T of C 
Home 		My
Work		 Hand-
books		 Qin as
Object		 Qin in
Art		 Poetry
/ Song		 Hear,
Watch		 Play
Qin		 Analysis History Ideo-
logy		 Miscel-
lanea		 More
Info		 Personal email me search me
Qin Biographies   網站目錄
Shen Zun
- Qin Shi Bu #106		 沈遵 1
琴史補 #106 2

Shen Zun is said to have composed at least three pieces: Old Toper's Chant, Late Oriole, and Wandering Recluse; of these melodies survive only for the first.3 These melodies are mentioned in Xu Jian's Qinshi Chubian, 6a2, but the relevant text mostly concerns Shen Zun's relationship with Ouyang Xiu.

Shen Zun's biography in Qin Shi Bu begins as follows.

Shen Zun was a very special sort of person. He attained the rank Erudite of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Ouyang Xiu, when he was magistrate in 滁州 Chuzhou (about 50 km west of Nanjing), constructed his 醉翁亭 Old Toper's Pavilion in 琅邪山 the Langya Mountains. There were written inscriptions on stone that transmitted this all over among the people. Shen Zun heard of this and went there to sightsee. He loved the landscape, so when he returned he used the qin and composed the melody 醉翁吟 Zui Weng Yin. He didn't pass this on to others, but presented it to Ouyang Xiu....

(The entry includes at least two writings by Ouyang Xiu. The first begins,

群動夜息浮雲陰，沈夫子彈醉翁吟...

The second begins

沈夫子胡為醉翁吟... (this text is also in Qinshu Daquan, Folio 20A)

Ouyang Xiu wrote a poem Zui Wen Ting. In the introduction he said that after he wrote the essay Shen Zun was inspired to compose a qin melody in three sections on the topic. Ouyang added that the music so moved him that he composed the lyrics for it. The present article has more information on this. Chongxiu Zhenchuan Qinpu attributes three melodies to Shen Zun: Zui Weng Yin; 晚鶯啼 Wan Ying Ti [14282.241 Late Oriole; elsewhere 曉鶯 Xiao Ying, Morning Oriole; neither mentions a melody]; and 隱士遊 Yinshi You [Wandering Recluse].

Source: 蓴湖漫錄 Chunhu Manlu; see also Xu Jian, QSCB, p.86.)

Not complete.

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Shen Zun 沈遵
17529.xxx; Bio.xxx; Qinshi Chubian, 6a2
(Return)

2. 42 lines
(Return)

3 Melodies of Shen Zun
Chongxiu Zhenchuan Qinpu (1585) includes him in a 聖賢名錄 Listing of Sages (see Folio 1, Table of Contents, QQJC, IV/261-bottom, col. 1); the entry says he wrote three melodies:

  1. Evening Orioles Cry Out (Wan Ying Ti 晚鶯啼; 14282.241 only 晚鶯)
  2. Old Toper's Chant (Zui Weng Yin 醉翁吟)
  3. Wandering Scholar-Recluse (Yinshi You 隱士遊 42825.4 only 隱士).

QSCB, Chapter 6a2 has "曉鶯啼 Morning Orioles Cry Out" instead of "晚鶯啼 Evening Orioles Cry Out".
(Return) 4492.193xxx;

Return to qin bios, or to the top