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Spring Dawn in a Grotto-Heaven
Standard tuning, gong mode ( 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 ) 2 |
洞天春曉 1
Dongtian Chun Xiao |
| Dongtian Chun Xiao illustration from Kuian Qinpu 3 |
Grotto-heavens, also mentioned in the melody title Cranes Dance in a Grotto-Heaven, should be remote scenic areas, otherworldly in appearance and at best having good geomantic properties. In many parts of China today there are still many places claiming such properties.4 Some are natural areas, though usually over the years greatly modified by human hand; others are completely artificial, having been built into private gardens. Grotto-heavens are also a popular theme in literati painting, and one might naturally assume that they should be good places to play the qin.
This particular evocation of a grotto-heaven, Dongtian Chun Xiao, is the third melody in Zangchunwu Qinpu (1602); it follows the modal prelude Shenpin Gong Yi,5 as well as the short Harmonious Spirit Intonation (He Qi Yin6), the three of them seeming to form a set. This assumption is supported by commentary inserted here in the 1602 handbook between Shenpin Gong Yi and He Qi Yin.7 The commentary mostly concerns the qin player Shen Taishao and his creation of these two titled melodies.
The same commentary also mentions the third melody in this handbook attributed to Shen, Xishan Qiu Yue (compare Jishan Qiu Yue), but not the fourth, Feng Xiang Xiao Han.
Although He Qi Yin does not appear in any later handbooks, during the Qing dynasty Dongtian Chun Xiao became one of the most common, surviving in 28 handbooks from 1602 to 1946.8 Adding to this, two handbooks (1670 and 1876) have an abbreviated version of Dongtian Chun Xiao called Taoyuan Chun Xiao,9 which the 1670 preface connects to the poet Pan Yue.10 Nevertheless, it is not at all clear how widely it was actually played. Truly popular melodies tend to develop considerably over the years, but my preliminary examination of the various versions of Dongtian Chun Xiao through 1802 (I have not yet seen any of those published after that date) suggests they all have a remarkable similarity. Does this mean that this piece was very much respected but not actually played that much?
Perhaps related to this is the length of the piece. In Wuzhizhai Qinpu (1722) it is said that Dongtian Chun Xiao was one of the "Five Grand Qin Melodies". Not only does it have 18 Sections, but some of those sections are quite long by themselves. Were the abbreviated versions of the melody just mentioned above created because of this? On the other hand, although the shorter version was first published 40 years after the first publication of Dongtian Chun Xiao, it was published in a handbook known to have copied earlier tablature. One must then consider the possibility that the shorter version (or shorter versions) appeared first, then were expanded to the present length (and the name correspondingly changed).11
Further in this regard, my present working assumption is that Shen Taishao either created this melody or gave it its earliest full form. Here one might speculate that there is a connection between the fact that he was living (and teaching) in Beijing and the fact that modally his version stands out for the many occurrences of non-pentatonic notes, in particular the note fa (see further). Shen's student Yan Cheng learned it and developed his own version, often changing fa to mi; the other early Yushan school qin master Xu Hong almost completely eliminated the instances of fa, and in this form (see 1673) it subsequently became a melody particularly associated with the Yushan School.
