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QSCB : Song/Yuan    Qin Essays : Chen Minzi 首頁
Chen Minzi, Qin Pitch Standards in Fine Detail 1
Qin Lü Fa Wei, as copied in Qinqu Jicheng V/39 and V/213-219 		陳敏子，琴律發微
琴曲集成 V/39，213-219

Qin Pitch Standards in Fine Detail,2 by Chen Minzi,3 is discussed in Xu Jian, Introductory History of the Qin, Chapter 6 (q.v.).

The surviving sources of the text below, attributed to Chen, are in two sections of Qinshu Daquan (1590), as follows:

  1. Folio 2 (QQJC V/39):
    Chen Minzi, Preface to Qin Pitch Standards in Fine Detail (陳敏子琴律發微敘述 Chen Minzi Qinlü Fawei Xushu).

  2. Folio 11 (QQJC V/213-248, but apparently only pp. 213 to 219) Six essays by Chen Minzi, each beginning "琴律發微云 Qinlü Fawei yun": "Qin Pitch Standards in Fine Detail says". See below and in Qin Essays.

After the latter is a brief section on standard modes (V/219), then a lengthy one (V/219-223) on non-standard modes. It is not made clear whether this section belongs to Qinlü Fawei.

 
陳敏子：琴律發微
Chen Minzi, Qin Pitch Standards in Fine Detail
Source: QQJC Folio 2 (V/39) and Folio 11 (V/213-219)

This is said to have "almost all" of the original text. It is not yet clear what might be missing.4

陳敏子：琴律發微叙述
Preface to Chen Minzi: Qin Pitch Standards in Fine Detail (V/39) 5
Tentative translation below

陳敏子琴律發微：叙述
天地之數，起於一元；律則本乎天地之數者也。故黃鍾得 聲氣之元。邵子書【曰】：「一元有十二會，猶嵗有十二月。」衍其數 至於十二萬九千六百嵗。律之數十二，應乎十二月之氣， 非得天地之數者乎？是理之奧，孰從而知之哉？唯神聖得 元氣之會，聰明過人，制作皆合乎天地之數。五聲循環，十 二律，而不適於黃鍾之宫，亦猶天地之氣周流乎歲月日 辰，而不逾於一元之元也。此即還相為宫之說。記禮運曰： 「五聲六律十二管，還相為宫。」廣求理數之悉，則諸經傳、諸 子史、諸儒之註【疏】文論，亦已多矣。然所謂還宫之法，在古 樂中及之者固多；【至於】琴家流俗傳習之弊，但知有五音 正調及外雜調而已，則無以還宫為說者。延祐【原刻作寶祐】間，南溪徐 氏理卓然有見，因求古鍾律而有得於琴，著《琴統》一編，又 作外篇《玉譜》，歷述十二律皆可為【宮】，而世所謂五音正調 者，乃仲吕一宫結也。於是可以正歷世、通天下之誤；凡昔 之扞格不通，而強為之說者，皆渙然冰釋而無疑矣。豈不 快哉！僕夙耆琴，妄意音律，於徐氏書深悅之；然其書但舉 其槩曰如是而已。乃若推求其所以如是者，則有所不及 焉。輒忘鄙陋，復立一法，别為要訣，不過發明徐氏之說，使 學琴者視之，可以知十二律之於某絃，所以還相為宫；而 於某絃之所以為商角徵羽者，各有攸據，以自信；并旁及 諸家定律、定徽、製曲之說，意欲俾易於晚學【學本像會】，故辭語多下 俚膚淺，亦所不計也。用類聚圖說，分為三卷，題曰《琴律發 微》。惟君子高明，亮其心，恕其【僭】；或於理有礙處，就改而正， 諸不勝斯文之幸。延祐庚申嵗除日立春，南豐陳敏子叙。

Qin Pitch Standards in Fine Detail: Preface (中文)
The numbers (patterns) of Heaven and Earth begin from the One Origin; pitch (律) is something that takes its basis from the numbers of Heaven and Earth. Therefore Yellow Bell obtains the primal source of sonic qi. In Shaozi’s book【it says】, “One Origin has twelve ‘conjunctions,’ just as a year has twelve months.” Extending those numbers, it reaches as far as 129,600 years (12x30x12x30). The number of pitches is twelve, responding to the qi of the twelve months — is this not something that accords with the numbers of Heaven and Earth? This principle is profoundly subtle; who could learn it from, and so come to know it? Only sages and the numinously wise grasp the conjunctions of primal qi; their intelligence surpasses others, and what they devise and make always accords with the numbers of Heaven and Earth. The five tones cycle in turn; the twelve pitches proceed — yet they do not “settle into” the Yellow Bell gong; just as the qi of Heaven and Earth circulates through years and months, days and 辰, and yet never goes beyond the primal One Origin. This is precisely the doctrine of “mutually returning to serve as gong.” The Record (the “Liyun” chapter) says: “The five tones, the six pitch-standards, and the twelve pipes mutually return to serve as gong.” If one broadly seeks a full account of these principles and numbers, then in the various Classics and their transmissions, in the masters and histories, and in the commentaries (and sub-commentaries) and treatises of the scholars, there is already a great deal of discussion. Yet as for what is called the method of “returning to gong,” in ancient music, those who touch upon it are indeed many; but (when it comes to) the qin community, the abuses of vulgar, habitual transmission are such that they only know of the five tones, of the “standard tunings” and the mixed “outer” tunings — that is all — so that they have no way to speak in terms of “returning to gong.”

