The stud markers on a qin could make it a good medium for teaching the mathematical relationship of musical notes. The illustration at right may also be a conscious allusion to depictions of Confucius playing the qin as he teaches (see below). The teacher in the Qing dynasty illustration at right, Kui³ (or Hou Kui, i.e., Marquis Kui), is said to have been one of the "Nine Ministers of the Emperor Shun, charged with the direction of State music."⁴ This illustration shows Kui in what perhaps resembles a Qing dynasty court music school setting. The instruments are all labeled, while the label at the top of the students calls them "royal offspring" (zhouzi⁵).

                      Woodblock print of Confucius teaching⁶

Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. I have not yet seen a classical illustration showing qin itself being taught.
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2. Illustration of Hou Kui regulating music 后夔典樂圖
The original of this illustration, a "late Qing" representation, is from 欽定書經圖說 Qinding Shu Jing Tushuo (Historical Classic, Imperial Illustrated Edition, 1905). It is here copied from Joseph Needham, Science and Civilization in China, Vol. IV:1, Physics and Physical Technology, p. 146. It is not clear why the instrument in front of the qin is labeled as a 瑟 se even though it is narrower than the qin, with fewer strings and no movable bridges.
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3. Kui 夔
Bio/2585; see Anne Birrell, Chinese Mythology: (Index) "storm god; one-legged mountain god; killed by the Yellow Emerpror; skin used as a cosmic drum; historicizing tradition makes him master of music under the sage-kings Yao and Shun"; (p. 134) "with a magical talent (his vestigial divinity) for making animals dance".
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4. Giles: Kuei (Kui)
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5. zhouzi 胄子
30068.2/2 胄子 says this means 國子學生也 students who are children of royalty. This must come from:
30068.2/1 胄子, which means 嫡子 dizi, eldest son of main wife, quoting a passage from 書，舜典 Record of Shun in the Shu Jing saying 帝曰﹕夔，令汝典樂，教胄子 the emperor ordered Kui to regulate music, teaching this to the eldest son.
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6. From an illustrated life of Confucius.
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