Hujia Tu 6

Recording: 03.35 to 04.25 Da Hujia scroll title page <-- Scene 5 <-- --> Scene 7

Scene 6: (So far north) it is to the south one looks to see the Big Dipper 正南看北斗

From 18 Songs of a Nomad Flute, here illustrating the qin melody Da Hujia (Nomad Reed Pipe, Long Version)
Scroll painting and calligraphy by Bai Yunli based on a Song dynasty original; poem by Liu Shang translated by Robert Rorex and Wen Fong

I resent it that the spring is so short here;
In the nomad land there are few flowers or willows.
Who knows if heaven and earth have not been turned upside down?
Here we see the Great Dipper in the south.
Since our names, sounds, and signals are wholly different,
All day and all year I keep my mouth closed.
"Yes" and "no" and accepting and giving things away all depend on finger gestures;
For expressing our feelings, speech has become less useful than the hand.

Return to scroll title page or to Art Illustrating Guqin Melodies