In fact, during the Yanyou) era (1086-94), in his 琴律 Qin Tones Xu Li of Nanxi had outstanding insight. Accordingly he sought the pitch-standards of ancient bells and, in relation to the qin, gained something from them; he wrote one compilation entitled Qin Tong, and also composed an “Outer” fascicle, the (奧音)玉譜 (Aoyin) Yupu, in which he set forth in order that any of the twelve pitches can serve as gong. But what the world calls the “five-tone standard tunings” is in truth only the closure of a single gong based on zhonglü. Thus one can correct the errors that have run through successive ages and across the realm; all the former points of incompatibility and blockage, where people forced explanations, are now suddenly melted away like ice, leaving no doubts. Is that not a delight!

I, already long devoted to the qin, and rashly presuming to have thoughts on pitch (律), took deep pleasure in Xu’s book; yet that book only states its general outline, saying “it is so,” and that is all. But if one seeks to push further and investigate why it is so, then there are places it does not reach. So, forgetting my own crudeness, I have again set up a method, making separate essential formulas — no more than to elucidate Xu’s doctrine — so that those who study the qin, upon looking at it, may understand: for the twelve pitches, with respect to a given string, why they mutually return to serve as gong; and with respect to a given string, why it serves as shang, jue, zhi, or yu — each has its grounds, so that one may trust oneself; and I also, alongside this, touch upon what the various authorities say about fixing pitches, fixing hui positions, and constructing pieces, wishing to make these things easy for later learners; therefore my wording is often low, vernacular, and shallow — something I do not count as a concern.

Using categorized diagrams and explanatory notes, I have divided it into three juan, and entitle it Subtle Clarifications on Qin Pitch-Standards - 律. May the gentleman of lofty discernment illumine his mind and pardon my (presumption); if there are places where the principle is unclear, then revise them and set them right — there is nothing greater than the good fortune of this writing.

On New Year’s Eve, with Spring Beginning, in the gengshen year of Yanyou (1320), written as a preface by Chen Minzi of Nanfeng.

 
陳敏子琴律發微
Chen Minzi: Qin Pitch Standards in Fine Detail 6
Main text; QQJC, Folio 11; V/215-219; Tentative translation begins below (中文).

Moving to Folio 11 of Qinqu Jicheng, this edition of Qinlü Fawei by Chen Minzi continues with six titled essays (or six chapters of one long essay) . Each section begins "琴律發微云 Qinlü Fawei says". These six, which together include all the quotes used by Xu Jian, are as follows:

  1. Five Diao Names from the Jade Tablature (玉譜五調名 Yupu Wudiao Ming, V/215)
  2. Twelve Modes in the Jade Tablature (玉譜十二調 Yupu Shierdiao; V/216)
  3. General Discussion of Melody Making (製曲通論 Zhiqu Tonglun; discussed in QSCB; V/216)
  4. General Outline of Melody making (製曲凡例 Zhiqu Fanli; discussed in QSCB; V/217)
  5. Beginning with Mode and Ending with Melody (起調畢曲 Qidiao Biqu; mentioned in QSCB; V/219)
  6. All the Mode Names from Old Tablature (舊譜諸調名 Jiupu Zhudiaoming; V/219)

(Translation still in progress.)

一：玉譜五調名, V/215 (#1: English)

琴律發微云：有及徐氏《玉譜》五調名者，此乃以諸律之應 十二辰，因其時而為之名也。

  1. 子丑寅三正之始，於冬春之交，位北方， 故黃鍾、大呂、太簇為正始調。
  2. 卯辰於春位東方，故夾鍾、姑洗為青華調。
  3. 巳午未於夏位南方，故仲吕、蕤賓、林鍾為朱明調。
  4. 申酉於秋位西方，故夷則、南呂為顥沆調。
  5. 戌亥於秋冬之交，陰極而陽將復；乾以剛徤得位於中，故 無射應鍾為拱乾調。
此徐氏名調之說，舉其大槩如此。然 其意所在，寔欲於子丑寅之月，則操黄鍾、大呂、太簇三律 調曲；其下各随逐月之辰，操其律之調曲。則亦謂：聲之沈 高，繋乎律之長短；律之長短，繋乎氣之深淺；氣之深淺，又 繫乎時之先後。然則曰聲、曰律、曰氣、曰時，其有不相關繫 者乎？故以其時操是聲、合是律，則其氣之和，又豈有不應 者乎！

