Qin Shi Xu

The book was published in eight folios; folio seven has 方外 fangwai players ("beyond the local area", meaning transcendental or Buddhist); folio eight has 閨秀 guixiu (graceful lady) players.

As with Qin Shi and Qin Shi Bu, very little of this volume has been translated anywhere.³ I partially translated some entries about 30 years ago, mostly the earlier ones plus those about women players at the end. I have since done some updating, but the translations below must all be seen as tentative.⁴

(Introductory Essays)

None: the book was apparently published together with Qin Shi Supplement, so that book has the introductory essays.

卷一 Folio 1

宋 Song dynasty (Next: Jin)

徽宗 Song emperor Huizong (r. 1101-1126)
趙佶 Zhao Ji (1082 - 1135); see separate entry.
高宗 Song Emperor Gaozong (r. 1127 - 1163)
趙構 Zhao Gou (1107 - 1187); see separate entry.
朱長文 Zhu Changwen (1041 - 1100)
See separate entry
張損 Zhang Sun
Zhang Sun (10226.xxx), style name 益老 Yilao. Four lines; source: Chunhu Manlu.
Zhang Sun, style name 益老 Yilao, collected 12 famous qins. Their names were 震餘孤桐 Zhenyu Gutong (original name 澗泉 Jian Shui [?; compare Zhen Yu]); 香林八節 Xiang Lin Ba Jie; 號鐘 Hao Zhong; 玉磬 Yu Qing; 松風 Song Feng; 古媧 Gu Wa (original name 媧簧 Wa Huang); 南風 Nan Feng; 歸鶴 Gui He (original name 舜胎仙 Shun Tai Xian); 秋風 Qiu Feng (original name 秋思 Qiu Si); 漁桹 Yu Lang; 九洲璜 Jiu Zhou Huang (original name 九井璜 Jiu Jing Huang); and 天球 Tian Qiu. Huang Tingjian (1050 - 1110) from 分甯 Fenning (in Jiangxi) made inscriptions for each.
陳暘 Chen Yang
See separate entry
葉夢得 Ye Mengde (1077 - 1148)
See separate entry
崔閑 Cui Xian (8405.xxx)
(See Xu Jian's History 6a2.)
江參 Jiang Can
Jiang Can (17496.306; Bio. 712: from 信安 Xin An [Hebei or Guangdong], lived in 霅州 Zhazhou, south of Taihu?). Sources: 吳興備志 Wuxing Bei Zhi, 潛確類別書 Qianquelei Shu (18887.xxx).
Jiang Can, style name 貫 Guan (should be 貫道 Guandao), 通江南人 was someone who traveled through the lower Yangzi region. In appearance he was emaciated. He was enamored with tea 以為生 for his livelihood/health (?). He was an expert landscape painter and and excelled at qin....
林摶 Lin Tuan
Lin Tuan (14856.xxx), style name 圖南 Tunan (a Daoist term), was from 福清 Fuqing (south of Fuzhou). He became a recluse at 靈石 Lingshi (43483.14 Lingshi mentions only a district in southern Shanxi, but there is a 九峰 Nine Peaks Mountain near Fuzhou). The 琴譜三卷 Qin Handbook, Three Folios, mentioned in the article is not in QSCM. Sources: 福清縣志 Fuqing Xianshi，八閩通志 Bamin Tongzhi.
Lin Tuan, style name Tunan, was from Fuqing (south of Fuzhou). 舉八行 (Someone?) chose his short essay (?) and he entered the Imperial College. In 1116 he 特奏科授楚州參軍不赴 (was supposed to be in army at Chuzhou [in northeast Jiangsu], but instead) became a recluse below 靈石九疊峰 Nine-fold Peak of Lingshi. People of that area considered him Duke Nine Peaks. He was fond of reciting poetry and playing qin. He once wished to study qin with Huangfu the Daoist Qin....
皇甫道士 Huangfu the Daoist
Huangfu the Daoist (23220.xxx). There is no further information other than his being teacher of Lin Tuan.
陳杰 Chen Jie
Chen Jie (? adds dot on upper right of 杰 jie; Bio/xxx [has one in 19th c]; 14899.xxx; 杰 = 傑 1003.xxx). Qinshu Daquan has three of his poems about qin:
Folio 20A, #72 and #73, and
Folio 20B, #104.)
Sources are the same as for Lin Tuan.
Chen Jie, style name 希古 Xigu, was from the same city as Lin Tuan. He studied qin from Lin Tuan and became famous, then became a recluse within the town....
陳克勤 Chen Keqin
Chen Keqin (Bio/xxx) was also a poet. The sources are the same as for Lin Tuan.
Chen Keqin was also a good qin player....
何薳 He Wei (1077 - 1145)
He Wei (489.381; Bio/1086), style name 子遠 Ziyuan, was from 浦城 Pucheng (in northern Fujian province). At that time 章惇 Zhang Dun (1031 - 1101) and 蔡京 Cai Jing (1046 - 1126) were both leading ministers who supported Sima Guang (author of the Zizhi Tong Jian) and then Wang Anshi (1021-86). He Wei's collection News from the Water's Edge on a Spring Day (春渚紀聞 Chunzhu Jiwen) included a Miscellaneous Writings on Qin Matters (雜書琴事一卷 Zashu Qin Shi), One Folio. Perhaps it is this part that is quoted in Qinshu Daquan Folio 17. 4 lines; source cited: 浦城縣志 Pucheng Xianzhi.
He Wei, style name Ziyuan, was from Pucheng (in northern Fujian province). Widely studied and knowledgeable, he was skilled at poetry and excelled at playing qin. Zhang Dun and Cai Jing continued their own power over the country, so Wei had no position. In his later years he had the nickname 韓青老農 Old Farmer Hanqing (according to 直齋書錄解題 Zhizhai Shulu Jieti Hanqing was written 寒青). His Chunzhu Jiwen included a Zashu Qin Shi, One Folio. When the Song dynasty fled south (ca. 1125) he 遺老終從祀忠義祠 (showed his loyalty by retiring).
朱熹 Zhu Xi (1130 - 1200)
Famous neo-Confucian scholar; see separate article
姜夔 Jiang Kui (ca. 1155 - 1221)
Famous poet, musician and critic; see separate article
張巖 Zhang Yan (Bio. 1216)
See separate entry
張鎡 Zhang Zi (1153 - 1221)
A noted poet; some poems he wrote that mention qin are included here. His Qin Shi Xu biography begins,
張鎡，字功甫，（原來一字時可，號約齋。先世秦川成紀人，循王之曾孫也。工詩，好可多。....
Not translated. Tells story of 銀絲 silver (colored) silk string for qin; playing 離騷 Li Sao
范先之 Fan Xianzhi
-
郭楚望 Guo Chuwang
Style name of 郭沔 Guo Mian, see separate entry
石汝礪 Shi Ruli (11th c.)
Shi Ruli (Bio/367), nickname 碧落子 Biluozi; his Biluozi Zhuo Qin Fa is discussed in QSCB, Chapter 6c9.
孫惟信 Sun Weixin
-
徐理 Xu Li
See separate entry
吳良輔 Wu Liangfu
See Xu Jian's History 6a2. Qinshu Cunmu attributes a Qin Pu to Wu Liangfu. Qinshu Bielu lists his Yue Shu and Yue Ji
楊纘 Yang Zuan
See separate entry
毛敏仲 Mao Minzhong
See separate entry
徐天民 Xu Tianmin
See separate entry
何巨濟 He Juji
Studied qin from Xu Tianmin
鄭瀛 Zheng Ying
Studied qin from He Juji; wrote a Qin Pu
文天祥 Wen Tianxiang (1236 - 1283)
See separate entry.
胡日宣 Hu Rixuan
Style name 德昭 Dezhao, nickname 琴窗 Qinchuang
汪元量 Wang Yuanliang
See separate entry
令狐揆 Linghu Kui
Linghu Kui, style name 子先 Zixian, was from 安陸 Anlu (a district northwest of modern Wuhan in Hubei province. He was 筮任 appointed by lot to a position 齊安理掾 in Ji An (also Hubei). Having served his time he returned to his village (where he farmed, fished, did calligraphy and played the qin).... 蓴湖漫錄 Chunhu Manlu says he wrote a Qin Handbook with the Essentials of (Book of?) Change Commentary (? 易疏精義琴譜 Yishu Jingyi Qinpu).
周芝田 Zhou Zhitian
Zhou Zitian, from Zhejiang, wandered among lakes and streams, writing poems and drinking wine. At first he didn't realize he could use the qin to accompany poems. After this he played a lot. (山房隨筆 Shanfang Suibi)
羅寶珍 Luo Baozhen
Luo Baozhen, nicknamed 務光子 Wuguanzi, was from 大良 Daliang (5960.361 ?). Good at poetry and playing qin, he left domestic life. At the end of the Song dynasty he went to a temple in Min (Fujian). (五山志林 Wushan Zhilin)

金 Jin Dynasty (next Yuan)
金熙宗 Jin Emperor Xizong (r. 1135 - 1149)
-
（金）世宗 Jin Emperor Shizong (r. 1161 - 1190)
-
（金）章宗 Jin Emperor Zhangzong (r. 1190 - 1209)
See Qinshi Chubian, Chapter 6, Part A5.
苗秀實 Miao Xiushi (d. 1232)
See separate entry

