongyi (a longer passage, quoted above, is also translated by Van Gulik). His translation here is as follows (he does not include the Chinese original):
Van Gulik goes on to say that the phrase "qin means restraint" is the basis for the Confucian teaching that the qin is an instrument for "nourishing the heart" (養心 yang xin). He then translates a passage from Mencius (Book VII, 35) commenting on this.
"Thus," (adds Van Gulik), "the qin, through its capacity for restraining human passions, was a suitable instrument for everyone desiring to become the ideal statesman and ruler of the Confucianist school of thought, the Superior Man, the 君子 junzi."
(Return)
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