Zong Bing

Zong Bing (375-443), known by his style name as Zong Shaowen, was (see Giles) carefully raised by his mother, passed the exams but refused office, then wandered about playing the qin; his wife also like to wander.

Xu Jian has further information: see QSCB, 4A

The original biography in Qin Shi is as follows.

A man of 南陽 Nanyang (2798.524 the one in Hubei?), he was a recluse in 荊土 Jingtu (Hunan and Hubei? see 31595.55 荊楚 Jingchu and below). He did not respond to summons to the court. He was a wonderful qin player and calligrapher and skillful at 言理 discussing principles. Whenever he went wandering in the mountains and forests he would forget to return home. When the (Liu) Song dynasty (420 - 479) flourished, a retainer tutoring its first ruler summoned him but he wouldn't go. Instead he 西涉荊巫南登衡嶽 went east into Xingwu (31595.35 = 荊楚) and south climbing Hunan's Heng Shan mountain range. When he became ill he returned to 江陵 Jiangling (17496.291 in Hubei). He sighed, saying, "When old and sick it is too difficult to go to the mountains. I can only calm my desire to see the roads by 'lying down in order to travel'". In his room he then drew pictures of all the places he had been to and told people, When I play the qin I want to make all the mountains resound. In the olden days there had been a 金石弄 Jinshi Nong (414049.313xx percussion music?) valued by 諸桓 all the Huans (? #73 桓譚 Huan Tan and his descendants?). When the Huan family perished these sounds stopped: only Zong Bing carried them on. 太祖 The first (Liu Song?) emperor (Wudi, 420 - 423, based in Nanjing) sent music master Yang Guan³ to get them from Zong Ping. He died during the Yuanjia period (424 - 464).

Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. 宗炳 Zong Bing
7249.118 宗炳 Zong Bing, style name 宗少文 Zong Shaowen; See Xu Jian, QSCB, p.41; Giles
(Return)

2. 7 lines (Return)

3. 楊觀 Yang Guan 15489.xxx; Bio/xxx; 宋書，隱勉 (Return)

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