元 Yuan Dynasty (next Ming)
耶律楚材 Yelü Chucai (1190 - 1244)
See separate entry
弭日宣 Mi Rixuan
-
萬松老人 Old man of 10,000 Pines
-
苗蘭 Miao Lan
See separate entry
張之聞 Zhang Zhiwen
-
趙孟頫 Zhao Mengfu (1254 - 1322)
See separate article
張天與 Zhang Tianyu (not the Maoshan Daoist 張天雨 Zhang Tianyu)
See in the Zhao Mengfu page
阿榮 A Rong (1301 - 1333)
A Rong (Bio/1322 says he was a Mongol named Qielieshi, style name Cunchu, nickname 梅月庄主 Meiyue Zhuangzhu), style name 存初怯烈氏 Cunchuqielieshi, was 奎章閣大學士 a Grand Academician in the Hall of Literature (created in 1329 to tutor the emperor). He played the qin and wrote poetry. References (also for Chi Zhan): 元史 Yuan History, 翠屏集 Cuiping Ji (29376.130： book in 4 folios by 明，張以寧 Jiang Yining of the Ming dynasty).
赤盞 Chi Zhan
Chi Zhan (Bio/797 calls him 赤盞布 Chizhanbu and says he was a 女真人 Jurchen) was from the Yuan 布肅慎貴族 Busushengui clan. A good painter of black bamboo with new ideas, he was also a (skilled poet and a) good qin player. (References with A Rong.)
俞琰 Yu Yan (1258 - 1327)
1462.94 吳郡人，字玉吾，號全陽 from Wu jun, style name Yuwu, nickname Quanyang; more details in Rao Zongyi, Historical Account, Section 7; Xu Jian, QSCB, 6a3; and the listing of Yu Yan's Qin Pu, 40 folios, in Qinshu Cunmu. Here there are 5 lines, source given as 蘇州府志 Suzhou gazetteer. Xu Jian in particular suggests that he originated the modern tradition of qin songs. (Note, however, that the earliest surviving qin song collection dates from almost two centuries later: Xie Lin's Taigu Yiyin, 1511.) Rao discusses Yu Yan's 爐火監戒錄 Record of a Warning from the Stove; its preface is included in Qin Fu, p. 1699. In it Yu Yan says that after retiring from the world he became enamoured of the qin and tried to learn more about its music. He asked qin masters, but only gained an understanding after he read certain books (named in the QSCB reference). He adds that he compiled a poetry collection called 周南召南詩譜 Zhounan Zhaonan Shipu and made string songs for such poems as 鹿鳴 Lu Ming and 皇華 Huang Hua. There was also tablature for 離騷 Li Sao, 九歌 Jiu Ge (see Qu Yuan Wen Du), 蘭亭詩序 Lantingshi Xu, 歸去來辭 Guiqulai Ci, 醉翁亭記 Zuiwengting Ji and 赤壁賦 Chibi Fu.
趙淇 Zhao Qi
Zhao Qi (Bio/1638), style name 元德 Yuande, nicknames 平遠 Pingyuan and 太初道人 Taichu Daoren, when old combined these to 平初 Pingchu and also had the nickname 靜華翁 Jinghuaweng. He rose in rank to be Pacification Commissioner for Hunan Province. From 潭州 Tanzhou (near 衡山 Hengshan), he was a son of 趙葵 Zhao Kui (Bio/1639; 1186 - 1266, from 潭州衡山 Hengshan). Zhao Qi 飄然有神仙之思 thought like an immortal. He made qins, and while playing a melody would add lyrics. He also drew pictures to amuse himself.
劉尊德 Liu Zunde
Liu Zunde (Bio/xxx) was good at qin and a skilled painter. Liu Guiyin (nickname of 劉詵 Liu Shen (Bio/626; 1268 - 1350, a good writer from 廬陵 Luling in central Jiangxi province, who taught but refused office) presented him with a poem about his qin playing.
武伯英 Wu Boying (d. ca. 1222?)
Wu Boying (Bio/1407) was from 崞縣 Guo county (near Yanmen in the 恒山 Hengshan range). He became a jinshi while young, rose in office, but also wrote poetry.
劉世賢 Liu Shixian
Liu Shixian (Bio/xxx), style name 希孟 Ximeng, was from 東光 Dongguang (modern Henan province south of Tianjin). He was the ninth generation descendent of 宋丞相忠肅公(劉)摰 the Song dynasty Grand Councilor Liu Chi (Bio/???; 1030 - 1097). Information here is from 松江府志 Songjiang Fuzhi. Liu Shixian, style name Ximeng, was from Dongguang. He was the ninth generation descendent of the Song dynasty Grand Councilor Liu Chi. Liu Chi had been good at qin. His descendents carried on his learning, then brought it to 湖州 Huzhou, where Liu Shixian used his qin to become famous in 浙右 the area of Zhejiang south of the Yangzi river.
蕭性淵 Xiao Xingyuan
Xiao Xingyuan (Bio/xxx) seems to be best known for owning a Tang qin called Frosty Bell (霜鐘/霜鍾 Shuangzhong). Rao, Section 8, also mentions a qin of this name belonging Xiao Xingyuan, and QSDQ Folio 19 has a poem about this qin. However, according to Zhou Mi (1232 - 1298), Shuangzhong was one of two apparently Tang dynasty qins belonging to another contemporary, Zhang Shouyi. This one apparently had a known inscription. 鄱陽 Poyang is a lake and lake district east of Nanchang. Regarding the ancestor being a 官將領 guan jiangling, I cannot find either that or jiangling in Hucker. As for his 謫和林 banishment to Helin, there is a 3600.94 Helin 和林 Helin = 和寧 Hening, but this meaning is a guess. The person he visited on the way home was 揭徯斯字曼碩 Jie Xisi, style name Manshi or Manshuo (Bio/2298, 1274 - 1344). It was the Yuan dynasty, so the 史館 Historiography Institute presumably was in what is now Beijing. The verses quoted are from a long poem ([7+7]x12) by Jie; the complete text is included in a footnote to Rao, Section 8. The source cited is 西神客話 Xishen Kehua. (5 lines; source: 西神客話 Xishen Kehua)
Xiao Xongyuan was from Poyang (lake district east of Nanchang). One of his ancestors, a high ranking military official, had a Tang dynasty qin that he loved called Frosty Bell. When Xingyuan was banished to Helin he carried his qin. After he was pardoned he returned, visiting Jie Manshi at the Historiography Institute. In order to play a melody or two he entreated (Jie) to write a poem. So Manshi wrote a long song that said,
"The day is long at the historiographers' institute (shiguan), silent and secluded,
He straightens his hat and plays the qin for me.
The capital in the sixth month has a sun like fire,
and the bell rings at midnight for an empty mountain.
宋尹文 Song Yinwen
(See See Xu Jian's History 6a3)
郭撫 Guo Fu
The source of this story is said to be the 嫏嬛記 Lang Huan Ji.
Guo Fu (Bio/xxx) once chiseled into a cistern, where he obtained an empty coffin. Inside it was an iron object. He washed it and looked at it: it was a qin. He put on strings and played it (but the strings) remained motionless with no sound. He told mentions this to a high official named 姚範 Yao Fan; Fan was amazed at this, also not knowing what sort of object it was. Subsequently a guest came who said he could play it. he used 法 a method to chisel it out the dirt and rust from the waist, after which he was able to play several songs. The sound was very constant. (Guo) Fu asked and was able to learn two melodies 昭雲 Zhao Yun and 泣猿 Qi Yuan, but was told not to transmit this to anyone else. When other people played it, it did not go back to having sound.
張桂 Zhang Gui
Zhang Gui (Bio/) was from 婆源 Poyuan (southwest Zhejiang province).
馬希遠 Ma Xiyuan
Ma Xiyuan (Bio/xxx; 9025.130xxx). The others mentioned are 郭希仲 Guo Xizhong (bio/xxx; 9025.35xxx), 紀叔雅 Ji Shuya (Bio/xxx; 3223.194xxx), 陳秀民 Chen Xiumin (Yuan; Bio/1376), 周景文 Zhou Jingwen (Bio/xxx; 14304.8xxx) and 乾乾居士陸仁 Lu Ren (Yuan; Bio/1304). The source cited is 西神客話 Xishen Kehua.
Ma Xiyuan was skilled at qin. Once with 郭希仲 Guo Xizhong, 紀叔雅 Ji Shuya and 陳秀民 Chen Xiumin he went drinking at the Evening Fragrance Hall of 周景文 Zhou Jingwen. Ji Shuya painted 墨匊 Chinese asters (a flower whose color was so black it could be used to make ink), Ma Xiyuan played the qin and Chen Xiumin wrote a poem that said,
去年登堂三月三，主人置酒澆春衫。
今年登堂九日九，堂上主人復多酒。
This was an example of the 美如炙 lovely intimacy of melodies Ma played, paintings by Ji, and topics set for poems by Guo. Also 乾乾居士陸仁 Lu Ren wrote a 思公子曲 which he sent to Xiyuan...
李天和 Li Tianhe
Li Tianhe was from 新淦 Xin'gan (central Jiangxi province)
李嵩壽 Li Songshou
-
林晉 Lin Jin
Lin Jin was from 中山 Zhongshan (near 茅山 Maoshan in Zhejiang province)
李貴 Li Gui
Li Gui, style name 懷德 Huaide, was from 嵩縣 Song county (south of the Songshan range in northern Henan province)
郭節之 Guo Jiezhi
Guo Jiezhi, from 六合 Liuhe (north across the Yangzi from Nanjing)
員怡然 Yuan Yiran
Yuan Yiran was from 關中 Guanzhong (42402.26; 陝西 Shaanxi, in particular the central plain)
趙海月 Zhao Haiyue
Zhao Haiyue (Bio/xxx) was a qin teacher. 何吾山 He Wushan (Bio/xxx) presented him with four poems.
朱右 Zhu You
Zhu You (1314 - 1376; Bio/539) wrote a Guang Qin Cao
朱遺安 Zhu Yi'an
Zhu Yi'an was from 吳 the Suzhou area.
倪瓚 Ni Zan (1301 - 1374)
Ni Zan, style name 元鎮 Yuanzhen, nickname 雲林 Yunlin, was from Wuxi. Skilled at poetry, and excelling at painting and calligraphy, he was especially entranced by qin. Whenever amongst pines at water's edge he would play it.... A recluse, he became known as the 無錫高士 Recluse of Wuxi. More at Rao, Section 8 and in the Watt article. There is a related poem in QSCM, Section 19b. The Wikipedia article says that during the Red Turban Revolt around 1350 he gave away all his possessions, moved into a houseboat and traveled in the relatively peaceful eastern regions; during this period he developed his distinctive style.
袁員外 Yuan Yuanwai
-
錢文則 Qian Wenze
-
袁子 Yuan Zi
-
薩天錫 Sa Tianxi
-
劉伯容 Liu Borong
-
囗甘白 (XX Ganbai)
(Family name missing)
倪瓚，字元鎮，號雲林，無錫人，工詩，善書畫，尤癖於琴。每於松間水湄奏之。（倪雲林）「所居有閣曰清閟，幽迥絕塵，藏書數千卷，（皆手自勘定）。古鼎法書、名琴奇畫，陳列左右。」....(total 26 lines)
張南窗 Zhang Nanchuang
Zhang Nanchuang, from 山西雁山 Yanshan (northern Shanxi province), was good at qin. He was friendly with #50 Ni Zan.
倪驤 Ni Xiang
Ni Xiang, style name 子舉 Ziju, was from 湖州 Huzhou. He was of wide learning and able on the qin. Once he went to 京師 the capital.
劉程 Liu Cheng
Liu Cheng was from 定州 Dingzhou (in Zhongshan, near 茅山 Maoshan, Zhejiang province)
王有恒 Wang Youheng
Wang Youheng was from 揚州 Yangzhou
傅玉 Fu Yu (970.xxx)
At the end of the Yuan dynasty he was a recluse in 江東 Jiangdong. With 王彝 Wang Yi (Yuan writer) and 張翰 Zhang Han (d. ca.1214) he 宸輩 Chen Bei (imperial type 7320.xx) 作吟 made intonations. ....

卷二 Folio 2
明 Ming dynasty (next Qing)
宣宗 Xuanzong (朱瞻基 Zhu Zhanji, 1398 - 1435; r.1426 - 1435)
Xuanzong was the temple name of 朱瞻基 Zhu Zhanji, who reigned as 宣德帝 the Xuande Emperor. He was the eldest son of 仁宗 Renzong (洪熙帝 the Hongxi Emperor 朱高熾 Zhu Gaochi 1378 - 1425; r.1425 - 1426)
宣宗諱瞻基，仁宗長子也。睿畧英姿克繩祖武工書....(12 lines; includes a poem written in appreciation for the qin melody Yi Lan Cao)
英宗 Yingzong (朱祁鎮 Zhu Qizhen, 1427 - 1464; r. 1435 - 1449 and 1457 -1464)
(英宗 Yingzong was the temple name of 朱祁鎮 Zhu Qizhen, who reigned first as 正統帝 the Zhengtong Emperor, then as 天順帝 the Tianshun Emperor. He was the eldest son and successor of Zhu Zhanji, who had reigned as 宣德帝 the Xuande Emperor 1425 - 1435.)
英宗諱祁鎮，宣宗長子也。承仁、宣之業海內富庶，朝野清晏。萬幾餘暇輒喜鼓琴。嘗御南薰殿，召王翱、李賢、馬昂、彭時、呂原五入侍。.... (9 lines; he enjoyed playing and listening to guqin; a number of references).
憲宗 Xianzong (朱見深 Zhu Jianshen, 1439 - 1487; r.1464 - 1487)
(憲宗 Xianzong was the temple name of 朱見深 Zhu Jianshen, who reigned as 成化帝 the Chenghua Emperor 1464 - 1487. He was the eldest son of Zhu Qizhen.)
憲宗諱見深，英宗長子也。天順八年卽位改元成化....每鼓琴不輟云。 (3 lines; liked to play qin. Ref. 明史，酌中志).
孝宗 Xiaozong (朱祐檔 Zhu Youdang, 1470 - 1505; r.1487 - 1505)
(孝宗 Xiaozong was the temple name of 朱祐檔 Zhu Youdang, who reigned as 弘治帝 the Hongzhi Emperor. He was a son of Zhu Jianshen.)
孝宗諱祐樘，憲宗第三子也。垂覽墳典間亦好琴臺。諫時以為言，上笑謂左右，彈琴何損於事，勞此輩云云，然終不以為忤也。吳賈得古琴，曰霹靂，攜入都，介臣璫以獻，上試其音清越，喜甚，出內帑千金以賜之。 (5 lines; source: 妮古錄 Record of Fondness for Antiquity by 陳繼儒 Chen Jiru, 1558-1639)
懷宗 Huaizong (朱由檢 Zhu Youjian, d. 1644; r.1627 - 1644)
(懷宗 Huaizong was the temple name of Zhu Youjian, who reigned as the 崇禎帝 Chongzhen emperor - the last Ming emperor. He was a son of 朱由校 Zhu Youjiao (1605 - 1627), who had reigned 1620 - 1627 as 天啓帝 the Tianqi Emperor.)
懷宗諱由檢，光宗（朱常洛, r.1620）弟五子也。承神熹宗之後，國事艱難聖學不輟妙解音律以釐正雅樂為志。崇禎戊寅(1531)於宮中鳴琴製。於變時雍等曲取尚書語為之內造琴五百牀。內監張性者專主琴務。遍訪知音之士。取河南月堤嘉靖中出土。郭公塼入禁中。為琴几。(6 lines, four sources)
寧獻王（朱）權 Zhu Quan, Prince of Ning (1378 - 1448)
See separate biography
衡王（朱）厚燆 Zhu Houqiao, Prince of Heng (n.d.)
衡王厚燆恭王祐楎子 Houqiao prince of Heng was a son of 恭王 Prince Gong Youhui: was that 朱厚爝 Zhu Houjiao (1507-1550), who lived in 鈞州 Junzhou and compiled Fengxuan Xuanpin? Account says Houqiao was enfeoffed in 1541 and that once he had 馮朝陽 Feng Chaoyang make him a qin that named 太古遺音 Taigu Yiyin that had a wonderful sound.
益王（朱）厚炫 Zhu Houxuan, Prince of Yi
Had close connections with #62 Zhu Houqiao. Ordered 洪都琴士涂桂 the qin gentleman Tu Gui of Hongdu to 監製 supervise the making of qin with materials he had selected.
洪都 Hongdu 17757.141: a part of or near 南昌 Nanchang, where Zhu Quan had been prince.
鄭世子（朱）載堉 Zhu Zaiyu (1536 - ca.1610)
Writer on music in general, best known for discovering equal temperament; wrote a Caoman Guqinpu
潞王（朱）常淓 Zhu Changfang, Prince of Lu (d. 1646?)
See separate entry
冷謙 Leng Qian
See separate entry
危素 Wei Su
-
張弘道 Zhang Hongdao
-
董英仲 Dong Yingzhong
-
林右 Lin You
-
張宣 Zhang Xuan
-
陳汝言 Chen Ruyan
-
吳海 Wu Hai
-
郭彥貴 Guo Yan'gui
-
鄧旭甫 Deng Xufu
-
徐詵 Xu Shen
See separate essay
徐宇 Xu Yu
- nickname 雪汀 Xueting or 雪江 Xuejiang (i.e., Xu Tianmin?)
徐夢吉 Xu Mengji
- See Xu Shen
薛生 Xue Sheng
- See Xu Shen
王禮 Wang Li
- See Xu Shen
金應龍 Jin Yinglong
- See Xu Shen
吳以介 Wu Yijie
- See Xu Shen
施彥昭 Shi Yanzhao
(Also in QSCB, 7.A.)
俞寰 Yu Huan
-
尤鏊 You Ao
張收 Zhang Shou
-
沈民則 Shen Minze
-
劉仲禮 Liu Zhongli
-
魏時敏 Wei Shimin
-
盧閎侃 Lu Hongkan
-
張澤民 Zhang Zemin
-
盛英 Sheng Ying (Cheng Ying?)
-
陳憲章 Chen Xianzhang
-
伍雲 Wu Yun
-
朱瓘 Zhu Guan
-
祝海鶴 Zhu Haihe
-
高騰 Gao Teng
-
譚鎧 Tan Kai
-
張鶚 Zhang E
Active first half of 16th c.; 6 line bio (souce: Ming History) begins 宮太僕寺 he was an officer in the Court of the Imperial Stud. It then says his Musical Score and Dance Illustrations for the Sacrifice to Confucius (大成樂舞圖譜 Dacheng Yuewu Tupu, 1520; see Lam, State Sacrifices, pp. 111-115) 自瑟琴以下諸樂隊字作譜, which seems to suggest it included notes played by se and qin. The bio goes on to say he emphasized the importance of the qin in correct music. Lam discusses his work as a Confucian official composing music for state ceremonies, his promotions in the court, his conflicts with Daoist monk-officials, and eventual banishment to the frontier.
張弓 Zhang Gong
-
楊繼盛 Yang Jisheng
Authored a 擬補學經 Nibu Xue Jing
黃銑 Huang Xian (Huang Xi?)
-
宋學古 Song Xuegu
-
陳鼐 Chen Nai
-
宋克 Song Ke
-
王陞 Wang Sheng
-
黃維珪 Huang Weigui
-
張德潤 Zhang Derun
Style name 良玉 Liangyu; compare name in 11th c. poem
Wrote a Qin Pu that included his Jiu Huan Cao
皇甫涍 Huangfu Xiao
-
皇甫濂 Huangfu Lian
-
陳鳳 Chen Feng
-
王圻 Wang Qi (Wang Yin?)
-
蘇洲 Su Zhou
-
陸堯化 Lu Yaohua
Style name 和卿 Heqing; from 嘉興 Jiaxing (northeast of Hangzhou); he wrote over 100 qin songs, including a version of Baitou Yin (QSCB, 7.A.4: 皆矜慎不傳 he was careful not to transmit them?)
張大命 Zhang Daming
Zhang Daming (10026.xxx; Bio/xxx) was a well-known late Ming qin master. Van Gulik (pp. 121-2, 179, 240) discusses Yangchuntang Qinjing (his general work on the qin, also called Qin Jing), as well as his collection of tablature, Yangchuntang Qinpu. VG dates the latter to ca. 1625 because of an undated preface by the famous artist 董其昌 Dong Qichang (1555 - 1636), who visited Zhang in 1622. However, the edition in QQJC, Vol. 7, is dated 1611 and does not seem to have this preface, so perhaps that only came in a later editon. The original entry here says nothing about his qin teachers. It begins:
張大命字右袞福建建溪人。工琴，築室曰「陽春堂」。鼓琴、讀書其中泊如也。先著「琴經十四卷」。。。。
Zhang Daming, style name Yougun, from Jianxi in Fujian, was skilled at qin. He built a room called Yangchuntang (Bright Spring Hall) where he could play qin and read books at leisure. First he wrote Qin Jing, 14 folios....(12 lines)
林有麟 Lin Youlin
- Bio/1448 (son of 林景暘 Lin Jingyang, 1530 - 1604); his 青蓮舫琴雅 Qinglianfang Qinya has a number of stories about qin (see Van Gulik, Lore, p.153)
李之藻 Li Zhizao
Source: 操縵錄 Caoman Lu (by 胡世安 Hu Shian, in Siku Quanshu Cunmu Congshu, 子 74)
His Institute of Higher Learning Ritual Music Commentary, in 10 folios, includes qin tablature about half the folios, not just in one, and seems all to be part of court ensemble music. Nevertheless, this seems to be what is referred to elsewhere as his Qin Pu, one folio. A Roman Catholic convert, Li Zhizhao also published Ricci's Eight Songs; about this work there are several comments here.
李之藻，字振之，仁和人。萬歷戊戍進士，官至太撲寺少卿。工鼓琴，尤精律呂之學如操。頖宮禮樂疏十卷，《四庫》著錄內有琴譜。《提要》謂其不越《松風閣》之舊規以數音譜出一字少用鈎剔蓋欲近於和緩以和韶樂云。（操縵錄）
Li Zhizao, style name Zhenzhi, was from 仁和 Renhe (near Hangzhou). He achieved jinshi in 1598, and attained the rank of Vice Minister for the Court of the Imperial Stud. Skilled at qin, he was especially good in the study of modes 如操 (applying that to melodies?). His Institute of Higher Learning Ritual Music Commentary (頖宮禮樂疏 Pan Gong Liyue Shu), in 10 folios, as published in Si Ku included Qin Pu. Tiyao (in Vol. 651 of Siku Quanshu?) compared something in Songfeng Ge (missing gouti, i.e., tablature indications? Translation incomplete )....
胡文煥 Hu Wenhuan
30073.32 gives as reference 明詞綜，十
Hu Wenhuan, style name 德甫 Defu, nickname 全菴 Quan'an, also style name 抱琴居士 Master Qin-Hugger, was from 錢塘 Hangzhou. Skilled at qin, he compiled Wenhuitang Qinpu in six folios.... (incomplete)
張新 Zhang Xin
-
史繼佃 Shi Jidian (or Jitian)
-
鄭祐 Zheng You
-
屠隆 Tu Long
- wrote a 琴箋一卷 Qin Jian, 1 folio
王逢年 Wang Fengnian
-