四者在天地間，未始相離也。嘗徵之所見：用紙作小 條，長約二分許，摺為小叉；或捏燈草心為之亦可。浮加琴 一絃上，却扣六絃散聲，則其【紙】又震動跳躍，為其律之同 而聲之相應故也。且二絃於一絃為最近，扣二絃及他絃， 紙又皆不動；惟扣六絃則動。可見同律之妙。又以紙叉加 之第二絃（原刻作第一絃），扣七絃則動。又按外絃以紙又加之，和其內絃 散聲之均同者，則亦動。其理益可見矣。

又徵之所聞：《通典》 注謂洛陽僧房中磬日夜自鳴，僧以為恠懼成疾；曹紹夔 索盛饌為除之。俄擊齊鍾，磬復作聲，招夔食。訖出懐中【錯】 【礦】磬數䖏，聲遂絕。【眾】苦問其所以，紹夔云：「此磬聲與鍾律 合，故擊彼此應。且鍾之與磬二噐也，又在二所，本無相焉； 用以律之同，猶且應之，况聲與律與時皆合氣之和，安得 不應之？」

或又謂：用得黄鍾正聲之律，於其月中氣之正，吹 之一室之內，則一室之内凡中虛有竅之物，皆同然有聲 應。有此理。《易》曰：「同聲相應，同氣相求。」此之謂也。獨世之所 難者，不得黃鍾之聲耳。黃鍾之聲正，諸律皆正矣。欲得黃 鍾之聲正，非候氣不可，是黄鍾妙處，又豈一言遽能盡之哉！

Section 1: Five Diao (tuning/mode) Names from the Jade Handbook (Yupu Wudiao Ming: 中文)

Qinlü Fawēi says: in discussing the five diao-names found in Xu Li’s Jade Handbook, they are assigned by matching the (twelve) pitch-standards (律 lü) to the twelve Earthly Branches (十二辰, here shorthand for 十二地支) and naming them according to the season.

  1. Zi, chou, and yin — the beginning of the “three corrects” — lie at the turn from winter to spring; their position is the north. Therefore Huangzhong, Dalü, and Taicu form the “Proper-Beginning” diao.
  2. Mao and chen fall in spring and belong to the east; therefore Jiazhong and Guxian form the “Azure-Flower” diao.
  3. Si, wu, and wei fall in summer and belong to the south; therefore Zhonglü, Ruibin, and Linzhong form the “Vermilion-Brightness” diao.
  4. Shen and you fall in autumn and belong to the west; therefore Yize and Nanlü form the “Clear-Vast” diao.
  5. Xu and hai fall at the junction of autumn and winter: yin reaches its extreme and yang is about to return. “乾 Qian”, by its firm vigor, is said to occupy the central position; therefore Wuyi and Yingzhong make up the “拱乾 Arching-Qian (heaven) diao”.

    (N.B. "乾 Qian" is an allusion to the first of the Yi Jing 64 hexagrams, representing supreme yang. Note also that here this scheme does not divide the twelve branches evenly into four seasons; instead it highlights the two turning points (冬春之交 and 秋冬之交) and assigns the latter to a “central” (zhong) category associated with Qian (乾).

Such in broad outline, is Xu’s explanation for naming diao. Yet his intention is in truth this: in the months of zi, chou, and yin one should play pieces tuned by the three pitch-standards Huangzhong, Dalü, and Taicu; and thereafter, month by month following the Branch of the month, one plays pieces tuned by the pitch-standard that corresponds to it. Thus he also says: the “deep” or “high” of a sound depends upon the long or short of the pitch-standard; the long or short of the pitch-standard depends upon the deep or shallow of qi; and the deep or shallow of qi in turn depends upon the earlier or later of the season/time. So then — sound, pitch-standard, qi and time — how could they fail to be mutually linked? Therefore, if at that time one plays that sound so that it matches that pitch-standard, then the harmony of its qi — how could it fail to respond?

These four, within Heaven and Earth, have never been separated. I once tested it by what I could see: take a strip of paper, about two fen (i.e., a very short length) long and fold it so it forks over; or one may pinch and twist the pith of a rush-stem and use that instead. Drape it over the first string of the qin; then pluck the open sound of the sixth string — then the paper too will tremble and leap, because the pitch-standard (of the first and sixths string) is the same and the sounds respond to one another. Moreover, although the second string is physically closest to the first, if you pluck the second or other strings, the paper (the one the first string) does not move at all; only when you pluck the sixth string does it move. One can thus see the marvel of “same pitch-standard.” Again, drape the paper over the first (must be second!) string and pluck the seventh string — then it moves. Also if you press down on an outer string with the paper draped over it (in a higher position), then (pluck) an inner string that has the same pitch, then it will also vibrate. Here again you see the same principle.

Something else I heard also confirmed this: an annotation in (a Tang dynasty compendium called) the Tongdian says that in a Luoyang monastery a chime-stone rang of itself day and night. The monks, taking it as strange, grew fearful and fell ill. (A court music official named) Cao Shaokui then demanded a sumptuous meal as the means to “remove” the sound. Soon they struck a bell, and the chime-stone again resonated; they invited Shaokui to eat. When he finished, he produced from his bosom a tool and scraped the chime-stone in several places, and the sound at once ceased. The crowd urgently asked the reason; Shaokui said: “This chime-stone’s sound accords with (had the same pitch as) the bell’s pitch-standard; therefore when that is struck, this one responds. And moreover, bell and chime-stone are two different instruments, and they are in two different places — there was originally nothing linking them; yet because their pitch-standards were the same, they still responded. How much more, then, when sound, pitch-standard, and season all coincide with the harmony of qi — how could there be no response?”