These changes often involve simply changing a note here and there to make the melody more pentatonic. However, two specific instances of change highlight two other types of change. First, at the beginning of Section 8 the 1722 version seems accidentally to have omitted three clusters; later handbooks copy this.12 Second, at the beginning of Section 9 there is a passage with very striking modality and idiom; here the second handbook (1611) changes the whole passage into something more "normal", and the ensuing handbooks all copy this changed version.13
It might be instructive here also to look at the left hand ornamentations (吟猱 yin nao in Chinese, named for the two basic types of vibrato, yin (tight and fast) and nao (loose and slow). In the present Dongtian Chun Xiao (1602) nao occurs about 144 times, either by itself, at the end of a slide or at the beginning of a slide; no different types of nao are mentioned. On the other hand, yin only occurs about 20 times and usually it is used as part of a slide (always downward), seeming to give an indication of how to do the slide: either a "retreating slide" (退吟 tui yin; 12) or a "flying slide" (飛吟 fei yin; 3); only five times does it seem to be used not in connection with a slide, and here it almost always called a "fine vibrato" (細吟 xi yin). On one occasion in the middle of section 9 it comes at the end of a 分開 fen kai. It could be interesting to study how this compares with other melodies. Meanwhile, given the belief that there is a lot of variety within the practice of guqin ornamentation, my general inclination is to interpret the nao as a combination of rhythmic guideline (its note cannot be too short) and invitation to do any of a variety of vibratos depending on the circumstance.14
Also of interest would be a study of the punctuation. In some places there is quite a lot of punctuation, such as in Section 1. In other places (for example the latter part of Section 2) the melody goes on for a great length without any punctuation to indicate a break. An preliminary examinationn of the first 10 or so later versions suggests that, though a quite a few notes were changed, the punctuation remained largely intact. Does this confirm that the phrases were very long, or does it more likely suggest a conservatism on the part of the transcribers, who may have been modifying old tablature rather than transcribing anew what they had heard? 15
Zha's Guide does not list any section titles for any of the versions, but these actually can be found in at least three handbooks.16) In addition, only five (1602, 1673, 1705, 1722 and 1914) have direct commentary, but none of these after this earliest one seeming to mention Shen Taishao. In addition none of the commentaries says anything about the significance of the title.
_
As yet I have not found any recordings of this title. However, there is a recording by 楊葆元 Yang Baoyuan of what is said to be the 1670 Taoyuan Chun Xiao, but which is actually a shortened version of
Dongtian Chun Xiao.
Original preface17
After the modal prelude but before the prelude He Qi Yin this handbook, published in 1602, has relative comments outlined here and translated (with the original text) here. They seem to refer to several pieces including Dongtian Chun Xiao, but prefaces specifically for this melody can only be found in three later handbooks.
Music 18
_
_
18 sections, untitled
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a
separate page)
1.
Spring Dawn in a Grotto Heaven (洞天春曉 Dongtian Chun Xiao) (VI/294)
17777.9-13 and 5/1143 have various dongtian but no qin reference or mention of this title. For Chun Xiao see under
Chun Xiao Yin. Other melodies also mention either dongtian or chunxiao (e.g.,
He Wu Dongtian and
Chun Xiao Yin), but there seems to be no musical connection.
Perhaps there is some relevance with 洞天福地 Dongtian Fudi (Grotto Paradise, a Daoist term): elsewhere Dongtian Chun Xiao is associated in some way with these Daoist grotto paradises. (See Appendix 2.)
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2.
Gong mode (宮調 gongdiao)
Standard tuning, here 5 6 1 2 3 5 6, in some other modes is considered as 1 2 4 5 6 1 2. For further information on gong mode see Shenpin Gong Yi and Modality in Early Ming Qin Tablature.
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3.
Kuian Qinpu Illustration (QQJC XI/7)
The illustration above, which has no inscription, is placed directly below an illustration that seems to serve for the whole book.
(Return)
4.
Grotto-Heavens in China
An internet search for "洞天" or "grotto-heaven" emphasizes the places that are tourist attractions.
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5.
Celestial Air Introducing the Gong mode (神品宮意 Shenpin Gong Yi)
See also gong mode above. The gong modal prelude from 1602 is a relatively long version drawing on several earlier versions.
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6.
Harmonious Spirit Intonation (和氣吟 He Qi Yin)
3600.163 only heqi: friendly; yin and yang in balance. This melody title only here (see in ToC).
(Return)
7.