卷三 Folio 3
陳愛桐 Chen Aitong
Chen Aitong (Bio/xxx) was the father of 陳星源 Chen Xingyuan (see next). From 婁東 Loudong (east from Suzhou), he was an excellent qin player, the best of his day. He especially excelled at playing such melodies as Zhi Zhao Fei and Xiao Xiang (Shui Yun). He didn't casually teach others, but only to 張渭川 Zhang Weichuan....
張渭川 Zhang Weichuan
Zhang Weichuan prized and guarded (Chen Aitong's teachings?) especially deeply, (then) 徐青山 Xu Qingshan (Xu Hong) treated Zhang as a teacher and attained this.... (His Dahuange Qinpu includes a version of Zhi Zhao Fei; see QQJC X/403.)
陳星源 Chen Xingyuan
Teacher of Yan Cheng and thus important to the Yushan School.
戈莊樂 Ge Zhuangle
-
施(石+間)（船over木) Shi Jianchuan?
嚴澂 Yan Cheng （嚴天池 Yan Tianchi; Bio/816 has no dates; 22 lines)
Songxianguan Qinpu documented his melodies; for biographical details see QSCB, 7.A.
Source (also for Shen Taishao): Chunhu Manlu. It begins,
嚴澂，字道澈號天池，常熟人。文靖公訥之子也，以恩蔭㦄任邵武府知府....
沈太韶 Shen Taishao (original name 沈音 Shen Yin)
See further. The entry here only mentions Shen in connection with Yan Cheng, but he was also teacher of the court eunuch Hao Ning (see Zangchunwu Qinpu, 1602) and others. The biographical note here at the end of the Qinshi Xu entry on Yan Cheng, quoting largely from 嚴天池的《松弦館琴譜·附琴川匯譜序》Yan Cheng's preface attached at the end of Songxianguan Qinpu (see QQJC VIII/162 bottom: it is very hard to read in places and perhaps some of that was repeated in Chunhu Manlu), begins by saying （嚴）澂遇沈太韶於京師 Yan Cheng met Shen Taishao in the capital (Beijing, where he was teaching court eunuchs such as Hao Ning). The entry then goes on to say,
沈為當時琴師之冠。氣調與琴川諸士合而博雅過之。澂因以沈之長輔琴川之遺，亦以琴川之長輔沈之遺，而琴川諸社友遂與沈作神交。一時琴道大振，聲希味澹之妙，遂為宇內推重云。
Shen was the best qin master at that time. His temperament (氣調 6/1035: 氣概) compared to that of the gentlemen of the Qinchuan school was compatible but perhaps even more elegant....
A translation of most of this passage here, plus further information, is included under Zangchunwu Qinpu (1602; VI/292). Most of it seems to be praise, rather then saying much about who he really was.
孟紹甲 Meng Shaojia
-Bio xxx
戚忠臣 Qi Zhongchen
Bio xxx
鄭邦俶 Zheng Bangchu
-
來復 Lai Fu
-
顧道潔 Gu Daojie
-
徐正學 Xu Zhengxue
Jinshi during 1573 - 1620
陳南谿 Chen Nanxi or Nanqi
Bio xxx
郜璉 Gao Lian, style name 方壺 Fanghu, self nickname 旅天主人 Lütian Zhuren
Bio 1729 says he was Qing dynasty, from 如皋 Rugao in Jiangsu, Buddhist, good qin player
虞謙 Yu Qian, nickname 樵谷 Qiaogu
From 開化 Kaihua in central west Zhejiang (source: 浙江通志; no dates given; Bio/2405 is different person)
He was particularly known for setting Confucian essays such as Da Xue to music (QSCB, 7.A.4)
汪一恆 Wang Yiheng (Bio xxx)
其高弟汪一恆為續中庸、語、孟之首篇，知音者兢賞之。 Yu's main student Wang Yiheng supplemented important essays such as Zhong Yong, Lun Yu and Mengzi (by adding music); music lovers tried to emulate this. (There are settings from Japan of two parts of Zhong Yong.)
高攀龍 Gao Panlong (1562 - 1626)
From 無錫 Wuxi; Bio 2004
陳允誠 Chen Yuncheng
From 華亭 Huating in 松江 Songjiang district (now a western suburb of Shanghai)
陳詩 Chen Shi
Son of the above, he created a qin version of Hujia Shibapai (?) and passed on his tradition to 曹可述 Zao Keshu (QSCB, 7.A.4)
詹懋舉 Zhan Maoju (Bio xxx)
During 1573 - 1620 he guarded 潁州 Yingzhou (modern Fuyang in western Anhui)
都修之 Du Xiuzhi, style name of 都某 Du So-and-so
From 杭 Hang (Hangzhou?)
陳瑞 Chen Rui
From 太原 Taiyuan Bio xxx
巖泰 Yan Tai, style name 克安 Ke'an (Bio 814 is different person)
From 海鹽 Haiyan (on Hangzhou Bay NE of Hangzhou) he excelled at qin melodies. His fingering got its sound from the best parts of the 劉 Liu and 徐 Xu schools. Later he obtained an iron di flute that had been in the collection of 楊鐵崖 Yang Tieyai of the Yuan dynasty (Bio xxx)....
張毅 Zhang Yi
Also a good qin player.
吳文蒸 Wu Wenzheng, also called 文正 Wenzheng
From 江陰 Jiangyin
康國相 Kang Guoxiang
From 郃陽 (Geyang or Heyang)
陸泰徵 Lu Taizheng (or Taizhi)
From 常熟 Changshu
文震亭 Wen Zhenting, style name 啟美 Qimei (1585 - 1645)
Younger brother of 文肅公 Wen Sugong (文震孟 also Bio 304) and son-in-law of 王伯毇 Wang Bohui. Good at qin and calligraphy.
文園公 Wen Yuangong
Son of Wen Zhenting
巖調御 Yan Diaoyu, style name 印持 Yinchi (Bio xxx)
Wrote a 琴述 Qin Shu; (Also in QSCB, 7.A.)
高宇泰 Gao Yutai (Ming/Qing; Bio 1996)
From 鄞 Yin county of Zhejiang province.
鄘露 Kuang Lu, style name 湛若 Zhanruo (1604 - 1650; Bio. 460)
From 雨海 Yuhai (Also in QSCB, 7.A.)
華夏 Hua Xia
From 定海 Dinghai district of Zhejiang (Also in QSCB, 7.A.)
楊正經 Yang Zhengjing (Bio xxx)
A 宣慰司人 (7276.199 an official rank) from 西陽 Xiyang
尹爾韜 Yin Ertao (1600 - 1678; Bio 324, under nickname 尹芝仙 Yin Zhixian)
浙江山陰人 From Zhejiang; style name 紫芝, in later years nicknamed 芝僊 Zhixian; his handbook is 徽言秘旨 Huiyan Mizhi, 1647. Some later handbooks seem to refer to his handbook as 尹芝僊太古遺音 Yin Zhixian's Taigu Yiyin. Yin Ertao is also mentioned in entries #141 Zhang Dai and #171 Sun Quan. Meanwhile, QSCB, Shaoxing Qin School, describes his learning this tradition, then moving to the capital where he wrote some qin songs based on lyrics written by 崇禎 Chongzhen emperor (r. 1628-44); these do not seem to have survived but other of his songs do. After the fall of the Ming he lived in Suzhou.
張岱 Zhang Dai (1597 - ca. 1684)
A long, detailed essay. See his separate entry; also in QSCB, 7.A.. The essay also mentions:
王侶鵝 Wang Lü'e
王本吾 Wang Benwu
何紫翔 He Zixiang
張慎行 Zhang Shenxing and
何明台 He Mingtai
王若芝 Wang Ruozhi
From 益都 Yidu
陸符 Lu Fu
From 寧波 Ningbo
徐谼 Xu Hong (徐青山 Xu Qingshan; 1580-1650)
See separate entry: from 江蘇太倉 Taicang (near 崑山 Kunshan), he wrote 溪山琴況 Xishan Qin Kuang and compiled 大還閣琴譜 Dahuange Qinpu (1673)
夏汝弼 Xia Rubi, style name 叔直 Shuzhi
-
楊茂芳 Yang Maofang
From 通州 Tongzhou
張頤 Zhang Yi
From 惠安 Hui An
于鑒之 Yu Jianzhi
From 金壇 Jintan
韓畕 Han Jiang (韓石耕 Han Shigeng; ca. 1615 - ca. 1667)
Han Jiang (Bio/2281; QSCB, p. 152), style name 經正 Jingzheng, literary name 石耕 Shigeng, was from 宛平 Yuanping (Wanping? near Beijing), but when he was young he followed his father south, where they traveled around 吳越 the Jiangnan area. He spent his life as a wandering eccentric, particularly noted for playing Pili Yin (QSCB p. 131 says he taught it to Li Yanshi). He is also said to have been a teacher of Chen Xiong and to have written praise of Zhuang Zhenfeng. Han wrote poetry, but its connection to qin songs is not clear. Van Gulik, Lore, p.53, says Qing dynasty commentaries on Shitan Zhang often attribute their versions to Han Jiang (VG writes 畕 as 曰/田). This includes the earliest version without lyrics (see 1677).
王猷定 Wang Youding
From 南昌 Nanchang
冷士嵋 Leng Shimei
From 丹徒 Dantu
金癡 Jin Chi, nickname for 金某 Jin So-and-so, style name 德洪 Dehong (Bio xxx)
This is the same person as Jin Qiongjie, who was also from 宋江 Song Jiang and from a family of military commanders (衛指揮 wei zhihui).
Jin Chi was surnamed Jin. No one knew his given name but his style name was 德洪 Dehong. He was from Songjiang. People of Song, whether or not they were familiar with him, all called him Jin Chi (Jin the Imbecile). His ancestors served the Ming dynasty with the hereditary position of military commander. When young he was skilled in literature. When his family lost its position he filled his vacant time acting as a government-sponsored district student. After the Ming perished he cast off his turban....
袁子彝 Yuan Ziyi
Adds nothing to information at QSCB, 7a5.
沈維存 Shen Weicun
Adds nothing to information at QSCB, 7a5.
王汝德 Wang Rude
Adds nothing to information at QSCB, 7a5.
王端 Wang Duan
Son and student of Wang Rude. However, the only information here is that "when Duan died, the teachings of their master (Jin Chi) ended."
周續之 Zhou Xuzhi, style name 臞鶴 Quhe
From 嘉興 Jiaxing
鍾秉會 Zhong Binghui, style name 時舉 Shiju
A recluse living in 南昌 Nanchang (Bio/xxx)
李延__ （14166: 日/正: = 是 shi or 夏 xia） Li Yanshi or Li Yanxia (1628 - 1697)
Li Yanshi (or Yanxia; Bio/xxx; QSCB, 7.A.) is sometimes written "李延罡 Li Yan'gang", but this seems to be a mistake, confusing him with someone who died in 1722. He wandered in Zhejiang's 平湖 Pinghu, where he especially liked to play 霹靂引 Pili Yin, which he learned from Han Jiang.
高北峰 Gao Beifeng
From Yunnan, during 1573 - 1620 he lived at 北秀邑村 (xx; a village on the north side of Mount Xiu, in Yunnan south of Kunming?)...When he played qin a crane would dance.