Some have also said: if one obtains the pitch-standard of the correct Huangzhong sound, and at the proper time of that month, when the qi is correct, blows it within a room, then within that room all things that are hollow within and have apertures will likewise give sound in response. There is such a principle. The Yi (Jing) says: “Sounds of the same kind respond; qi of the same kind seeks its match.” This is what is meant. The one thing the world finds difficult is simply that it cannot obtain the (true original) sound of Huangzhong. If the sound of Huangzhong is correct, then all pitch-standards are correct. To make the sound of Huangzhong correct, one cannot do without ‘observing/awaiting the qi.’ Thus the wondrous point of Huangzhong — how could a single phrase quickly exhaust its significance?

 
二：玉譜二十五調; V/216 (#2: English)

琴律發微云：或問：徐氏《玉譜》何以止有二十五調？律有 十二，而琴之絃惟五。配五聲，以十二律被之五絃，或三律 共一絃。其絃法既同，則其為聲法亦無異。五絃各為一宮， 一言備五聲，故一宮五調。是以共止有二十五調。今開具如后：

  1. 黃鍾、大吕、太簇三律，共絃法，該五調；
  2. 夾鍾、姑洗二律，共絃法，該五調；
  3. 仲吕、蕤賓、林鍾三律，共絃法，該五調；
  4. 夷則、南呂二律，共絃法，該五調；
  5. 無射、應鍾二律，共絃法，該五調。
以上五宮絃，總該二十五調。或者又謂：且如黃、大、太三律 既共絃法，其聲法又無異，則三律之聲皆無高下乎？是不 然。蓋惟絃法與聲法同耳；若其聲之高下，自是不同。今取 比一琴，但以管色定其聲為某律，促其絃合之，則便見得 其聲不同矣；而其為絃法及製調之聲法，則未嘗不同也。 餘律之共絃法者，皆可類推。故琴雖止有五絃，六七又為 清聲，而十二律六十調自然隱在二十五調之中矣。若必 欲一時全備六十調，則必須辦十二琴應十二律，然後可也。

Section 2: 25 Names from the Jade Handbook (Yupu Ershiwu Diao: 中文)

My understanding of this section is that it is discussing the five relative pitches within the context of the 12 absolute pitches ("pitch-standards ["lü"]). In theory the combination of the two should yield 60 modes, but what Chen sets forth is an arrangement of the 12 lü into five groups, thus only 25 modes.

Qinlü Fawēi says: in case someone asks why Master Xu’s Jade Handbook lists only twenty-five modes, there are twelve pitch-standards (lü), yet the qin has only five strings. The five tones are distributed across the five strings by means of the twelve lü; sometimes three lü share one string. If the stringing method (絃法) is the same, then the resulting tonal method (聲法) is likewise not different. Each string serves as one gong-position; one gong-position contains all five tones; therefore one gong yields five modes. Thus altogether there are only twenty-five modes.

Now this can be set forth as follows:

  1. Huangzhong, Dalü, Taicu — three lü share one stringing method — yielding five modes.
  2. Jiazhong and Guxi — two lü share one stringing method — yielding five modes.
  3. Zhonglü, Ruibin, Linzhong — three lü share one stringing method — yielding five modes.
  4. Yize and Nanlü — two lü share one stringing method — yielding five modes.
  5. Wuyi and Yingzhong — two lü share one stringing method — yielding five modes.

These five gong-string groups together comprise twenty-five modes. Someone might then say: If Huangzhong, Dalü, and Taicu share the same stringing method, and their tonal method is likewise the same, does that mean the sounds of the three lü have no difference in pitch? That is not so. Only the stringing method and the tonal structure are the same; the actual pitch height is naturally different. Take a single qin as comparison: if one fixes its pitch by a pitch-pipe to correspond to a given lü, and adjusts the strings accordingly, one will clearly hear that the pitch differs. But the stringing method and the modal construction remain unchanged. The other lü that share stringing methods may be understood by analogy. Thus, although the qin has only five strings (with the sixth and seventh serving as clear-register tones), the twelve lü and sixty modes are naturally contained implicitly within these twenty-five modes. If one insists on having all sixty modes fully present at one time, one would need to prepare twelve separate qin, each corresponding to one of the twelve lü — only then would it be possible.