Commentary in 1602 between Shenpin Gong Yi and He Qi Yin
This commentary, apparently all by Hao Ning (his name actually is aligned directly under the title He Qi Yin), introduces #2 and #3 but also mentions #28. It first briefly introduces 沈太韶 Shen Taishao, then apparently describes the circumstances of creating these three pieces. The full original text (see original jpg and
pdf of tablature) is as follows:
沈子，越人也。諱音，號太韶。自髫切好先王之樂。每遇景柳琴游於林泉蒼松修竹之間，對客泠泠然，追慕伯牙子期之趣。
Master Shen was from Yue, restricted name Yin, nickname Taishao. From a very young age loved the music of the ancient rulers; whenever he encountered beautiful scenery he would take his qin and wander into its forests, springs, green pines and tall bamboo. Towards guests he was quite charming, pursuing an interest in showing admiration for Boya and Ziqi.斯時明月懸空清風和暢與客酌酒。欣然沈醉借榻于山僧之舍。倏然一夢，恍若蓬萊，有一石洞，步入視之，見一老叟撫琴。予問曰，「翁撫何曲？」答曰，「中和之曲」。予又問曰：「此何處也？」叟答曰，「洞天之所」。予即拜別，深得意味，不覺鐘鳴驚悟。嘆曰，「此夢非凡也。」故作此《和氣吟》，並《洞天春曉》入宮調，而有萬物育生之意。作《谿山秋月》入角調。有御風淩雲之志耳。
（「和氣吟」下：）中州窺玄子郝寧識。
On one occasion, with a bright moon hanging in the sky and a fresh breeze smoothing the way, wine was served with guests. Happy and deeply drunk (he) made use of a couch in a mountain monk's cottage. Quickly he fell into a dream and it immediately seemed as if he was in Penglai. There was a stone grotto so he entered it and looked around. Here he saw an old gentleman playing qin. I (i.e., Hao Ning?) asked him (i.e., Shen Taishao?), saying, "The old gentleman was playing what melody?" The answer was, "A melody of Harmony". I again asked, saying, "What is this place?" The old gentleman answered, saying, "Part of a grotto heaven." I (Shen?) then departed. Deeply impressed, I was hardly aware when the sound of a bell startled me awake. Sighing, I said, "This dream was not simply mundane." And so was written this "He Qi Yin and Dongtian Chun Xiao, put in Gong mode and having the idea of all things nurturing life. (And so also) was created Xishan Qiu Yue and put in Jue mode, with the intention of riding on winds and soaring in clouds.
(Under the title of He Qi Yin:) The Henan Inquirer into Mysteries Hao Ning has written this. (Translation tentative: the use of "予" [first person pronoun] is confusing; Shen Taishao is the one generally credited with having created this melody, but here it is not clear who the actual narrator is.)
Because the final sentence is written under the title for He Qi Yin perhaps that one sentence is referring only to that melody, but more likely it is referring to all three.
(Return)
8.
Tracing Dongtian Chun Xiao
Zha Guide (28/223/--) lists 28 handbooks to 1946, as follows:
- 藏春塢琴譜 (1602; VI/302; many occurrences of fa)
- 陽春堂琴譜 (1611; VII/366; partially written using decimal system, but not consistent)
- 松絃館琴譜 (1614; VIII/77; earliest Yushan school handbook; fewer fa but still many; no commentary or attribution)
- 思齊堂琴譜 (1620; IX/19)
- 樂仙琴譜 (1623; VIII/450; largely a copy of 1611)
- 徽言秘旨 (1647; X/57; 1692 same)
- 愧菴琴譜 (1660; XI/9; illustration: see above)
- 臣卉堂琴譜 (1663; XI/119)
琴苑心傳全 (1670; X/329; called 桃園春曉 Taoyuan Chun Xiao, but it is actually a version of Guang Han You! - 琴苑心傳全 (1670; X/485; called 桃園春曉 Taoyuan Chun Xiao, but it is actually a shortened version of DTCX