卷四 Folio 4
清 Qing dynasty (to #316)
劉體仁 Liu Tiren (1612-1677)
Liu Tiren (Bio/678; 2270.1342) was quite well-known as a poet and book collector. From Wei, near Yingzhou (now part of Anhui province), he studied with 蘇門孫奇逢 Sun Qifeng (孫鍾元 Sun Zhongyuan) of the Sumen school (poetry?). The present entry says that at one time he left a qin in a particular hall that came to be called Hall Where a Qin was Left (留琴堂 Liu Qin Tang). After he made friends with 王士禎 Wang Shizhen and 汪琬 Wang Wan they would enjoy poetry together, and also qin, in particular the melody 御風操 Yuefeng Cao (see Liezi Yufeng), which Liu liked to play at the 慈仁寺 Ciren Temple. This prompted Wang Shizhen (himself a noted poet; see a setting of his ci poem Yu Jia Ao) to write 聽劉公勇彈琴三首 "Three Poems on Hearing Master Liu Play Qin, as follows:
1. 秋靜垂簾拂玉琴，紺園風日正蕭森。
  廻弦更作清商曲，無限瀟湘萬里心。
2. 秋來日日聽長松，天淨雲閒欲御風。
  一理金徽向遙夜，冷然翻在七弦中。 (自注：彈御風操)。
3. 莫向華陽問廣陵，竹林人去絕音聲。
  與君更作他年約，黃鵠山中訪戴行。
The following online comment on the event quotes the last line of the poems, adding that the poem is 詩兆. Its text says:
"順治己亥，客京師日，聽劉公㦷吏部鼓琴，賦詩贈之云：「與君更作他年約，黃鵠山中訪戴行。」至壬寅歲，相遇於京口，京口有黃鵠山，在城南五六里，即招隱寺，宋戴頤故居也。始悟前詩，蓋有定數云。"
Liu himself wrote 七頌堂識小錄 7.404. The Qinshi Xu biography begins (source: 文獻徵存錄; 11 lines) :
Liu Tiren, style name 公㦷 Gongyong; from 潁州 Yingzhou, but 籍河南棣川衛 registered as from Henan Dichuan Wei (?); jinshi in 1655....
毛際可 Mao Jike (1633-1708)
17141.195; Bio/279. From 浙江遂安 Sui An in Zhejiang, 字會侯 style name Huihou, 號鶴舫，又號宋皋道人 nicknames Hefang and the Songgao Daoist; jinshi in 1658. He was a scholar official who, while in Zhejiang, was associated with 毛奇齡 Mao Qiling (Wiki); although not as knowledgeable as Qiling, Jike was a better essayist and could also paint. These two Maos plus 黃齊 Huang Qi (? 48904.954xxx) were known as the Three Maos. The essay here includes a poem attributed to 濟南田山薑雯 Tian Wen (1635-1704; 22219.225 田雯 says he called himself 山薑子 Shanjiangzi) about Mao Jike's qin playing. It begins, 儒林丈人毛公者.... (? Seems unconnected to this poem online attributed to Tian Wen, called "晚坐來鶴橋聽道士彈琴": 噴薄歷山根，遠注自王屋。琴聲和泉聲，清響滿空谷。千載無賞音，山鴉鳴灌木。). 12 lines; source 古歡堂集.
孫挺銓 Sun Tingquan (1613-1674)
Bio/785: From 青州益都 Yidu in Qingzhou, style name 沚亭 Zhiting. The present essay says that after retirement he got very involved with qin, writing an Abridged Qin Tablature Finger Method (琴譜指法省文 Qinpu Zhifa Shengwen, 1673; listed in 中國音樂思想批判 Zhongguo Yinyue Sixiang Pipan, p.157). This work included some poems, after which was an essay, quoted here, about playing qin.
18 lines; source: 沚亭文集 Zhiting Wenji
The Leiden Museum has a document in three parts, the third part of which seems to have been copied by Yang Shibai (Yang Zongji, 1865–1933) from the Qinpu Zhifa Shengwen. The three parts are
1. A 舞胎仙館吟猱指法 Wutaixianguan Yinnao Zhifa (Left hand ornaments from the Wutaixian Hall, a studio of Yang Shibai), much of it copied into Booklet 6 of Yang Shibai's Qinxue Congshu; it describes various left hand ornamenting methods.
2. A short "琴學隨筆 Informal Essay on Qin Study" by Yang; a longer version is in Section 12 of Qinxue Congshu.
3. The 琴譜指法省文 Qinpu Zhifa Shengwen, consisting exclusively of fingering explanations - no other essays or actual melodies. Could this part be a handcopy by Yang Shibai of this one section of Sun's original? It is not the same as Yang Shibai's own extended fingering explanations in Section 25 of Qinxue Congshu.
In the margins of this book, at least the latter part, are the words 沚亭琴譜 Zhiting Qinpu.
謝良琦 Xie Liangqi
From 廣西全州 Quanzhou in Guangxi. Wrote a 琴說二則 that was "very good". 28 lines; source 醉白堂集.
將韻和 Jiang Yunhe
-
曹泗濱 Cao Sibin
-
張訒庵 Zhang Ren'an
-
張煥宸 Zhang Huanchen
-
范佩蘭 Fan Peilan
From 中州 Zhongzhou
朱周望 Zhu Zhouwang
-
何匯海 He Huihai
From 惠安崇武 Chongwu in Huian
吳元沖 Wu Yuanchong
His ancestors were from 太倉 Taicang
尤侗 You Dong (or Tong)
From 長洲 Changzhou
譚清 Tan Qing
From 常熟 Changshu.
程志灊 Cheng Zhiqian
From 歙 She county
崔朋銓 Cui Pengquan
From 海門 Haimen district
湯巖夫 Tang Yanfu
A good qin player. He once traveled in Huang Shan (Yellow Mountains) playing the qin. On one of the peaks was someone with whiskers and white clothing. Examining in front it seemed to be ? 雪翁 The Old Man of the Snow (43160.147xxx -- style name of [宋]陳虞之). The Old Man of the Snow was called by mountain people 猿公 Sir Gibbon. A long cry split open the clouds and he went off. 休寧韓冶人 A man from Hanye in Xiuning then inscribed 猿公聽琴圖 Sketch of Sir Gibbon Listening to the Qin.
孔興誘 Kong Xingyou (and/or 孔興爕 Kong Xingxie)
The Qinshi Xu entry gives as its reference the Qinshu Cunmu entry for his handbook, Qinyuan Xinchuan Quanbian (1670; QQJC XI/209-527), where the names 孔興爕 Kong Xingxie and 孔興誘 Kong Xingyou are both used (7077.xxx for both). In fact, this Qinshi Xu entry is mostly copied from Qinshu Cunmu, with only the first two sentences giving any detail about "Kong Xingyou" himself. Instead there are only vague descriptions of the book (e.g., its comment on the extent of work on music analysis [? 考聲律論制度博大精深] is puzzling, as it comprises only the first two of 20 folios and has only one chart).
Kong Xingyou, style name 起正 Qizheng, nickname 秀子 Xiuzi, was from 曲阜 Qufu (Shandong). Skilled at qin he wrote Qinyuan Xinchuan Quanbian 20 folios, working on it from 1637 to 1668 when he made it into a book, having worked on it for 32 years. As a result this book's examination of systems in discussing the rules of music is vastly profound and wonderful to look at. As for the arrangement of the tablature, the recorded pieces imitate Yuefu Shiji in that they all have commentary. The melodies' phrasing and sectioning are examined and interpreted; every piece is connected with critical comments relating all the experts' comments all noted. Its style is especially to the point.
張英 Zhang Ying
From 江南桐城 Tongcheng in Jiangnan
徐常遇 Xu Changyu (17th c.)
From 揚州 Yangzhou (廣陵 Guangling). Van Gulik, p.83, says that in the 17th century the old Zhe school split into the Yushan School and the Guangling School, with Xu Changyu the "most prominent representative of the Guangling School". QSCB, Qing dynasty Qin specialists (pp.154-5), says he was quite similar to Yushan school and that from what he wrote he preferred shortening melodies to extending them. See also Xiangshan Tang Qinpu
徐祐 Xu You
Son of Xu Changyu
徐禕 Xu Yi
Another son of Xu Changyu, he helped his father compile 澄鑒堂琴譜 Chengjiantang Qinpu (Clear Mirror Hall) in 1689 (XIV/3)
孫泉 (written 水全) Sun Quan
Connected to #140 尹爾韜 Yin Ertao
菜毓榮 Cai Yurong
From 山湖 Shan Hu
鄭善述 Zheng Shanshu
Lived in 閩 (Fujian)
莊臻鳳 Zhuang Zhenfeng
QSCB; see separate entry: author of Qinxue Xinsheng (1664) and teacher of Shin-Etsu.
陳翼 Chen Yi
From 常熟 Changshu
張文星 Zhang Wenxing
Played new music (?) at the beginning of Kangxi period (1662 - 1723)
黃正傳 Huang Zhengzhuan (or Zhengchuan)
From 建寧 Jianning
夏浦 Xia Pu
From 蘇州 Suzhou
沈宗敬 Shen Zongjing
From 華亭 Huating
巖光(支學) Yan Guangxiao
From 曲阜 Qufu
朱人特 Zhu Rente
From 泰興 Taixing
黃應纘 Huang Yingzuan
From 漳州府平和 From Pinghe in Zhangzhou district
章生 Zhang Sheng
From 閩 Min (Fujian)
金陶 Jin Tao
Aka 金吾易 Jin Wuyi. From 嘉興 Jiaxing; see QSCB, Qing dynasty Qin specialists. His versions of a number of pieces were transmitted via Liaohuaitang Qinpu (1702)?
王澤山 Wang Zeshan
-
魏濱 Wei Bin
From 直隸鳳潤 Fengrun in Zhili
王坦 Wang Tan
From 通州 Tongzhou; wrote a Qin Mandate (琴旨 Qin Zhi), included in Vol 210 of Siku Quanshu. It is discussed in Xu Jian, QSCB, Qing Dynasty Essays (中文 QSCB p.166) and Rao Zongyi, Chapter 6.
王公捷 Wang Gongjie (?)
-
和素 He Su (style name 存齋 Cunzhai; husband of Miss Kede)
A 滿州 Manchu of the 鑲黃 Yellow (Gold) Inlay banner, he rose in office to Inner Chamber Hanlin College Reader. A good qin player, he took the Ming dynasty Yang Lun's Taigu Yiyin (1589; or more specifically an edition called Qinpu Hebi) in order to make a dual language (Manchu / Chinese) edition called Qinpu Hebi, 18 Folios. (This work is not included in Qinqu Jicheng, but it was printed separately in Shanghai in 1991, together with some other qin works, as entry #3 in Extra 10 Volumes of Siku Yishu Congshu. It is also in Vol. 839 of the Wenyuange Siku Quanshu.) (Source: Siku Tiyao.)
景錫爵 Jing Xijue, style name 公言 Gongyan
A good qin player, his original name was 蔣徑 Jiang Jing, style name 開三. A military man with a high reputation, he played 塞上鴻詩 Poem of the Wild Goose in the Border Region.
景百里 Jing Baili
Also a good qin player.
畢振 Bi Zhen
From 丹徒 Dantu
畢夢魁 Bi Mengkui
-
關雪江 Guan Xuejiang
-
喜天來 Xi Tianlai
-
畢宏鑾 Bi Hongluan
-
程雄 Cheng Xiong
Style name Ying'an 颖庵; from 燕山 Yanshan (QSCB, Chapter 8A [中文 p. 153] says he was 安徽休寧人 from Xiuning in Anhui). He had two well-known teachers, 韓石耕 Han Shigeng, mentioned, above and Chen Shanmin, and compiled the well-known Songfengge Qinpu.
陳山岷 Chen Shanmin, Cheng Xiong's other teacher, though quite likely also well-known, is described in a somewhat unclear manner. Cheng Xiong's Songfengge Qinpu includes one melody, Zui Yu Chang Wan, said to have 陳山民譜 tablature of Chen Shanmin, i.e., with 民 instead of 岷, but in this context one might guess they are the same person. Also worthy of consideration here is that around that time there was a well-known painter named 陳珉字陳山民 Chen Min style name Chen Shanmin. Note also that the painter-poet 吳歷 Wu Li is said to have studied qin around this time from a 山民陳先生 Mr. Chen Shanmin (see further).
Cheng Xiong himself often set to qin lyrics from noted local literati - the songs in his Shuhuai Cao were apparently all set to poems local literati had written in his praise. His songs should thus have a different flavor from those of, for example, Zhang Jutian, who adapted songs from the oral tradition (Kunqu?).
程雄字頴庵，燕山人。喜騎、射、擊劍。冀為世用不果，乃棄而學琴。得韓石耕、陳山岷兩山人指法....
Cheng Xiong, style name Ying'an (25380 頴 = 25841 穎 xxx: bristly cottage?), was from Yanshan. He loved riding, archery and swordfighting, hoping to make use of these, but without results, so he cast them aside and studied the qin, learning the playing techniques of Han Shigeng and Chen Shanmin....(9 lines; Source: Chunhu Manlu)
程允基 Cheng Yunji
From 新安 Xin'an; compiled 誠一堂琴譜 Chengyitang Qinpu (1705; XIII.4) and Qin Tan
畢爾恕 Bi Ershu
-
胡洵龍 Hu Xunlong
-
雲志高 Yun Zhigao
字載青 Style name Zaiqing, 號逸亭 nickname Yiting. See QSCB, Qing dynasty Qin specialists p.158 (中文). From 廣東文昌 Wenchang in Guangdong, he compiled 蓼懷堂琴譜 Liaohuaitang Qinpu (1702; XIII.3). He wrote about qin as a form of self-cultivation, saying for this it was better than calligraphy (Wu Zeyuan, p.95)
祖餐雲 Zu Canyun
A recluse in 吳 Zhejiang
祖簡能 Zu Jianneng
-
董陳亮 Dong Chenliang
-
徐祺 Xu Qi (17th c.)
Compiled 五知齋琴譜 Wuzhizhai Qinpu (1722; XIV.4); see separate entry.
徐俊 Xu Jun
-
周魯封 Zhou Lufeng
-
黃鎮 Huang Zhen
-
汪安侯 Wang Anhou
-
羅子敬 Luo Zijing
-
張岡 Zhang Gang
From 長洲 Changzhou
吳方 Wu Fang
From 陳州 Chenzhou
曹友仙 Cao Youxian
From 上海 Shanghai
江永 Jiang Yong
From 婺源 Wu Yuan, he compiled Diagrams of Qin Positions (琴徽圖 Qinhui Tu), and Diagrams of Five Qin Modes (琴五調圖 Qin Wudiao Tu); also mentions qin in his Lülü Xinlun.
郭裕齋 Guo Yuzhai (郭用英 Guo Yongying?)
晉陽人 From Jinyang (太原 Taiyuan in Shanxi? also Anhui); he compiled 德音堂琴譜 Deyintang Qinpu (1691; XII.7)
張翬 Zhang Hui
From 吳縣 Wu district