 
三：製曲通維; V/216 (English)

琴律發云：樂有曲㣲、曲蔑；以為樂扶來、立本之屬，邈不可稽。 四代之盛，吳公子札得觀於魯，顧其曲猶在也。 嬴氏變更古樂，淪廢八音之絲，為琴瑟；瑟制已非古，琴幸獲傳。 夫琴，其法度旨趣尤邃密，聖人所嘉尚也。 琴曲後世得與知者，肇於歌《南風》。 千古之遠，稍誦其詩，即有虞氏之心、一天地化育之心可見矣。 矧當時日涵泳其德音者，（此句傳本有闕，疑有誤字）。 頌被之絃歌，即曲也，皆緣辭而寓意於聲。 如文王操、《太山》、《流水》，則類皆於聲而求意，所尚初不在辭也。 漢、晉以來，固有焉樂府辭韻於絃者，然意在聲為多。 或寫其境，或見其情，或象其事，所取非一，而皆寄之聲。 後亦有實無所得，妄加之名，為衛鬻計者，斯亦不足算也已。 且聲在天地間：霄漢之籟，巖谷之響，雷霆之迅烈，濤浪之衝撞， 萬竅之陰號，三春之和應；與夫物之飛潛動植，人之喜怒哀樂， 凡所以發而為聲者，洪纖高下，變化無盡，琴皆有之。 唯明知之士能取琴之所有以著其妙，是豈造次所可為者？ 姑以琴之為曲，舉其氣象之大概。 善之至者，莫如中和，體用弗違乎天，則未易言也。 其次若沖澹、渾厚、正大、良易、豪毅、清越、 明麗、縝栗、簡質、樸古、憤激、哀怨、峭直、奇拔，各具一體，能不逾於正，迺善。 若夫為艷媚、纖巧、焦煩、趨逼、瑣雜、疏脫、惰慢、失倫者， 徒墮其心志，君子所不願聞也。 古初制律，所以定聲；文之以五聲，所以為曲。 豈徇欲任意為之？ 《樂記》曰：「凡音之起，由人心生；聲成文，謂之音。人心不正，斯為惉懘之音矣。」 是故凡製曲者，不可以違於律。 朱文公《琴律》曰：「七徽為正聲；七徽之左，氣厚身長，聲和節緩。」 又曰：「三宮之位，左陽而右陰。」意可見矣。 徐氏曰：「務在審律象音。一調五音，各音自為主，使主常勝客，不至侵犯他調，駁亂音聲，斯為善矣。」 後之有志於音律者，詳究先儒之說，參諸聖賢之心， 庶不漲乎桑間濮上之遺，而無負其所學也。

Section 3: General Discussion of Melody Making (Zhiqu Tonglun: 中文)

Qinlü Fawēi says: Music includes pieces that survive only in faint traces and music virtually non-existent (by name only). So to claim some particular music such as "Fulai", also called "Liben", being from the time of Fuxi is something too far removed to be verified. During the flourishing times of the Four Dynasties (Yu [Xia], Shang, Yin, Zhou), Prince Jizha of Wu was able to observe music in Lu, and indeed those pieces did exist at that time. (But) then the Ying Clan (i.e., the rulers of the Qin dynasty) altered and remade ancient music, and the silk (string category) of the eight sounds declined, leaving just the qin and the se. The se’s construction was already no longer that of antiquity, but the qin fortunately was preserved and transmitted.

As for the qin, its methods and standards as well as its embodied purport and aesthetic intent are especially profound ond finely wrought - something the sages praised and esteemed. Thus later generations came to know qin music beginning with the singing of Nan Feng (South Winds). Though distant by a thousand ages, if one recites its poem, one can still perceive the heart of Shun, the heart by which Heaven and Earth transform and nurture.

Songs set to strings are themselves “pieces”; all depend upon words and lodge meaning in sound. Thus in "Wen Wang Cao," "Tai Shan," "Liu Shui", one seeks meaning through sound; what is valued is not originally the text.

From Han and Jin onward there were indeed Yuefu lyrics fitted to strings, yet the intention lay more in the sound. Sometimes the music depicts a landscape, sometimes reveals emotion, sometimes represents an event; what it takes up is not one thing only, yet all is entrusted to sound. Later there were also those who had in truth grasped nothing, yet arbitrarily added titles for purposes of self-display; these are not worth counting.

Sound exists between Heaven and Earth: the resonance of the high firmament, the echoes of rocky valleys, the violent force of thunder, the crashing of waves; the moaning of myriad apertures, the harmonies of spring; together with the flight and diving of creatures, the growth and movement of all living things, the joy, anger, sorrow and delight of human beings — all that issues forth as sound, whether vast or subtle, high or low, endlessly changing — the qin contains them all. Only a person of clear understanding can take what the qin possesses and reveal its marvel; this is not something that can be done casually.

Speaking generally of creating music for the qin, one may set forth its grand images. The highest excellence is “central harmony” (zhonghe); when substance and function do not violate Heaven, this is not easily expressed. Next come qualities such as purity and detachment, richness and depth, upright grandeur, gentle ease, heroic firmness, clear brilliance; clarity and beauty, tight concentration, simplicity of texture, archaic plainness, passionate intensity, sorrowful grievance, steep directness, striking originality — each constitutes a distinct style; yet so long as none oversteps correctness, it is good.

But if it becomes seductive, affectedly delicate, agitated, constricted, trivial and miscellaneous, lax, sluggish, disorderly — these only debase the mind; a gentleman does not wish to hear such things.