- 大還閣琴譜 (1673; X/334; after 1614 the second most important Yushan school handbook; most fa changed to mi; afterword says Yan Tianchi attributed it to Shen Taishao)
- 德音堂琴譜 (1691; XII/489)
- 琴譜析微 (1692; XIII/44)
- 蓼懷堂琴譜 (1702; XIII/191; each section adds subtitles)
- 誠一堂琴譜 (1705; XIII/335; first with commentary)
- 五知齋琴譜 (1722; XIV/430; introduces "省 short rests" after 1st and 2nd notes in opening phrase; commentary)
- 蘭田館琴譜 (1755; XVI/192; "徐青山譜 pu of Xu Qingshan" [see 1673]; subtitles as 1702; pu same)
- 琴香堂琴譜 (1760; XVII/23)
- 自遠堂琴譜 (1802; XVII/304; seems to be a copy of 1722 五知齋 but adds subtitles from 1702 though that pu is somewhat different)
- 裛露軒琴譜 (>1802; XIX/56; "熟派 Yushan school"; "copy of 1722 五知齋")
- 琴譜諧聲 (1820; XX/182)
- 琴學軔端 (1828; XX/419)
- 鄰鶴齋琴譜 (1830; XXI/77)
- 悟雪山房琴譜 (1836; XXII/301)
- 天聞閣琴譜 (1876; from 1702 but without subtitles; XXV/143)
- 天聞閣琴譜 (1876; from 1670; XXV/177); called 桃源春曉 !, but is the 1670 shortened version of DTCX
- 天籟閣琴譜 (1876; XXI/92)
- 響雪齋琴譜 (1876; ---/--)
- 希韶閣琴譜 (1878; XXVI/276: missing)
- 詩夢齋琴譜 (1914; ---/--)
- 沙堰琴編 (1946; XXIX/330)
Four handbooks include commentary on Dongtian Chun Xiao:
The 1705 comment comes from the Record of the Historian, Book of Music, description of the effect of listening to melodies in gong mode ("聞宮音使人溫舒而廣大").
The 1722 handbook has interlineal commentary which could be helpful to someone reconstructing and/or playing the melody. For example, at the beginning os Section 7 is the following comment:
Perhaps this, as well as the significance of the
section subtitles applied later (see below), will become more clear as I continue to work on the actual music.
9.
Version called Spring Dawn at the Peach Spring or Spring Dawn at the Peach Garden (桃源春曉 / 桃園春曉)
describe (the atmosphere) in a most complete way.
Regarding the quatrain here, it looks like a poem structured (4+4). I have not found it quoted anywhere else, so quite likely it was written by the person who also wrote the preface. (Thanks to 孫小青 Sun Xiaoqing for his guidance on this).
Regarding the comment attached at front: unfortunately it is not clear how much later it might have been added. It is puzzling on two accounts:
The 9 sections of the present TYCX seem to have been made by combining sections from the 18 section DTCX. In this way the two DTCX harmonic sections (#8 and #15) have become sections #4 and #7 in TYCX. The tablature in the 1670 handbook is difficult to read, but it was copied out very neatly in 1876.
The relationship between the short and long version can perhaps best be discerned by looking at a Dongtian Chun Xiao tablature while listening to the recording by 楊葆元 Yang Baoyuan of what is said to be the Peach Spring melody (a.k.a., the Peach Garden melody;
listen here) .
10.
潘岳 Pan Yue (247 - 300)
Pan Yue's 笙賦 Rhapsody on the Sheng is translated in Knechtges, Wen Xuan, III, p.303ff. The rhapsody includes the following couplet (p.311; music instruments given their Chinese names),
11.
Expansion or contraction?
12.
Copy error?
13.
Modal change
14.
Ornamentation,
15.
Punctuation,
16.
Subtitles in 1702, 1755 and 1802
All have the subtitle written in small print after each section number. These subtitles are:
Glossary:
Zha's Guide does not include subtitles with any of its listed versions, and there may be some other handbooks I have not yet found that have them.
17.
Original preface
18.