卷五 Folio 5
吳水雲 Wu Shuiyun
-
張梁 Zhang Liang (see original bio)
Zhang Liang, style names 大木 Damu and 奕山 Yishan, and nicknamed 幻花 (Flower Illusion) was from 華亭 Huating (east of Suzhou); he attained jinshi in 1713. He was uncle of 沈文敏 Shen Wenmin (father of 沈宗敬 Shen Zongjing).... Once at 西溪 Xixi he played the melody He Wu Dongtian. The two cranes he was rearing in the courtyard soared and danced.... A similar story is told of his daughter Zhang Foxiu, but she does not seem to be mentioned here. (13 lines; source: 西神客話 Xishen Kehua0.
It begins, "張梁，字大木，一字奕山。又號幻花，江南華亭人。康熙癸巳進士。文敏之叔也。一門鼎盛聲華赫奕而...." It also says he "勝彈琴詠詩 excelled at playing qin and intoning poetry", that his writings included "澹吟樓詩" which had "彈琴雜聲", but it does not mention 琴意詩 Poems on the Significance of the Qin, which includes nine poems by him apparently inspired by qin melodies: (1) 梅花三弄 Meihua Sannong, (2) 白雪 Bai Xue, (3) 溪山秋月 Xishan Qiu Yue, (4) 良宵引 Liang Xiao Yin, (5) 樵歌 Qiao Ge, (6) 漢宮秋怨 Han Gong Qiu Yuan, (7) 鶴舞洞天 He Wu Dong Tian, (8) 平沙落雁 Ping Shan Luo Yan and (9) 瀟湘水雲 Xiao Xiang Shui Yun.
譚子璽 Tan Zixi
-
徐梗 Xu Geng
-
葉魯白 Ye Lubai
-
沈曦賓 Shen Xibin
-
陸生芝 Lu Shengzhi
-
顧耘叟 Gu Yunsou
-
廖燕 Liao Yan
-
蕭絅若 Xiao Jiongruo
-
陳春樹 Chen Chunshu
-
徐遴 Xu Lin
-
張開基 Zhang Kaiji
-
賈巢雲 Jia Chaoyun
-
曹永鼎 Cao Yongding
-
馬兆辰 Ma Zhaochen
-
王紱 Wang Fu (also named 汪烜 Wang Xuan)
Wrote Lixuezhai Qinpu and Yuejing Lülü Tongjie
吳薌巖 Wu Xiangyan
-
吳健菴 Wu Jian'an (an was written 荅/廾)
-
余家鼎 Yu Jiading
-
潘翰 Pan Han
-
陳遵 Chen Zun
-
李郊 Li Jiao
-
李襄五 Li Xiangwu
-
曹尚絅 Cao Shangjiong
Compiled Chuncaotang Qinpu
蘇璟 Su Jing
- style name 祐賢 Youxian, nickname 琴山 Qinshan, from Hangzhou. No mention of a handbook. Source: Chunhu Manlu.
閆沛年 Yan Peinian
-
戴源 Dai Yuan
Essay discussed in QSCB Chapter 8C (中文 QSCB p.165)
王善 Wang Shan (1678 - after 1758)
- style name 元伯 Yuanbo; from 雲陵 Yunling (43170.337 in 陝西 Shaanxi)
Wang compiled Qinxue Lianyao (QQJC/XVIII; QSCM). Its 30 melodies include five versions of Ping Sha, and a setting of Yu Hua Deng Xian with 64 sections. Five melodies have lyrics, including qin settings for You Jian Quan and Jing Zhong Ci.
The QQJC preface says Wang was a Confucian who was critical of qin styles as they then existed, but that he was unable to come up with interesting new music: just some short songs. QSCB (中文) also mentions him only as a creator of qin songs. No mention is made of him developing a new school of play. Wu Zeyuan, pp.75/6 says that Qinxue Lianyao "includes a section that lists the names of thirteen sponsors, who are called "Qin-friends Who Assisted with the Publication" (zhukan qinyou 助刊琴友). Wang Que 王慤 (fl. 1754), whose name is listed at the top of in this section, wrote in the preface that he offered part of his government salary to support the publication."
王叔均 Wang Shujun
-
帥皋蘭 Shuai Gaolan
-
沈鳳來 Shen Fenglai
-
沈汝愚 Shen Ruyu
-
黃庭 Huang Ting
-
廖惟聰 Liao Weicong
-
張道浚 Zhang Daojun (or Daoxun)
-
顧玉 Gu Yu
-
梁萬(示冀) Liang Wan(ji? character not in dictionary "spiritual + hope")
-
籃鼎元 Lan Dingyuan
-
黃世熹（xi written 火喜, a variant)
-
王昶 Wang Chang
-
周端 Zhou Duan
-
茆在宮 Mao Zaigong
-
楊廷果 Yang Tingguo
-
侯維岳 Hou Weiyue
-
姜大親 Jiang Daqin
-
康兆元 Kang Zhaoyuan
-
萬復 Wan Fu
-
顏超 Yan Chao
-
馬駿 Ma Jun
-
林仁 Lin Ren
-
謝伯 Xie Bo
-
謝愚泉 Xie Yuquan
-
唐庭楷 Tang Tingjie (or Tingkai)
-
蔣寶三 Jiang Baosan
-
張覆照 Jiang Fuzhao
-
李克岐 Li Keqi
-
徐光燦 Xu Guangcan
-
王範 Wang Fan
-
吳潁芳 Wu Yingfang
-
崔應階 Cui Yingjie
-
白如熙 Bai Ruxi
-
謝廷賓 Xie Tingbin
-
任金書 Ren Jinshu
-
沈銓 Shen Quan
-
程瑤田 Cheng Yaotian
Wrote a Qin Yin Ji
徐宗彥 Xu Zongyan
-
林哲侯 Lin Zhehou
-
曹庭棟 Cao Tingdong
His 琴學內篇一卷，外篇一卷 Qinxue Neipian and Waipian are included in Siku Quanshu Cunmu Congshu, Vol. 子 75, pp. 153-226.
They seem to be part of his 琴學例言 Qinxue Liyan; see also QSCB Chapter 8C
何夢瑤 He Mengyao
See his 琴學纂要 Qinxue Zuanyao
吳聲譽 Wu Shengyu
-

-曹秋潭 Cao Qiutan
索祿 Suo Lu
-
唐侃 Tang Kan
-
唐明 Tang Ming
-
積善 Ji Shan
-

卷六 Folio 6
楊天益 Yang Tianyi
-
萬柏 Wan Bo (or Bai)
-
王繪 Wang Hui
-
姚仁 Yao Ren
-
江玨 Jiang Jue (text has 王玉 jue or gu, the old form)
-
陳允衡 Chen Yunheng
-
吳宜蟄 Wu Yizhe (or Yizhi)
-
李世則 Li Shize
-
李馨 Li Xing
-
李粹 Li Cui
-
吳灴 Wu Hong
See QSCB, Qing dynasty Qin specialists
徐錦堂 Xu Jintang
-
吳宮心 Wu Gongxin
-
吳重光 Wu Chongguang
-
沈江門 Shen Jiangmen
-
江麗田 Jiang Litian
-
汪德鉞 Wang Deyue
-
徐養源 Xu Yangyuan
Wrote 琴學原始 Qinxue Yuanshi
徐涵 Xu Han
-
吼琴 Hou Qin
-
高步瀛 Gao Buying
-
劉光照 Liu Guangzhao
-
周顯祖 Zhou Xianzu
-
趙一漁 Zhao Yiyu
-
汪國 Wang Guo
-
江孟寬 Jiang Mengkuan
-
汪秉鍾 Wang Bingzhong
-
萬國諫 Wang Guojian
-
徐昌景 Xu Changjing
-
鄧松 Deng Song
-
葉桾 Ye Jun
-
陳同文 Chen Tongwen
-
張味琴 Zhang Weiqin
-
李貞 Li Zhen
河南禹州人 Bio/890xxx (none of these 3 different people); also not 李真 Li Zhen or 李禎 Li Zhen.
屈鼇 Qu Ao
-
王泉之 Wang Quanzhi
-
何述善 He Shushan
-
孫匯 Sun Hui
-
屈頌滿 Qu Songman
-
巖恪 Yan Ke (or Que)
-
江山 Jiang Shan
-
李崑 Li Kun
See Qingtengxuan Qinpu
程起振 Cheng Qizhen
-
胡欽 Hu Qin
-
嚴秉彝 Yan Bingyi
-
嚴慵 Yan Yong
-
吳式芬 Wu Shifen
-
韓桂 Han Gui
-Han Gui aka 韓古香 Han Guxiang was from 武進 Wujin. He studied with 李玉峰 Li Yufeng of Hangzhou, then traveled and learned pieces from various players. For example, in Beijing 文溥寰 Wen Bohuan taught him such pieces as Hujia Shiba Pai, Zhuang Zhou Meng Die and Han Gong Qiu Yue. From 冉性山 Ran Xingshan of 西蜀 western Sichuan he learned Pei Lan and Gu Yuan Xiao Yue.
Later he was a teacher of Jiang Wenxun: see also QSCB, Qing dynasty Qin specialists.
徐渭仁 Xu Weiren
-
查奕照 Cha Yizhao
-
祝鳳鳴 Zhu Fengming
-
祝鳳喈 Zhu Fengjie, style 祝桐君 Zhu Tongjun
QSCB Chapter 9, p.173 (中文); author of Yuguzhai Qinpu;
許海樵 Xu Haiqiao
-
孫長源 Sun Changyuan
-
吳景湖 Wu Jinghu (Bio. xxx)
Wu Jinghu, style name 憲文 Xianwen, nickname 素江 Sujiang, was from 歙 She county (Huizhou) in Anhui.... He compiled a 謝琴詩文鈔 Xie Qin Shiwen Chao. ("Listed among existing books". His own preface is dated 1818. See also his wife, #395B Zhang Shangyu ).
沈浩 Shen Hao
-
沈遵生 Shen Zunsheng
-
蔣文勳 Jiang Wenxun
- see QSCB, Qing dynasty Qin specialists (QSCB p.159; 中文 ) and Qin essays (QSCB p.169; 中文 ); compiled Er Xiang Qinpu (1833) based on melodies played by his teachers, Han Gui and Dai Chenggeng. Han Gui was known as 韓古香 Han Guxiang and Dai Changgeng as 戴學香 Dai Xuexiang. Hence "二香 Er Xiang" referred to the two teachers.
戴長庚 Dai Changgeng
- aka 戴學香 Dai Xuexiang; compiled Lü Hua (1833). See also QSCB, Qing dynasty Qin specialists
吳統 Wu Tong
-
黃增康 Huang Zengkang
-
郭鳳岡 Guo Fenghang
-
姚振翥 Yao Zhenzhu
-
陸應麒 Lu Yingqi
-
姚配中 Yao Peizhong
-compiled Yijinglu Qinxue
趙非石 Zhao Feishi
-
李詠霞 Li Yongxia
-
陳本禮 Chen Benli
-
朱本福 Zhu Benfu
-
鄭蘭 Zheng Lan
-
沈烜 Shen Xuan
-
梅植之 Mei Zhizhi
-
王瑋 Wang Wei
-
湯貽汾 Tang Yifen (ca. 1778-1853; Wiki; image)
A landscape painter, calligrapher and government official from 武進 Wujin in Jiangsu
趙振北 Zhao Zhenbei
-
丁贊 Ding Zan
-
沈癡 Shen Chi
-
姚賡之 Yao Gengzhi
-
德峰 De Feng
-
崇敬 Chong Jing
-
湯綬名 Tang Shouming
-
鄒安鬯 Zou Anchang
Wrote a Qinlü Xicao
戴煦 Dai Xu (1801 – 1860; should be 戴熙 Dai Xi; Wiki)
From Hangzhou, a noted artist with a style similar to that of Tang Yifen, he also became a senior official. He wrote a 琴弦徽分、琴弦轉調 Qinxian Huifen, Qinxian Zhuandiao
慶瑞 Qing Rui
See separate entry
秦維瀚 Qin Weihan
See QSCB, Qing dynasty Qin specialists
唐彝名
-
黃曉珊 Huang Xiaoshan
-
劉人熙 Liu Renxi
-
張春圃 Zhang Chunpu
The source for this story is given as 蓴湖漫錄 Chunhu Manlu; see also QSCB, Chapter 10, p.176.
Zhang Chunpu worked in the factory of a shop at Liuli Chang (in Beijing). He was upright in his dealings with people, had courage of his convictions, and was well-known in Beijing for his skill as a qin player. Once 慈禧 Cixi (the Empress Dowager) summoned him to the palace for qin instruction. Zhang first fixed with palace eunuchs that would not be able to kneel: to play the qin one had to sit.
倪世鑑 Ni Shijian
-
李蘭 Li Lan
-
周慶賢 Zhou Qingxian
-
陳世驥 Chen Shiji
See QSCB, p. 173
何鏞 He Yong
-
祝鳳翥 Zhu Fengzhu
-

卷七 Folio 7: 方外 Transcendental (Mainly Buddhist)
宋 Song dynasty
周貫 Zhou Guan
Zhou Guan (3597.xxx) was from 膠東 Jiaodong (near Qingdao in Shandong). 奉新龍泉觀 Dragon Spring Daoist Monastery (49812.264xxx). Sources cited: 冷齋夜話 Lengzhai Yehua (1658.104 by 釋惠洪 the monk Huihong, 1071 - 1128, Bio/2296); 宋詩紀詩 Song Shi Jishi.
Zhou Guan was from 膠東 Jiaodong (near Qingdao in Shandong). During 1068 - 1098 he went back and forth to the 西山 western mountains. By day he caroused, keeping with him a large gourd. At night he would use it as a urination pot. He was skilled at writing poetry and enjoyed very much playing the qin. One night he stayed at the Dragon Spring Daoist Monastery in Fengxin (near Nanchang, Jiangxi). At midnight he pounded on the gate. The 道士 Daoist priests, alarmed, asked the reason. (Zhou Guan) said, I suddenly encountered a sentence. The priests asked him to recite it. Zhou Guan, gesticulating with his hands and intoning, said, Playing qin can harm the fingernails. Covering oneself with a blanket can harm the beard." The evening was very cold. Guan was using this method (to criticize them) because he had only a thin mat to cover himself.
文照 Wen Zhao
Wen Zhao (13766.xxx), style name 銓 Quan. 普照寺 Puzhao Buddhist Temple (14293.91xxx). 北牖 Beiyou (2615.347xxx north window). Liu Fa (2270.821xxx). Source cited: 松江府志 Songjiang Fu Zhi.
Wen Zhao, style name 銓 Quan, excelled at playing qin. He had a qin called 響泉 Melodious Spring. He lived at 普照寺 Puzhao Buddhist Temple. He lived in a room called 妙音 Beautiful Sounds, closing his door to outside communication. When there was a pleasant breeze and a clear moon he would burn incense and play melodies saying he was offering this to the Buddha. Neighbors valued this and made a pavilion neary to listen. When Wen Quan found out he (left and) traveled on foot to 北牖 Beiyou. During the period 1086 - 1094 he became friends with the 主簿 bookkeeper 劉發 Liu Fa. Liu Fa praised him in a poem that said,
寶琴何所得，所得甚幽微。聊借絲桐韻，還超智慧機。
霜風愁玉軫，江月入珠徽。向此諸綠盡，人間孰是非。
Liu Fa once....
智和 Zhi He
-
思聰 Si Cong
-
邵琥 Shao Hu
-
照曠 Zhao Kuang
Six lines, citing 墨莊漫錄 Mo Zhuang Manlu. See QSCB, Chapter 6a1. He was a disciple of Zequan Heshang.
林虛極 Lin Xuji
-
蘇紹成 Su Shaocheng
-
商碧山 Shang Bishan
-
羅道士 Luo Daoshi
-
元 Yuan dynasty
芳洲 Fang Zhou
-
王德譧 Wang Delian
-
明 Ming dynasty
無瑕 Wu Xia
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張印頂 Zhang Yinding
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孔希島 Kong Xidao
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景輝 Jing Hui
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清 Qing dynasty
嶧聲 Yi Sheng
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雲村 Yun Cun
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岳蓮 Yue Lian
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澄照 Cheng (or Deng) Zhao
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特藻 Te Zao
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古心 Gu Xin
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金道人 Jin Daoren
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鶴雛 He Chu
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笠道人 Li Daoren
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練江 Liang Jiang
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可韻 Ke Yun
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蔡璸 Cai Bin
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沈心耕 Shen Xingeng
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軾侶 Shi Lü
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吳浩 Wu Hao
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高峻 Gao Jun
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鄭濂 Zheng Lian
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徐體微 Xu Tiwei
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明辰 Ming Chen
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張道浦 Zhang Daopu
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陳紹藩 Chen Shaofan
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蔣蓴胡 Jiang Chunhu (chun written 艸/純)
Bio/xxx; The Chunhu here is the same as the Chunhu of Chunhu Manlu, but the text makes no connection. The source given is 丹徒縣志 Chronicles of Dantu County (southeast of Zhenjiang in Jiangsu Province). Date seems to be ca. 1853.
Zhang Chunhu, a Daoist priest at the Guandi Temple in Yinshan (Silver Mountain, near Zhenjiang), was good at qin melodies, and thus a match for Xu Tiwei.
賀炳 He Bing
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慧蒼 Hui Cang
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覺阿 Jue A
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覺虛 Jue Xu
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張鶴
Compiled/wrote Qinxue Rumen
王嘯霞 Wang Xiaoxia
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空塵 Kong Chen
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聞溪 Wen Xi
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卷八 Folio 8: 閨秀 Graceful Ladies
(See also Early Women Players)