In antiquity, the creation of pitch-laws was to fix sound; shaping them by the five tones was to make music. How could one simply indulge desire and act arbitrarily?

The Record of Music says: “All tones arise from the human heart; when sound is patterned, it is called music. If the heart is not upright, it becomes distorted sound.”

Therefore, in composing music one must not violate pitch-law.

Zhu Xi in his Qin Lü says: “The seventh hui is the correct pitch; to its left, the qi is full and the body long, the tone harmonious and the tempo relaxed.” He also says: “In the three gong positions, the left is yang and the right is yin.” The meaning is evident.

Master Xu says:
“The essential task is to examine the pitch-law and model the tones. In one mode the five tones each serve as tonic in turn; let the principal always overcome the guest, so that it does not encroach upon another mode and confuse the tonal order — that is good.”

Those in later generations who aspire to musical understanding should carefully investigate the teachings of the earlier scholars and consult the minds of the sages, so that they do not fall into the remnants of the licentious music of Sangjian and Pushang, and do not betray what they have learned.

 
四：製曲凡例；V/217 (English)

琴律發微云凡以某律爲宫雖於其四聲各爲調然皆本 宮所統皆以宫聲爲主調故調中必有宫聲若無宮聲 則何以辨其為某宫之四聲也且如黄鍾爲宫雖林鍾 為徴調曲首尾皆用徴其曲中却須有黄鍾宫聲隱然 爲曲調之主不然何以爲黄鍾宫之徴調曲也他律爲 宫皆倣此或謂且如三絃以仲爲仲宫無射三絃亦仲 吕其律既同何以爲徴蓋無射緊五絃一律爲宫則其 五聲之高下次第自不同矣三絃雖同是仲吕不得以 爲宫矣或又謂既五絃分爲五聲何至無宫是又不然 調中固有無散絃官聲者矣儻使按泛皆無之何以成 調

凡以某律爲此官此調又者别宫别調其律既同其聲亦 同何以爲某調某調之異如仲吕宫以黄鍾雨徴無射 宫又以黄鍾雨商之類蓋黄鍾之聲雖同而於各宫絃 法既異其為調聲韻轉換處先後自有不同者矣推此 他宫律調皆可見矣

凡製調引曲其第一聲皆合用本律聲然古今所製多雜 用本宫諸律聲亦無不可但至於調引曲之畢其末聲 却皆止是用本律之聲無用他聲者其所用之聲無拘 散按泛三者皆可蓋散聲為五聲之正六七爲清聲按 聲是平聲及應聲拜泛聲皆與散聲同故耳

凡製詞引曲各隨十二律爲宫用其所統五律爲五聲十 二律所統各自不同且如黄鍾爲宫所統者黄太姑林 南五律為五聲大吕爲宫所統者大父仲美無五律爲 五聲他律之所統不同皆然既取五絃散聲應五律爲 官商角徴羽六七即一二絃清聲其按泛亦皆取應前 五律散聲相同者爲正律其有在五律之外者雖或備 旁取應聲以成曲然終不得其正矣至於變宫變徴按 泛皆有亦間得之然用時終少衆樂惟有五聲二變及 清聲而巳琴則於正律清聲之外又有按泛及十三徽 内上下節目甚多此爲加於衆樂者故其聲數之變有 出於五者之外然其委折歸宿所以爲調不過五聲而 巳若能惟守五律散按泛正聲其餘雜聲並不犯則尤 爲純粹

凡製曲每叚給處一聲合用本律最末後一叚必有入調 泛聲結其泛聲之上散按之聲結叚處亦合用本律不 可謂泛聲畢處用本律而枚散按畢處遂略之也

凡製曲其結末歸調處各隨其曲所尚何如若曲尚雅淡 則當用正中聲畢在十徽左右若曲尚清和則當用半 聲畢在七微左右若曲尚峭急則當用半半聲畢在六 微左右大要在此三節聽雅淡之音者意多深遠聽清 和之音者意多快樂聽峭急之音者意多悲感君子操 音製曲其必知所尚矣

凡歷數絃若遇當應律處即合以末聲爲律且如拂一至 七便以七絃聲爲律衮七至一便以一絃聲爲律不問 其餘諸絃也

凡對按搯起處當應律則於搯起後取名指按聲爲律

凡製曲歸調處各隨其所尚然文公謂六徽以後用之爲 少俗曲繁聲亦或有取非所宜聽是蓋所尚者雅淡而 責在於正中聲也但曲有諸體興趣不同亦惟不失其 正斯可矣

製曲一調有五音迭爲主客若以甲爲主則乙爲客乙 爲主則甲爲客矣以主聲倡之於首則音調有統紀以 主聲收之於尾則音調有歸宿若無主聲倡之則調尾 主聲孤立無相照應者而脉絡亦不貫矣或曰前巳謂 第一聲多雜用本宫諸律聲亦無不可矣今説又不然 何也蓋今所謂倡之於有者謂其首叚結聲處應合本 律非謂第一句第一聲也試徴之玉譜可見矣