Music of Dongtian Chun Xiao from 1602 and later
Interpreting this is complicated by some confusion in the finger position indications (e.g., 六七 or 六半 vs 六下). For some reason the old system, quite capable of precision if used properly (see comment under the
decimal system), was by 1600 no longer being used with precision. In fact, one might speculate that it was a resulting confusion about this that led to the introduction (perhaps in Yangchuntang Qinpu, 1611) of a decimal system for indicating finger positions. Unfortunately, the earliest use of this system was not yet very precise.
In 2021 I returned to this tablature and have subsequently made a new transcription. Again when dealing with non-pentatonic notes I consulted later early versions. And again, for the reasons given above, I have generally accepted incidences of fa, a note that seems to be used in what seems to me a consistent and coherent manner. Reinforcing this, in some handbooks I have found non-pentatonic notes that seem random. These may eventually turn out to be interesting variants but at present they more likely seem to be copy errors and have less credence.
Other than this, a cursory examination of the later versions (listed
here) suggests that with some exceptions this melody remained relatively unchanged at least through 1802. This perhaps suggests that, although it was considered a very important piece, it was not widely played, perhaps because of its difficulty: players had to continually refer back to earlier tablature rather than simply play it from memory.
There has been some online commentary that discusses the music in Chinese only, but the main example I have seen of this has since been removed. On the other hand, the commentary with the version in Wuzhizhai Qinpu looks as though it might be quite helpful, so I have copied its preface and afterword here in Appendix 1.
The commentary with Wuzhizhai Qinpu looks as though it could be very useful in working on Dongtian Chun Xiao, so I have temporarily copied it here, with the plan for translation. (Source: www.itsfun.com.tw).
Preface to the melody (QQJC XIV/430)
Afterword to the melody (QQJC XIV/437)
俊承家訓，苦心探索數十餘載，若云復古則吾豈敢，庶幾知源流本末，不無蒭蕘之一得云爾。今餘年五十有九矣，偶游皖江。獲晤燕山周君子安互叅是曲。頗稱賞心，謀諸剞劂，周君慨然梓之。遂幸甚矣。是為跋。康熙辛丑秋九月徐俊識於五知齋琴室。
The following, found on the
internet, may be relevant. It mentions Dongtian Chun Xiao right after Eight Views of Guishan, but I am not yet sure of the connection.
溈山探幽之二 Exploring the hidden Mount Gui (in Hunan), #2
既然無法從風水角度探索出溈山稱為瓷業發祥地的理由，舊只好轉而去琢磨樊公廟遺址上側的古洞天。
古洞天是這座寺廟現在的名字，按照典籍的記載應當叫做"小溈山寺"才對。唐朝時期，道士司馬承楨檢索全國名勝地理，挑選神奇清幽，山靈水秀，兼採陰陽，上達天庭，適宜神仙居住的地方命名為洞天福地，編成《天宮地府圖》一書。書中列出36洞天，72福地，這裡即便被稱為第十三洞天：小溈山好生玄上洞天，相傳是道家仙人花邱林和傅天師修煉得道之所在。根據同時代杜光庭在《洞天福地岳瀆名山記》中的記載，付天師修煉之時居石室、設仙壇，這裡應當是一處天然的岩石洞府。直到後來的大緣禪師雲遊至此，才在此建寺，這是溈山建廟的最早的文字記載。至於寺廟的名稱也有一條記載：宋殿元易祓書匾：小溈山寺。