宋 Song dynasty
莊氏女 Woman of the Zhuang family
Zhuang Anxiang is also featured in a brief story told in Van Gulik, Lore, p.158. So far I have no further information on her melody Bright Flowers (金花 Jin Hua; 41049.342 金花夫人 refers to southern female spirits during the Song dynasty). The source of this story is given as 嫏嬛記 Lang Huan Ji.
The woman of the Zhuang family, from 陳郡 Chenjun (modern 淮陽 Huaiyang in eastern Henan) was good at 女紅 nü gong feminine tasks and at playing the qin. She had a qin called Lightning Point (駐電 Zhudian). Every time she played Plum Blossom Melody (Meihua Qu) listeners all said there was an invisible fragrance (暗香 anxiang). As word got around she became known as Zhuang Anxiang. Whenever she played in the dark her right fingers seemed to have a bright flower illuminating the table, so she wrote a tune called Bright Flowers. One day she said in remorse, How can it be proper for a woman to do such things? So she broke her strings and played no more.

元 Yuan dynasty
喬夫人 Wife of Qiao
Qiao's wife (4114.xxx) is known mainly through her friendship with 元好問 Yuan Haowen (1190 - 1257), a famous poet from northern Shanxi nicknamed 元遺山 Yuan Yishan. The source cited here is 元遺山集 Collected Works of Yuan Yishan. 行臺公 Xingtai Lord (34850.392 a government rank; see also Hucker) 喬琚 Qiao Ju (4114.xxx; Bio/xxx).
Qiao's wife had the maiden name 張 Zhang. She was the daughter of a 行臺公 Xingtai Lord; her mother's name was 毛長 Mao Chang. She married 喬琚 Qiao Ju, the son of 喬侯 Earl of Qiao. She was calm, self-possessed and polite, like her mother. Her fu and shi poems as well as her qin play had an unreal beauty. 元遺山 Yuan Yishan treated her as a niece and (or: because she was a friend of his niece) nicknamed her 靜華君 Jinghua Jun (43533.xxx). When he heard her play Feng Ru Song he wrote a shi poem (structure [7+7] x 4; also in Qinshu Daquan Folio 19B) that says,
白雪朱弦一再行，春風纖指十三星。
雲窗霧閣有今夕，寶靨羅裙無此聲。
蕭灑寒松度虛籟，悠揚飛絮攪青冥。
胎仙不比湘靈瑟，五字錢郎莫漫驚。
White snow, crimson strings, she played again and again;
Spring breeze, delicate fingering, (play over) 13 stars (the qin studs).
Clouds in window, fog in the room on such an evening;
Beautiful faces and elegant silks do not have the beauty of such sounds.
The delicate sound of rain in the cold pines surpasses the empty sounds on bamboo pipes;
.... (translation incomplete.)
He praised her to such an extent!
陳淑真 Chen Shuzhen
Chen Shuzhan (Bio/xxx). 陳友諒 Chen Youliang (see Giles) fought the Yuan, declared himself emperor in Wuchang; he lost to Zhu Yuanzhang of Ming. Source cited: 元史列女傳 Yuan History, Annals of Virtuous Women.
When Chen Shuzhen was seven she could recite poetry and play the qin. In 1359 when Chen Youliang was plundering 龍興 Longxing () Shuzhen saw an elderly neighbor woman running up panting and telling her about this. Shunzhen then took her qin and sat by the window playing it. At the end of the piece she cried deeply and said, Now I must break the strings. Her parents in puzzlement asked her why. She said, The city is about to be destroyed and I certainly will be defiled. It would be better to die first. The next day the bandits arrived. She lived near the east end of the lake so she drowned herself there.
曹妙清 Cao Miaoqing
Cao Miaoqing (14626.110); sources given here are 玉臺書史 Yutai Shushi and 太平清話 Taiping Qinghua. The Mr. 廉夫 Lianfu in the present account is the well-known writer 楊維楨 Yang Weizhen (1296-1370). Chang and Saussy, Women Writers of Traditional China, pp.732/3, has his preface to her poems, but they do not say why they don't include any of the poems themselves; in the preface he describes this meeting (they translate qin as "lute").
Cao Miaoqing, self nicknamed 雪齋 Xuezhai, was from 錢塘 Hangzhou. She was good at qin and calligraphy. Unmarried until the age of 30, she was admired for her moral restraint. Once she presented her poems to her teacher 丘公 Master Qiu. She told him that when she was younger she had gained interviews with Master 貫 Guan of 酸齋 Suanzhai and Master 班 Ban of 恕齋 Shuzhai, but had not been to see Mr. Lianfu. So her teacher took her and her wet nurse to visit (Lianfu) at 洞庭 Dongting (on an island) in 太湖 Taihu Lake. For him she sang poetry and played the qin, describing the agony of wasteland scenery. She drew on the qin melodies Guan Ju and Zhi Zhao (Fei) to accompany (the 章: song?) Bai Xue. Mr. Liao was greatly impressed. He discussed her 曹氏絃歌集 Ms. Cao's String Song Collection, and also responded to her with a poem that said, ([7+7] x 2)
紅牙管帶紫狸毫，雪水初融玉帶袍。
Sandalwood brush case with beautiful brushes;
With snow water she blends her ink on yudaopao.
寫得薛濤萱草帖，西湖紙價頓能高。
Her writing is as good as that of Xue Tao on day-lily cards.
So the price of paper in West Lake might be going up.
玉帶袍 yudaipao (jade belt gown) was the name of her inkstone; 薛濤 Xue Tao: famous poet, 768-832