凡製曲散按聲相間用清以泛聲徐氏謂得中道一偏則 非所宜也

凡製曲先定以某宫某律爲調其起畢及段落處守律爲 正其中間斷句與一句之中各有喚有應有間歇有單 聲比聲委曲轉換韻度殊異其要當會之於心應之於 耳各隨所製視其歸宿何如無致自相乖悖違於調律 斯得之矣

凡製曲畢調處多疊聲如宫宫徴徵之類起調處却無定 其每句中間及句末雖均有高下婉轉而聲則同皆無 所拘但顧其喚興應處終歸於律爲善

凡製曲其聲韻或向高或向沉如散絃自外入内爲向高 自内出外爲向沉呼喚引上爲向高應答注下為向沉 又有向高者以高應向沉者以沉應一高一沉變態不 一當以意會可也

凡一曲中間必有忽焉轉易其音調者蓋取其聲韻之變 最爲奇妙若但一順去無足取者矣然所謂轉易處亦 不出於本宫之五聲亦須隨即婉轉歸於主調方可若 一向轉將去則又與主調差殊矣

凡製曲例不可違十二律五聲其辦亦定及經緯之以成 文變化無盡樂和奏雅百世有之是猶弈之數縱横僅 十有九耳僊翁智人不能窮其筭奇籌妙著日新又新 會此則製曲真例又有在於凡例之外而罔可違者豈 圍説所能該備當自得之可也

Zhiqu Fanli Section 4: General Outline of Melody Making (中文)

No translation yet for Section 4.

 
五：起調畢曲； V/219 (English)

琴律發微云或問十二宫六十調製曲起畢之説何如古 書中及五聲十二律還相爲官爲六十調者雖多獨於製 曲起畢之説鮮及之惟西山蔡氏按經子注而定十二律 還相而宫作六十調圖其説曰黄鍾宫至夾鍾羽並用黄 鍾起調黄鍾畢曲循序以及應鍾宮至大簇羽並用應鍾 起調應鍾畢曲由是觀之則起調畢曲皆須用本律但琴 家於起調多無定準且如仲吕宫賀若諸叚畢皆用中十 勾一是爲宫至於起用名十一打三則爲角非本律矣若 此之類不一甚至五調開指有例以散挑七起爲羽清聲 豈有諸調各異而皆以羽聲起者乎以此見得皆無定準 至於徐氏二十五調引其畢曲皆是本律聲乃若起調則 或用本官官聲或用本律或用本律所生之律如宫調而 用徴起之類或用循絃以次聲如本調是徴而用羽起之 類四者之外亦有用者然則五聲皆可起調不特從來琴 家爲然也製曲之際險畢曲定須用本律聲其起調則惟 當求其聲韻之宜何如耳雖然以正理論之起畢爲本調 諸聲綱領要必遵蔡氏起調畢曲皆用本律者爲是也

Qi Diao Bi Qu Section 5: Beginning with Mode and Ending with Melody (中文)

not yet

 
六：舊譜諸調名 (English) (V/216)

琴律發微云：前古聖賢於樂，確守聲律，矧琴尊於衆樂者 乎！漢、晉以來，俗不淳古；高人奇士，傲睨物表，無復求之律 法，縱情放意，索諸芒芴。乃有所謂外調者：或爲疊聲比 絃，或用二變爲散聲，或轉清聲。在五絃之内，唯取其殊異， 而五音之訛缺，有不暇問者矣。雖然，人之生也，氣禀之不 齊；幸而得天地之中和者，幾何哉！顧為是，亦豈流俗中之 碌碌能然？應别具一眼視之，開徐氏所改正五調，并餘外 調，總三十五調，後之覽者，知其所由耳。

Jiu Pu Zhu Diao Ming Section 6:All the Mode Names from Old Tablature (中文).

Qinlü Fawēi says: In antiquity, the sages and worthies in music firmly guarded the pitch-standards and regulations — how much more so for the qin, which is held in honor above the other instruments! Since the Han and Jin, popular customs have not preserved the antique purity. Men of lofty spirit and uncommon talent, proudly looking beyond the world, no longer sought out the rules of pitch (律); they let feeling run free and gave rein to intention, groping amid what is vague and indistinct. Hence there arose what are called "outer" (i.e. non-standard) tunings”:
 - some are made by doubling up (two strings to the same pitch; e.g. 1 1 4 5 6 1 2);
 - some use one of the “two altered tones” as an open-string sound (e.g. 2 4 5 6 1 2 3);
 - some have an upper register pitch “clear” of (i.e., not in) the lower register while still within the compass of the five strings (e.g. 1 3 5 6 1 2 3).
Here they only pursue what is unusual and different, and have no leisure to ask about the errors and gaps that arise in the five-tone system. Even so: people are born with endowments of qi that are not uniform; how many are fortunate enough to obtain Heaven-and-Earth’s balanced harmony? But since this is so, how could it be that plodding commonplace folk can manage it? One should instead look at it with a different eye, and open out (i.e., set forth) the five diao that Master Xu corrected, together with the remaining outer diao — thirty-five diao in total — so that later readers may understand how they came about.