寺廟的周圍，至少在唐宋年間，還是符合道家"洞天福地"標準的，因而周圍的景致被命名為溈山八景。"洞天春曉"是概括性的說法，峽谷幽深，宛如仙境，春天姍姍遲來，卻帶著一種與生俱來的隆重與驕傲的態勢；"荷池秋霽"指的是寺廟前一口三五畝的荷塘，霜降之後，因為這山間溫潤的小氣候，荷葉並不曾完全枯萎凋落，蒼老中生出一層白色的粉末，在十月的陽光下反倒流露出一種久經風霜的沈著和冷靜；"折經流水"寺廟門前，溈山水的兩條支流在此交匯，遠遠望去，像是折疊起來的一本經書，正慢慢打開等著有道高僧來仔細研讀；"靈龜故石"本來是寺廟對面一塊頑石，因為長期和道士們一起修煉，終於也得道成了仙，超脫出六道輪回；"鉢盂山形"是寺廟對面一個獨立的小山崗，線條圓潤柔和，遠遠望去，不正是當年道士雲遊歸來遺落的化齋鉢盂嗎；"龍脊高崗"指這溈山的山勢，從瀏陽和醴陵交界的扁擔坳宛然曲折而來，山勢脈絡分明，山體高峻，氣氛非同尋常；"卓錫飛泉"是寺廟西側一眼泉水的由來，剛剛雲遊到此的邱真人見此地沒有泉水，就隨手將錫杖往地上一杵，泉水應聲而出；"袈裟仙跡"也是寺廟後面的這座山嵐，南坡陡峭，北坡卻平緩許多，山腳延伸到小溪河邊，坡地曲折如同袈裟擺動的褶皺。
我們去看的時侯，樊公廟已經在那場運動之中被拆毀了，我們整整晚來了五十年，小溈山寺自然也是一齊不存在了，現在看到的是十年前剛剛修建起來的"古洞天"。寺廟周圍的八景也需要努力尋找，才能看出一點似是而非的模樣。接待我們的年輕的住持，已經分不清自己究竟是道士還是和尚。問問道觀的來歷，一口咬定就是禪宗五派中溈仰宗發源之溈山。追問密印寺的所在卻又不能作答。不過，這裡即便不是密印寺的所在，卻也處在湖南長沙寧鄉的大溈山和位於江西萍鄉的仰山兩大溈仰宗的祖庭之間，或許應當舊屬於這個支派的禪宗也未為可知，或許這也就是道觀得名"小溈山寺"的來由吧。
歷史從來就是一團迷霧，單單從清楚的記載看來，這小溈山寺倒是不如乾脆借助近代醴陵瓷業發祥地這個名份，恢復起樊公廟和陶瓷祖師的祭祀儀式，再用醴陵人擅長的手法塑造出幾做陶瓷的三清老爺塑像，好好的做成一個有陶瓷特色的道觀，或者也就是一件功德無量的事業了。
Return to the annotated handbook list
or to the Guqin ToC.
Phrases 1, 2 and 3: humble sounds (?). Phrase four: enter the grotto heaven. 6 and 7: they have comfortable whistling.
(Return)
Zha Fuxi apparently considered these two titles to refer to the same melody: his Guide (23/198/--) lists the "garden" title as an alternate to "spring". And because his Guide listing does not take into account that the 1670 handbook actually has two relevant melodies, the list from his Guide should have had four entries instead of three, as follows:
1525
("spring"; raised fifth tuning; III/277)
1670
("garden"; short DTCX; XI/329)
1670
("garden"; a version of the unrelated
Guang Han You; XI/485)
1876 ("spring"; XXV/177, identical to XI/329)
Because the 1525 entry is a unique and distinctive melody using raised fifth tuning while one of the two 1670 entries is in fact a version of another unrelated melody, only two of the entries here need to be considered. Here, although the two tablatures are (in spite of the differences in their titles) identically shortened versions of another completely different melody using standard tuning, the Dongtian Chun Xiao discussed on this page. Here are some specifics on these four:
This unrelated melody can be heard
here.
The actual melody here seems to be a condensed version of Dongtian Chun Xiao (details): DTCX always has 18 sections, but here there are only 9. This is mentioned somewhat obscurely in a comment in front of the preface, apparently added later. This comment and the actual preface are as follows (compare the original),
The original "Dongtian Chun Xiao" is a melody in 16 (sic) sections; there was not this piece (i.e, there was no "Tao Yuan Chun Xiao").
As for this piece, it was created by Pan Yue. These phrases,
I wrote this piece for my joyful feelings as I confronted this scene, to express this feeling, and hint at my feelings towards it.