明 Ming dynasty
田貴妃 Tian Guifei
Tian Guifei (the original entry calls her 田妃 Tian Fei) was apparently named after the most famous concubine, 楊貴妃 Yang Guifei (22219.248) of the Tang dynasty. Tian Guifei, perhaps the daughter of a former courtesan, became a concubine (恭淑貴妃) of 朱由檢 Zhu Youjian, who reigned 1628 - 1644 as 莊烈帝 Zhuanglie Di or 崇禎 Chongzhen, the last emperor of the Ming dynasty. Regarding the melody she learned from her mother, Looking up at the Emperor (朝天 Zhao Tian), 14705.20/2 朝天 does not mention music. The Frosty Gibbon Collection (霜猿集詩 Shuangyuan Ji): 43311.195xxx. The sources cited are 霜猿集 Shuangyuan Ji and 甲申小紀 Jiashen Xiaoji (22221.20xxx).
Gongshu Guifei, concubine of the last Emperor Zhuanglie, was from the Tian family, which had moved to Yangzhou from their home in Shaanxi. Beautiful from birth she was short on words but long on artistic talents. She was a good qin player, so the emperor gave her a qin named 小雷琴 Little Thunder Qin and ordered her to play it. He guessed that the tune she played was one she had learned from her teacher, but she said that her mother had taught it to her. The mother was then invited to the palace, where she played a melody called Looking up at the Emperor. The Frosty Gibbon Collection has a poem that praises this event.
昔抱瑤琴事上真，
偶過天闕下飆輪。
玉絃本無平情物，
豈若昭陽歌舞人。
素琴拂罷換朱絃，
指上宮商母氏傳。
急遣黃門宣入內，
水晶簾下鼓天天。
In addition, Emperor Zhuanglie once wrote 訪道五曲 Five Pieces on Visiting a Daoist. These were called
崆峒引 Kongtong Yin
敲爻歌 Qiaoyao Ge (13636.xx)
據桐吟 Jutong Yin
參同契 Cantong Qie
爛柯遊 Lanke You.
He ordered Tian Guifei to play them. It is said that her finger techniques whether grand or reserved were all appropriate. A poem in 明宮雜詠 Miscellaneous Songs of the Ming Palace says this as follows,
君王訪道慕崆峒，
寫入絲桐一弄中。
傳授玉妃三四遍，
泠泠弦上泣松風。
選侍范 Palace girl Fan and 選侍薛 Palace Girl Xue both studied qin from her. They were called her 入室弟子 Best Students.
葉小鸞 Ye Xiaoluan (d.1616 - 32)
Women Writers (pp.266 - 284) has biographical notes on and poems by Ye Xiaoluan (32127.18; Bio/403), her two younger sisters 葉紈紈 Ye Wanwan (1610 - 32) and Ye Xiaowan 葉小紈, (b. 1613), and their mother 沈宜修 Shen Yixiu (1590 - 1635), who married a talented official named 葉紹袁 Ye Shaoyuan (32127.156), style name 葉仲紹 Ye Zhongshao. The Shen family was from 水部 Shuibu, in 吳江 Wujiang, near Suzhou. Although Xiaoluan was 16 (17 in the Chinese system) when she died, the McGill list includes 97 poems by her. She is also discussed in Idema and Grant's Red Brush. For the significance of later stories about her, see Anne Gerritsen, "The Many Guises of Xiaoluan. For example, on p. 52 Gerritsen writes, "In 1849, a low ranking official by the name of Wang Shoumai...came across a small inkstone. When he found two short poems engraved on the back of the inkstone he became convinced it had once belonged to Xiaoluan. Looking through her collected poems, he discovered that these two poems were not included." One of these two later poems is the one here attributed to Xiaoluan herself. (The other is "天寶繁華事已陳，成都畫手樣能新。如今只學初三月，怕有詩人說小顰。".) The connection of Xiaoluan to an eyebrow-shaped inkstone also seems to come from a later date: a poem about her by Wu Songliang (1766 - 1834; it is translated in Gerritsen, p. 51). Sources cited here: 午夢堂集 Wumengtang Ji (a collection by Ye Shaoyuan of writings by eight members of his family), 疏香閣遺錄 Shuxiangge Yilu (1917; includes a biography of her by Ye Dehui), 鸝吹集 Li Chui Ji, and 列朝詩集 Liezhao Shiji.
Ye Xiaoluan, style names 瑤章 Yaozhang and 瑤期 Yaoqi, was a daughter of Ye Zhongshao of Shuibu. At age four she could recite the Chu Ci, at 11 she could write poetry, at 14 she could play weiqi, when she was 16 she had an aunt who was a good qin player teach her something of the fingering, after which she could play several tunes in a refreshing and lovely manner, what Xi Kang called 英聲發越采采粲粲 lovely sounds in brilliant array. By day she sat quietly in her 疏香閣 Pavilion of Subtle Fragrance and 韶年靈慧語亦生香 (spent pleasant seasons in intelligent conversation and burning incense?)。小庭無多芳草 (few gentlemen?) 繁列風月映戶琴書在床。珍藏一眉子硯，自題詩云. She greatly valued her "eyebrow-shaped inkstone" and so wrote a poem about it that says:
素袖輕籠金鴨煙，
明窗小几展吳牋。
開奩一硯櫻桃雨，
潤到清琴第幾絃。
She died at age 17.
湯尹嫺 Tang Yinxian (1615 - 1640)
Tang Yinxian (Bio/). 計來 Ji Lai (Bio/xxx). Source cited: 吳江縣志 Wujiang District Annals.
Tang Yinxian, style name 洽君 Qiajun or Xiajun, was a daughter of 湯三俊 Tang Sanjun of 吳江 Wujiang (near Suzhou) and wife of 計來 Ji Lai. She was good at poetry and painting and fond of the qin. When her husband was about to die to told his wife that he'd had a dream in which she was playing qin when a string broke. He interpreted this as proof they were soon to part, and he begged her to take good care of his songs. She replied that while she was alive she would certainly do this, but she feared she couldn't live on without him. For three days after he died she didn't eat, only sobbed. On the fourth day she leaned over his grave, spit up several cups of blood and died. It was 1640 and she was 25 years old.
徐烈婦 Honorable Wife of Xu
徐錫胤 Xu Xiyin ("yin" [?] is missing the final stroke; 10363.599xxx); the 永康侯 Marquis of Yongkang (17461.146xxx). Source cited: 留溪外傳 (22365.xxx but apparently in 四庫全書) Extra Chronicles from Liu Xi, a work attributed to the Qing dynasty writer 陳鼎 Chen Ding.
Xu's honorable wife had the maiden name 張 Zhang. He was Xu Xiyin, the Marquis of Yongkang. Widowed at the age of 17, and without sons, she shunned face powder and lived in her room reading, doing calligraphy and playing the qin. Every month she would go wait on her mother-in-law. When she played the Shang Tune Water Flows over Chu (商音激楚 Shang Yin Ji Chu (激楚 18876.36) listeners all cried. When in 1644 the bandit 李自成 Li Zicheng (1606 - 1645) attacked the capital everyone else ran off, but she decided it was nobler to die. Soaking her official clothing in oi, she and her mother-in-law ordered a servant to burn everything. The mother-in-law started to run off, but she held her back. She had four young female servants who also wanted to immolate themselves, but she told them not to. They tried anyway, but in the midst of this one of the servants, as she later related, seemed to be grbbed by a force which carried her to a neighbor's house, where she lived to tell of this affair.
李玉弘 Li Yuhong
Li Yuhong (Bio/); 牟呈燦 Mou Chengcan (Bio/xxx); 李本深 Li Benshen (14819.264; d.1660). Source cited: same as #368: 留溪外傳 Extra Chronicles from Liu Xi (22365.xxx]).
The honorable wife of 牟 Mou was Li Yuhong. She was the wife of 牟呈燦 Mou Chengcan, from 貴州安順郡庠 Prefect School/Asylum of Anshun (west of Guiyang) in Guizhou. She read books as a youth and understood the meaning. She was not excitable, but calm and polite. At age eight she was praised as correct and upright. Her paternal grandfather 李本深 Li Benshen was governor of Guizhou so she followed them there. The hundres of men and women at her grandfather's yamen all respected her. When (in 1643) Wu Sangui made his secret pact with the Manchus, the grandfather went along with him in spite of his granddaughter's moralizing. On her mother's orders she married Mr. Mu; she was filial to his parents and courteous to all her in-laws. When Wu was killed (in 1678 - he had come to the southwest to defeat rebels but then became one himself) the law held that her family had to be destroyed, but that a woman who had married out of the family could not be held responsible. However, since she was so beautiful and desirable someone (with rank who desired her) wrote her name back into the family record (in order to have his way with her). Her husband complained to local officials but they could do nothing. In the end she decided to commit suicide. When the evil official had her taken away she concealed a knife in her sleeve. Theyu walked all night to the capital. The evil official sent a palanquin to have her taken to the yamen, but there she slit her throat. The previous New Year'd Eve she had been playing three tunes on qin with her husband. There was a wailing sound and the 7th string broke. This, combined with a dream she'd had that a mountain fell on her, was so ominous that they cried in each other's arms and could play no more.
卞賽 Bian Sai (early 17th c.)
Bian Sai is combined with her sister, Bian Min. One of the melodies mentioned, 離鸞引 Li Luan Yin (43079.196), is in some ancient melody lists, but it is not in any surviving handbooks. Sources for both sisters: 梅村集 Annals of Meicun, 板橋雜記 Banqiao Zaji, 圖繪寶鑑續纂 Tuhui Baojian Xuzuan. Also see Women Writers of Traditional China, p.331ff.
Bian Sai, style name 賽賽 Saisai, self nicknamed Daoist of the Jade Capital (玉京道人 Yujing Daoren), was of unknown origins. Some say she was from 秦淮 Qinhuai (southern Nanjing, its entertainment quarters, suggesting she was a courtesan). She was skilled at 小楷 small standard script calligraphy, a capable painter of orchids and a capable qin player. She (liked to) sojourn by the 山塘 mountain pond at 虎邱(丘) Huqiu (a hill just northwest of Suzhou). Her residence had bamboo screens, a wooden table and an absence of dirt. She had lovely clear eyes which by day would shine against her beautiful black ink and the "ice strings" (famous for their smooth translucence) of her qin. After the disturbances (at the end of the Ming dynasty) she traveled around 吳 Jiangsu. Putting on plain yellow cloth she became a Daoist (nun). She met the scholar 吳梅村 Wu Meicun (nickname of the famous poet 吳偉業 Wu Weiye, 1609 - 1671), and played the qin for him. Meicun then presented her with a poem called Listening to the Lady Daoist Bian Yujing Play a Qin Song. She liked to combine 別鵠 Bie Gu and 離鸞引 Li Luan Yin to make a melody fitting the phrases of 悲風怨雨吟 Beifeng Yuanyu Yin (11088.37xx). 梅村過錦樹林弔道人墓詩 Poem of Wu Meicun Passing Brocade Forest and Mourning at the Daoist's Grave, and 五條絃拂銀鉤手 Playing Five Strings (archaic reference to the qin) and Writing Silver Hook (a calligraphy style), are (two writings that) describe her qin play.
卞敏 Bian Min
Bian Min (Bio/)
Bian Sai had a younger sister, named Min, who could also play the qin.
馬文玉 Ma Wenyu
Ma Gui, style name Wenyu ((both 45550.xxx). 鄭士弘 Zheng Shihong (字 not found; 40513.xxx; Bio/xxx). Alliteration technique: 雙聲 shuangsheng (43067.348). Sources cited: 列朝詩集小傳 (1921.xxx) Biographies from Poetic Collections of Many Dynasties, and 西湖志 (西湖志纂? 35587.531? Qing) West Lake Chronicles.
Ma Wenyu's given name was 珪 Gui. She was good at singing ballads and good at playing qin. (At that time) 鄭士弘 Zheng Shihong of 晉陵 Jinling (modern 常州 Changzhou), who was so good at 樂府 Yuefu (music bureau-type songs) that he could stop the clouds of Wu with his alliteration techniques, loved the silk string qin more than anything; he (or did he say she could? the Chinese seems alliterative: 挹湘水於十指之品平) baled out the 湘水 water of the Xiang River through the arrangement of 10 fingers. Once when traveling in West Lake playing the qin, when a melody was ordered, the mountains resounded on all sides.
沈素瓊 Shen Suqiong
Shen Yin 沈隱, style name 素瓊 Suqiong (17529.xxx for both). The mentioned Sounds of the Melancholy Call of a Yellow Goose (黃鵠悲鳴聲 Huanggu Bei Ming Sheng, though it does not necessarily refer to a melody title, was perhaps music inspired by the Yellow Geese Melodies (48904.1272 黃鵠曲Huanggu Qu), a set of four YFSJ poems, the last of which mentions "melancholy calls" (悲鳴 bei ming; Folio 45, p.663). Her 孤山詠梅花 Gushan Yong Meihua is elsewhere called 詠梅詩 Yong Mei Shi, but I have not found a complete version. Other sources also say she was a 杭州妓 female entertainer in Hangzhou, but her family was very poor, hence her melancholy. Source cited here: 留溪外傳 Extra Chronicles from Liu Xi (same as with #368). See also 金忠潔公文集.
Shen Suqiong, given name 隱 Yin, was a 京都女子 young woman of Jingdu (near Yangzhou). As a child she was smart and quick learning; she could read something once and remember it a long time. She was a good qin player, able to play Sounds of the Melancholy Call of a Yellow Goose in such a way that listeners would be moved to tears. She was also a good poet, using a lot of heart-rending phrases. By nature she loved scenery, and accompanied her mother to 武林 Wulin mountains (near Hangzhou); since they loved Hangzhou they made this their home.
(Shen Suqiong's?) 孤山詠梅花 Praising the Plum Blossoms at Gushan (an island in West Lake) says,
自憐澹素無人識，
浪託林逋處士家。
It also says
有限人嗟琴在室， There is a limit to people who sigh with qin in a room;
空彈野調寄情癡。 In vain play wild melodies foolishly expressing one's emotions.
Her poems often described herself. Later she returned to Hangzhou (?) and in the summer caught "summer illness" (cholera?). In the end she hung herself in order to be buried with the dead.
吳湘 Wu Xiang
Wu Xiang (Bio/ ); 范崑崙 Fan Kunlun (31472.xxx). Sources cited: 西湖傳 Xihu Zhuan; 正始續集 Zhengshi Xuji (166611.197 zhengshi xxx; see also #375, #378, #392 below).
Wu Xiang, style names 若耶 Ruoye and 婉羅 Wanluo, was from 京都 Jingdu (near Yangzhou). She was a 側室 concubine of Chief Secretary 范崑崙 Fan Kunlun. They lived by (presumably West) Lake. She was a good qin player, better than her contemporaries. Her poem 湖居即事詩 (speaks of her dislike of women's crafts and her love of painting, nature and the qin, which captures the essence of the rest):
不解嫻刀遲，隨時好畫山。
茅檐香篆字，湖面翠生斑。
靜亦人中福，勞因詠未閑。
古人悲莫見，琴意好追攀。
秀雲 Xiu Yun (Elegant Cloud)
Xiu Yun (Bio/ ). Sources cited: 陽曲志餘 Yangqu Zhiyu (Extra Annals of Yangqu, near Taiyuan in Shaanxi, 42673.58), 然脂餘韻 Ranzhi Yuyun (q.v.).
Xiu Yun was a 晉府樂長 (music leader? in Shanxi prefecture). Her sounds and appearance were tops in her day, and she was good at painting orchids. When playing qin her Han Gong Qiu was considered the best. She could also use the pipa lute to play Pu'an Zhou and it was as good as the qin original. All sorts of scholars traveled in her company and a saying about her went as follows,
明霞卒為人所紿，
抑鬱而逝傅青主。
With men of letters they often brought out wine for her, and when they buried her (葬之__[a character that looks like an upside down Greek pi]) someone wrote a poem that said,
漢宮秋是古琴文， Han Gong Qiu is an old qin song;
幾個知音坐上聞。 Several music connoisseurs will sit and listen.
流水不逢鐘子輩， Liu Shui is seldom played for people like Zhong Ziqi.
當壚誰識卓文君。 At a thatch hut diner who would recognize Zhuo Wenjun?