(This last sentence shows clearly that the following details of the 35 refernced modes should be considered as integral parts of Chen Minzi's work. This is emphasized here by adding numbering to each of the 1 standard and 34 non-standard tunings. It might also be helpful here to be familiar with this chart.)
  1. 五音調，
    即仲吕絃法

    舊譜獨以此絃法爲正絃調，有五音爲正調；餘皆係轉絃外雜調。 徐氏改正：為仲吕官絃，并蕤賓、林鍾，共該三律同絃法；各有五調，皆合古律。 後倣此。

    Pentatonic Tuning (Wuyin Diao),
    namely the zhonglü relative tuning. In the older handbooks, this relative tuning alone was taken as the proper “standard tuning.” The five tones were regarded as the orthodox modes; all the rest were classed as transposed-string outer miscellaneous tunings. Master Xu corrected this: the zhonglü gong-stringing, together with ruibin and linzhong, in fact comprise three pitch-standards sharing the same relative tuning. Each has five modes, all in accordance with the ancient pitch standards. Later tunings followed this model.

  2. 慢角
    慢三絃徽俗又呼爲小碧玉調
    凡曰慢、曰緊者，皆就五音調絃加瞭、慢此倣此

    謂之慢角者蓋誤切仲吕絃爲黄鍾絃遂以三絃仲 吕為角嘸轉爲姑洗是慢一律故名慢角然不思姑 洗正是黄鍾角不可謂之慢也徐氏改正爲黄鍾官 絃并大吕太簇共該三律同絃法

    Man jue" lowered third string.
    The third string is lowered one hui; commonly it is also called “Small Jade Tuning.”
    Whenever something is called “man” (slackened) or “jin” (tightened), this is done by altering the strings from their pentatonic tuning — either raising or lowering; this case follows that pattern.

    This is called “Man-jue” because they mistakenly cut the zhonglü string as if it were a huangzhong string, and thus treated the third string’s zhonglü pitch as jue, and wrongly shifted it to 姑洗 guxi. This amounts to lowering by one lü, hence the name “ManJue.” But they did not consider that guxi is precisely the jue of huangzhong — it should not be called “lowered.” Master Xu corrected it as huangzhong gong-stringing, together with dalü and taicu, which likewise comprise three pitch-standards sharing the same relative tuning.

  3. 清商
    慢一三四六絃各撇本作緊二五七絃各一徽，與上此爲便聲同但

    此調謂第二絃獨緊在十一徽應，故曰清商....

(A confession: none of these tuning explanations makes any sense to me as I cannot connect the logic of it to any melodies I know of. There are another 33 of these: perhaps one day someone will be able to explain it in a way I can connect it to music I have heard. .)

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Chen Minzi, Qin Pitch Standards in Fine Detail
The translation here was done in consultation with ChatGPT4. As for the text, after spending some time trying to copy it myself using OCR I eventually found that there is a website that has already scanned what I believe is the entire volume: www.shidianguji.com/. It has done quite a good job but does make mistakes and does not add punctuation. In addition, if you look at what it does with Folio 22, where it tries to use OCR to read qin tablature, you will see that the project does not seem to have been monitored very carefully.
(Return)

2. Qin Pitch Standards in Fine Detail 琴律發微
The discussion of this work in Xu Jian, Qin Shi Chu Bian Chapter 6 does not make clear the extent of the original work. Specifically he does not comment on whether the details of the "35 (34?) non-standard tunings" (QQJC V/220-222 plus the chart on 223) are part of Chen's work.

Regarding 發微 fawei, 8/568 says it was often used as the name of a book or a chapter, signifying that it is an exploration of the details. This may suggest that the present essay formed a preface to a longer work, or to perhaps a collection of essays.
(Return)

3. Chen Minzi 陳敏子
Bio/xxx. Virtually nothing is known of Chen's personal details.

Chen's preface in QQJC V/37 (see next footnote) ends "延祐庚申歲除日立春南豐陳敏子敘 Narrated by Chen Minzi of Nanfeng (eastern central Jiangxi) during the first day of spring (i.e., New Year) Yanyou reign, gengshen year (1320).
(Return)

4. Preface
This preface mentions 徐理 Xu Li and his Qin Tones (琴律 Qin Lü), perhaps related to a book attributed to Xu Li called Bell Tones (鐘律 Zhong Lü). The essays that follow the preface (QQJC V/39-64, beginning with 原琴律 Yuan Qin Lu) seem related to that.
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5. Main text in six sections
Online references seem to suggest that Qinlü Fawei is included in 中國古代音樂選輯 Zhongguo Gudai Yinyue Xuanji (人民音樂出版社 Renmin Yinyue Chubanshe; 1981). After I find that work perhaps I can be more clear on its scope as well as its relationship to 徐理 Xu Li. The sections mentioned above referring to a 玉譜 Jade Tablature suggest that (in addition to 琴統 Qin Tong) Chen Minzi might have been referring to the 奧音玉譜 Aoyin Yupu attributed to Xu Li.
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