This melody, also in 9 sections, is actually a version of the 1425 melody Guang Han You. Although it is musically unrelated to the other Tao Yuan Chun Xiao in this handbook it has exactly the same preface (the main part as given
above).
In spite of the title difference, the text here says the version used was copied from the 1670 handbook. Since it was in fact copied from 1670 #1, the mistake between "garden" and "spring" in the title is quite puzzling. Even more puzzling is the fact that, as in 1670, the melody is actually a shortened version of Dongtian Chun Xiao.
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Pan Yue was a leading poet of his day and famously handsome: it was said that when he rode through the streets of Luoyang women would follow him, offering him peaches (symbolizing immortality).
If Ye of Jin (Shi Kuang) takes fright and throws down his qin zither,
what about the se zither player of Qi and the zheng zither player of Qin?
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This of course is purely speculation. Generally the tablature for any melody that has survived through centuries has become longer and longer. However, today there seems to be an impatience with long melodies, and a number of melodies that are "too long" are commonly played in shorter versions, such as
Guangling San and
Yu Ge/Ao Ai.
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In Section 8 of the earliest version (1602) the fifth and sixth cluster (harmonics on the first then third string) is repeated for the seventh and eighth clusters, then again for the 10th and 11th clusters. In
1722 the 7th to 9th clusters have been omitted. Since such simplification is quite rare, the most logical reason for this here is that the scribe was confused by the repetitions.
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The first two phrases at the beginning of Section 9 of the earliest version (1602) there are three occurrences of the complex cluster called 雙撞 shuang zhuang. Here the first and third occurrences are based on a sharpened fa (f# in my transcription). Apparently this was too radical for later players, as the second handbook (1611) completely changed this passage and the later handbooks immediately switched to copying that.
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See also an Historical view of guqin ornamentation. It is often said that ornamentation tended to increase over the years.
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The issue of punctuation goes back at least to Shen Qi Mi Pu, where a number of melodies in Folio 1 had none at all, at least in the earliest edition (comment).
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The three handbooks with subtitles are as follows:
Regarding a possible Buddhist connection, "金雞三唱" is discussed extensively on Buddhist web sites; Sec 15 "金雞離海 apart from the sea": 43079.xxx; the connection between the golden pheasant and water is obscure so perhaps it refers to the Buddhist "sea of suffering": i.e., the common world. On the other hand there is the expression 三注三唱 (?).
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The Chinese original of the commentary prior to He Qi Yin is included not yet online.
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In 2010 I transcribed this earliest version and compared it with later ones, 1611 and 1614 in particular; however, I then set it aside without finishing it for several reasons, including its length and its extended passages in high positions (above the 5th hui). The major differences seemed to be mostly matters of ornamentation and, especially in early editions, the interpretation of certain notes as either mi or fa. As I comment with the 1614 version of the melody Autumn River Night Anchorage, an increased appearance of fa seems to have been a significant modal trend in certain handbooks published around 1600; and as with that melody, once again here the occurrence of fa seems to diminish or disappear in the later versions. Most notably the version in the earliest Yushan handbook, 1611, has many occurrences of fa, but these are almost all changed to mi in its successor, 1673.
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The beauty of this melody is its leisurely pace and amiable nature: sounds appropriate to the universe. Those who play it, if they don't contemplate the essential spirit of those predecessors who created it, and instead deride the melody as too plain, are not really playing it (?).....
The melody "Dongtian" is a truly old tune, relaxed and peaceful, like "Lacquer Garden" (Zhuangzi)'s Butterfly Dream rather similar.... Over 50 melodies (?)....
(I? Xu) Jun have inherited the family teachings, and have painstakingly pursued them for several decades; if someone says I am returning to the past how can I disagree? Perhaps one can know the original track from the sources - it is not as though I have not worked long and hard to find out. Now I am over 59 years old, at times going around Wanjiang (the region in Anhui along the Yangzi river).
(This afterword) was written in the ninth month of 1721 by Xu Jun (age 59), in the Five Knowings Studio Qin Room.
文/姚武飛
