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Early Morning Intonation
Shang Yin (Shang mode, standard tuning):2 1 2 4 5 6 1 2		 早朝吟 1
Zao Zhao Yin  
  Preface to Zao Zao Yin (.pdf of entire piece) 3        
Zao Zhao Yini is a piece in three sections that sets for qin three Tang dynasty poems all with the structure (7+7) x 4. The first poem is by Jia Zhi (718-772). Old sources show that there were then three poems written in response to Jia Zhi, one by Du Fu, one by Wang Wei and one by Cen Shen. However, for some reason only the first two of the latter were set to tablature here. Nevertheless, the third response is also included below. Since it has the same structure as the others, perhaps it could be sung to one or any of the other settings.4

It is planned that eventually on this page there will be some further comparison of the musical settings for poems having this structure, as well as a comparison of these settings with the settings of ci poems in Li Yun Chun Si. For now there is here little more than the text of the four poems.

Jia Zhi's poem and Du Fu's response have been translated in Stephen Owen, The Poetry of Du Fu; De Gruyter, 2016, p.363. This is an open access text, now available online from degruyter.com/.

 
Preface
Not yet copied out; no afterword.

 
Music and lyrics
3 sections; shi lyrics; only here
The lyrics of all four Tang dynasty poems are as follows:

  1. 賈至 Jia Zhi（早朝大明宮呈兩省僚友）：
    銀燭朝天紫陌長，禁城春色曉蒼蒼。
    千條弱柳垂靑瑣，百囀流鶯遶建章。
    劍珮聲隨玉墀步，衣冠身惹御爐香。
    共沐恩波鳯池上，朝朝染翰侍君王。

  2. 杜甫 Du Fu（奉和賈至舍人早朝大明）：
    五夜漏聲催曉箭，九重春色醉仙桃。
    旌旗日暖?蛇動，宮殿風微燕雀高。
    朝罷香煙攜滿袖，詩成珠玉在揮毫。
    欲知世掌絲綸美，池上於今有鳯毛。

  3. 王維 Wang Wei（和賈舍人早朝大明宮之作）：
    絳幘鷄人報曉籌，尙衣方進彩雲裘。
    九天閶闔開宮殿，萬國衣冠拜冕旈。
    日色纔臨仙掌動，香煙常傍袞龍浮。
    朝罷須裁五色詔，珮聲歸到鳳池頭。

  4. No tablature: 岑參 Cen Shen（奉賈至舍人早朝大明宮之作）：
    雞鳴紫陌曙光寒，鶯囀皇州春色闌。
    金闕曉鐘開萬戶，玉階仙仗擁千官。
    花迎劍珮星初落，柳拂旌旗露未乾。
    獨有鳳凰池上客，陽春一曲和皆難。

 
Footnotes (Shorthand/I references are explained on a separate page)

1. Early Morning Intonation (早朝吟 Zao Zhao Yin; XII/84)
(Return)

2. Shang mode (商音 Shang Yin)
As with other Ming dynasty melodies in shang mode, throughout the whole piece the open first string is treated as do (1; transcribed as "C"), which is also the main tonal center. As with these other melodies the secondary tonal centers are sol (5) and re (2; shang), but there are no flatted 3s. There is further discussion of the modal characteristics of qin melodies during the Ming dynasty under Modality in early Ming qin tablature, with further specifics on shang mode melodies under Shenpin Shang Yi.
(Return)

3. Image: Opening page of Zao Zhao Yin
Copied from QQJC XII/84.
(Return)

4. Compare also the 1573 melody Shi Yin, which has the same structure as here: (7+7) x 4
(Return)

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