清 Qing dynasty
科德氏 Miss Kede
Miss Kede (25502.xxx) was wife of #187 Hanlin College Reader 和素 He Su. Source cited: 正始集 Zhengshi Ji.
Miss Kede, a Manchu, was wife of Hanlin College Reader 和素 He Su, style name 存齋 Cunzhai. He took the Ming dynasty Yang Lun's Taigu Yiyin (<1609) and translated it as an 國書 official book called Qinpu Hebi, 18 folios， creating this especially for qin players. During 1736 - 96 it was selected for inclusion in Siku Quanshu. His wife was also able to play qin. Whenever she was with her husband they burned incense and played facing each other. There is a poem called 夜坐池上鼓琴詩 Playing the Qin at Night by the Pond that says,
初月初月掛林梢，池水尚耿耿。
微風自東來，剪碎疏瑣影。
雲歛碧天高，夜靜秋容暝。
欲撫枯桐枝，先得清虛境。
The new moon hangs on the tree tops， the pond water shines brightly.
A light breeze comes from the east, seeming to cut into small pieces the shiny reflections.
The clouds want to soar high in the blue sky, night comes peacefully and autumn makes it easy to sleep.
I want to play the dry wutong tree limb (i.e., a qin), first attaining a lunar emptiness.
覺羅學誠 Gioro Xuecheng
Gioro (35799.56 Jueluo) was a name given to Manchu royalty. Xuecheng (Bio/1593). 尚書蘇庫 Grand Secretary Suku (d. 1740; Bio/801). 雅爾哈善 Yarhashan (1689 - 1759; Bio/2298). Source cited: 安裘居隨筆 Anqiuju Suibi.
Xuecheng, style name 丹奉 Danfeng, was a Manchu of the 正紅旗 Correct Red Banner. She was a daughter of 尚書蘇庫 Grand Secretary Suku, and a younger sister of Defeat Rebels General 雅爾哈善 Yarhashan (1689 - 1759). She was the eighth child so in her generation she was called 覺羅八姑 Eighth Gioro Girl. A good reader, she discussed patriotic affairs old and new. Thinking that she had an incurable disease she decided to stay with her parents to the end (and not get married). She died 1763. She was skilled at qin and wrote 素言一卷 Plain Words, in one folio. In it she mainly discusses qin studies. It said,
琴為眾樂之宗... Qin has the chief place of honor among all types of music....
It also said,
琴理至細，不獨其音清....
It also said,
古之女子有不好琴而精於琵琶者。予所不解。琵琶非閨中人所宜弄。精之奚益。
Her elegant style and great knowledge were like this.
丁仙窈 Ding Xianyao
Ding Xianyao (Bio/ ). 閻修齡 Yan Xiuling (42324.31) was a Ming official from 太原 Taiyuan in Shaanxi who discarded his rank after 1644 and lived in northern Jiangsu's 淮安 Huai'an district, gaining fame as a poet; he called himself 牛叟 Venerable Ox. Sources cited: 兌閣遺徽 Duige Yihui and 湖海樓集 Huhailou Ji.
Ding Xianyao, style name 少姜 Shaojiang, was wife of 閻修齡 Yan Xiuling. She was (his?) 百詩母 "mother of 100 poems" (?). Skilled at qin, she did not learn from a teacher, but used her own ideas to create 譜 (notated?) melodies. They were beautiful and natural. 又善奕 She was also good at chess. Xiuling made a qin for her and 雙清圖陳其年等 with a "paired clarity diagram" wrote on it the year and so forth. It all had his 題詠 impromptu verses praising her.
趙氏 Ms. Zhao
Zhao Shi (Bio/ ); 楊紫淵 Yang Ziyuan (15489.xxx); 管社山 Guanshe Mountains (26689.xxx). Sources cited for mother and daughter: 江蘇詩徵 Jiangsu Shi Zheng and 正始續集 Zhengshi Xuji.
Ms. Zhao, from Wuxi, was married to the recluse 楊紫淵 Yang Ziyuan. By nature she loved landscape and she joined Ziyuan in reclusion in the 管社山 Guanshe Mountains. When old there was a poem 閒居鼓琴 Living in Reclusion and Playing the Qin that said,
雨後清泉繞砌流....([7+7] x 2)
After the rain the clear spring flows around the stone steps....)
楊秋漪 Yang Qiuyi
Yang Qiuyi (xxx), Ms. Zhao's younger daughter.
(Ms. Zhao's) younger daughter, Yang Qiuyi, also could play the qin. There is a phrase which says 乍添雞舌理絲桐 Hastily add cloves (then? while?) playing the qin.
黃修娟 Huang Xiujuan
Huang Xiujuang (xxx); 參議 Ming counsellor 陸震 Lu Zhen, style name 汝亨 Ruheng (1464 - 1519!? see Bio/1312); 沈希珍 Shen Xizhen (17529.136xxx); 沈光祚 Shen Guangzuo (xxx). Sources cited: 初月樓見聞錄 Chuyuelou Jianwen Lu and 杭郡詩緝 Hangjun Shiji.
Huang Xiujuan, style name 媚清 Meiqing, was a daughter of 參議 Ming counsellor (陸)汝亨 Lu Ruheng, and wife of 沈希珍 Shen Xizhen, a son of 侍郎 senior official 沈光祚 Shen Guangzuo. When seven years old she could play the qin, when eight she could write poetry. (Her father) once patted her and said, This is a man; the best in our family." (Her husband Shen) Xizhen, style name 羽文 Yuwen, 劬學自勵 studied hard and was encouraging (?). After their marriage they had a small bamboo grove. Meiqing would often be there playing the qin with Yuwen for pleasure.
張鴻逑 Zhang Hongqiu
Zhang Hongqiu (10026.1424). Source cited: 眾香詞 Zhongxiang Ci (23874.99xxx). Her bios only mention the Qingyin Ci].)
Zhang Hongqiu, style name 琴友 Qinyou (Qin Friend), was from 慈谿 Ciqi (near 寧波 Ningbo) in Zhejiang. She was married to 姚(與祁) Mr. Yao (Yuqi). (Qin)you, while at 二京 Erjing hoping for a child, wrote 清音詞一卷 Clear Sounds Poems, One Folio. 孫蕙媛 Sun Huiyuan of 鴛湖 Yuanhu wrote a preface for it. (The preface) said,
Qinyou, while still carried as a child, both parents taught her 占 to observe signs and familiarized her with the 四聲 four tones of Chinese poetry. Without having to study she could make rhymes. When 10 years old she learned to play the qin and loved its sound....
(Translation incomplete.)
沈珮 Shen Pei
Shen Pei (Bio/xxx); 石門吳青壇侍御 Censor Wu Qingtan, style name of 吳震方 Wu Zhenfang (Bio/1072: attained his 進士 Jinshi in 1679). Source cited: 眾香詞 Zhongxiang Ci (see previous entry.)
Shen Pei, style name 飛霞 Feixia, from 桐鄉 Tongxiang (NE of Hangzhou), was a daughter-in-law of 石門吳青壇侍御 Censor Wu Qingtan of Shimen (near Tongxiang), and wife of (his son 吳 Wu) 起代 Qidai, then a student. She was very talented. Because she was often ill she nurtured a fondness for the qin. After studying the qin only one month she could play several melodies. When people in their leisure time discussed poems about spring flowers and the autumn moon, she would play nearby. It was peaceful, spiritual and better than others, and so it was not long before she was really good.
張佛繡 Zhang Foxiu
Zhang Foxiu (10026.xxx); 青浦張梁 Zhang Liang of Qingpu (43517.xxx); his entry mentions Qingpu but says he is from Huating, near Suzhou. Source cited for both: Ranzhi Yuyun.
Zhang Foxiu, style name 抱珠 Baozhu was a daughter of 青浦張梁 Zhang Liang of Qingpu. (Zhang) Liang, style name 大木 Damu was a well-known jinshi graduate (in 1713). He also gained fame for his qin play, and Baozhu learned the finger techniques from her father, hence becoming quite good at playing the qin. Once when she was young she lit incense in her courtyard and played the piece 鶴舞天仙 He Wu Tianxian (Cranes Dance with the Heavenly Immortals; compare this with the story of her father). Suddenly two cranes flew down, calling in response to her rhythm. Everyone thought this quite extraordinary. Later she married 金山姚寺 Yao Si of Jinshan (?).
姚允迪 Yao Yundi
Yao Yundi (Bio/ ), sister of Zhang Liang's husband, Yao Si.
Yao Si's younger sister Yao Yundi, style name 蘊生 Yunsheng, studied qin from her. Her finger technique was also marvelous. She wrote by hand (i.e., it was never printed?) a 秋琴閣詩 Poem on the Autumn Qin Apartments.
吳綃 Wu Xiao (mid-17th century)
Wu Xiao (Bio/ ). Sources cited: 海虞苑 Hai Yu Yuan and 正始集 Zheng Shi Ji. See also Women Writers of Traditional China, pp.375 - 382 (seven poems).
Wu Xiao, style names 素公 Sugong and 冰仙 Bingxian, nickname 片霞 Pianxia, was from 常州 Changzhou in Jiangsu province. She married 參政 government official 許瑤 Xu Yao of 常熟 Changshu. She was skilled at painting, a good qin player, and 擅吟詠 an innovative singer. Her family had an antique qin; when under a moon she would play it. Among the talented ladies of 吳 Wu, 徐(媛 style name) 小淑 Xu Xiaoshu (10363.444) was skilled at poetry and essays, 趙端容 Zhao Duanrong (xxx) was a good painter. Of those who were very famous only (Wu Xiao) and these two (other ladies) 難 really stood out, and all were good at qin. 馮(斑 Feng Ban, a poet, style name) 定遠 Feng Dingyuan praised them greatly.
黃婉璚 Huang Wanqiong
Huang Wanqiong (Bio/ ). Source cited: Ranzhi Yuyun.
Huang Wanqiong, style name 葆儀 Baoyi, was from 甯鄉 Ningxiang (22212.0 ?). When her brother (黃)虍癡 (Huang) Huchi studied qin from 沈素生 Shen Susheng (any relation to Shen Suqiong?), Baoyi listened from behind a curtain and so had very good technique. Qin melodies such as Shitan Zhang, with the most severe Buddhist recitation, Baoyi could learn at once. Some people would study a piece like Shuixian Cao (see Bo Ya) and would not learn it after three months. Baoyi could look at the tablature and sight read it, then the following night be able to play it fluently. Her poem 聽琴 Listening to the Qin said, (5 x 4; not yet translated). She so prized her old qin that she would sleep and rise with it. Family members buried her qin with her.
阮恩濼 Ruan Enluo or Enpo
Ruan Enluo (42492.43: was wife of 沈霖元 Shen Linyuan and wrote poems; it mentions the hand-copied 慈暉館詞鈔 Zihuiguan Cichao, and has some general references). 阮元 Ruan Yuan, style name 文達 Wenda (1764 - 1849; jinshi). Source cited: Ranzhi Yuyun.
Ruan Enluo, style name 媚川 Meichuan, was a grand-daughter of (阮)文達 (Ruan) Wenda (1764 - 1849); she was skilled at qin. (After) Ruan Wenda built his Wenxuan Tower in Yangzhou Meichuan spent time in the tower playing qin. Each time Wenda climbed the tower he had to tell (her) to play something, then play again. He called her his qin grand-daughter. He wrote matching scrolls for her that said,
古琴百衲彈清散，
名帖雙鉤搨硬黃。
高玖 Gao Jiu
Gao Jiu (46302.xxx). Qinshu Cunmu #319 concerns her Qinpu, but it is almost verbatim to here, so there is no additional information about the contents. 蘭閨集一卷 Lan Gui Ji, one folio (33297.316xxx lan gui). Source cited: 四川通志 Sichuan Tongzhi.
Gao Jiu was the daughter of 四川甯遠府會理州郎中高翀 the official Gao Chong of Huili region of Ningyuan district of (southwest) Sichuan province (near Yunnan). At marriageable age (lit.: 15, when the hair is put up) she was fluent with the 孝經 Classic of Filial Piety as well as many histories and biographies, and was good at poems and essays. She accompanied her father when he went as an official to 金陵 Nanjing. If one day she acquired some qin notation she would look at it and immediately understand its directions. Besides playing the qin she also understood music theory. After marriage she was filial to her mother-in-law and respectful to her husband; she didn't become proud because of her artistic abilities. Unfortunately did not live long, dying at age 23. She wrote 蘭閨集一卷 Lan Gui Ji, one folio, and 琴譜二卷 Qin Pu, two folios.
丁月鄰 Ding Yuelin
Ding Yuelin (Bio/). Sources cited for all three: 靈芬館詩話 Lingfengguan Shihua and Ranzhi Yuyun.
Ding Yuelin, style name 素娟 Sujuan, married into the 許 Xu family. Skilled at qin, she wrote a 頌琴樓詩草 Draft Poem for Praising the Qin Tower. At one time she was private tutor in small farm home of 嚴公 Mr. Yan, directing classes for his daughter 嚴迢 Yan Tiao (see below). Yuelin herself had a daughter named 許珠 Xu Zhu (see next).
徐珠 Xu Zhu
Xu Zhu (Bio/) was a daughter of Mrs. Xu, nee Ding Yuelin.
Xu Zhu, style name 孟淵 Mengyuan, wrote (a melody called) 艸/憲宦吟 Xuan Huan Yin (33162.0 艸/憲 = 萱 32052.xxx Intonation of an Official looking after Day-lilies?). She was especially marvelous at qin studies.
巖迢 Yan Tiao
Yan Tiao was the daughter of Mr. Yan, where Ding Xuelin and her daughter Xu Zhu were tutors.
Yan Tiao, style name 子孅 Zixian, also studied with Xu Mengyuan. There is a 琴餘小草春夜鼓琴詩 Poem on Playing the Qin on a Spring Evening...? (21570.xxx) that says,
參差梅影滿階橫，
樺燭殘時月正明。
閒抱玉琴彈一曲，
清商并入雁歸聲。
胡相端 Hu Xiangduan
Hu Xiangduan (Bio/xxx); Sources cited for #388: 耕硯田齋筆記 Gengyantian Zhai Biji, 正始集 Zheng Shi Ji 墨林今話 Molin Jinhua (same as #406 below), 畫林新詠 Hualin Xinyong and Ranzhi Yuyun.
Hu Xiangduan, nicknamed 智珠 Zhizhu, from 大興 Daxing (Shaanxi?), was a daughter of 湖文銓 Hu Wenquan (Bio/xxx), governor of 常德 Changde (Northern Hunan); and wife of literary scholar 許蔭基 Xu Yinji (Bio/xxx) of 青浦 Qingpu (east of Suzhou), who was a younger son of a 穆堂侍御 palace official and skilled painter. Hu Zhizhu was good a playing qin, poetry, and painting. She wrote a 抱月樓集 Collection from Embracing the Moon Pavilion and a 散花天室稿 Sketches from the Scattered Flower Sky Room. The number of ladies who studied qin from her was very great. 師妙嫈 (last character replace 火s with 木s) Shi Miao___ and her younger sister 師霞裳 Shi Xiachang of 關中 Guanzhong (Shaanxi), and 倪文蘭 of 吳門 Wumen (Suzhou) were all female disciples in the Embracing the Moon Pavilion.
徐淑慧 Xu Shuhui
Xu Shuhui (Bio/xxx)
Xu Shuhui, style name 定生 Dingsheng, was a daughter of Hu Zhizhu. Smart and quick from birth, she received training from her mother and within a few years was fluent on the qin. When grown up she married 鄭湖 Zheng Hu of 蘭陵 Lanling (southern Shandong?). She was widowed young and then used qin classes for her disciples to make a living.
華韻蓮 Hua Yunlian
Hua Yunlian (Bio/)
Hua Yunlian of 吳門 Wumen (Suzhou) was most prominent student of Xu Shuhui.
蔡氏 Ms. Cai
Ms. Cai (Bio/); Source cited for #389: Ranzhi Yuyun.
Ms. Cai, from 太倉 Taicang (northeast of Suzhou), was a daughter of Mr. 蔡能一 Cai Nengyi and the wife of 彭禮 Peng Li. Cai Nengyi had broad knowledge of refined things. He studied the significance of the refined qin. Going against current trends he criticized the vulgar and eschewed the lewd when he wrote his book 雅琴精義 Yaqin Jingyi (QSCM #288: two folios; no details; also mentioned in 與古齋琴譜 Yuguzhai Qinpu, NFI). Ms. Cai continued her father's learning. Every spring she would pass the days in the 淑秋堂 Pure Autumn Hall. Late at night, when the wind whistled through her clothing and the moon was bright over the doorway, 茗甲欲坼爐香方酣拄指鉤弦 with top quality tea she enjoyed burning incense and without restraint strumming on a qin. Playing a few tunes peacefully and solemnly she would make people calm and display feelings that awakened the spirit and moved even the animals. Listeners would have thoughts of music from the moon and clouds. Her father never got his book (Yaqin Jingyi) printed, but Ms. Cai greatly valued these handwritten records (see her daughter, below). She gave them to her 子 son or daughter 彭兆蓀 Peng Zhaosun, who wrote a preface and had it published.
彭湘蘅 Peng Xiangheng
Peng Xiangheng (Bio/). The article does not specify who this is: perhaps it is the same person as the 彭兆蓀 Peng Zhaosun just mentioned.
Some women said Peng Xiangheng could also play the qin.
吳氏 Ms. Wu
Ms. Wu (Bio/). The melody mentioned, Si Qin Cao, is an ancient title, but it survives only in 8 handbooks from 1511 to 1802. Source cited: 太倉州志 Taicangzhou Zhi.
Ms. Wu of 太倉 Taicang (northeast of Suzhou), the wife of 王發祥 Wang Faxiang, read heavily from the classicals, especially understanding the good and bad points in history. A good poet and qin player, she also filial. When her mother died she wrote (a version of) 思親操 Si Qin Cao. This has been played for generations.
柴靜儀 Chai Jingyi
Chai Jingyi (Bio/) was daughter of (柴)世堯 (Chai) Shiyao (Chai Yunqian Bio/) and wife of 沈鏐 Shen Liu (Bio/), a 廣文 "professor". 麟慶 Lin Qing, 1791 - 1846, Manchu governor of various regions along the Yangzi (see Hummel) helped publish her 凝香室集 Ningxiangshi Ji, and (its?) 北堂集 Bei Tang Ji (2615.254xxx: are they connected to this?) Source cited: 杭郡詩輯 Hangjun Shiji (same as for #379 above). She was also a painter. See Women Writers of Traditional China, pp. 387 - 91.
Chai Jingyi, style name 季嫺 Jixian, was from 仁和 Renhe (in Hangzhou district). She was the daughter of 孝廉 local investigator (柴)世堯 (Chai) Shiyao, and wife of Professor 沈鏐 Shen Liu. There is a 凝香室詩鈔 Ningxiangshi Shichao, and (its?) 北堂集 Bei Tang Ji. Her (or his?) father 雲倩 Yuqian was a good qin player. He had a qin named 老龍吟 Old Dragon's Hum which he gave to her, and he taught her the playing techniques. So when she copied out her own qin handbook he wrote a preface for it.
王珩 Wang Heng
Wang Heng (Bio/). Source cited: Zhengshi Xuji (see #375 above.)
Wang Heng, from 嘉定 Jiading (near Kunshan in Jiangsu), and wife of 陳定武 Chen Dingwu, was skilled at qin. Embroidery finished and studying over she would use the qin to amuse herself. As a result 夏日即事句 Xiari Jishi Ju (5845.xxx) has a couplet that says,
不須團扇能無署，
寫罷烏絲更理琴。
This seems like a realistic description.
蘇始芳 Su Shifang
Su Shifang, style name 幼馨 Youxin, from 江蘇山陽 Shanyang in Jiangsu, was a concubine of 盛京錦州知府烏程潘尚仁 Jinzhou (in Liaoning) prefect Pan Shangren (Bio/xxx) of Wucheng (north of Hangzhou). A skilled qin player, she presented a 拂琴篇 Playing the Qin Essay which had (the poem)
眾籟息遙夜，冷蟬照疏林...
(Total length: [5 + 5] x 6).
This expressed her reserved elegance. (Source: 兩浙輶軒續錄 Liang Zhe Youxuan Xulu.)
姚雪初 Yao Xuechu
Yau Xuechu (Bio/). Wu Lanxue is 吳嵩梁 Wu Songliang, 1766 - 1834, a noted poet and the husband of #395 Jiang Jinqiu. Source cited: 香蘇山館詩集 Xiangsushanguan Shiji, by Wu Songliang.
Yau Xuechu, style name 翠濤 Cuitao, was a 姬人 concubine of the old drunkard 吳水部 Wu Shuibu. Shuibu's family for generations had been skilled at the qin. The elder sister called 桂林夫人 Madame Guilin (Cassia Forest; same as name of place in Guizhou), and the daughter called 小桂者 Little Cassia were especially good at qin. Cuitao studied from them but surpassed their skills. Shuibu made 聽琴圖 an illustration of listening to the qin, and 吳蘭雪 Wu Lanxue praised her in a poem that said,
吾宗季重才誰匹，家世彈琴推第一。....(Total length: [7 + 7] x 12, ending)
老夫詩法參琴理，願就蛾眉寫正聲。.
蔣錦秋 Jiang Jinqiu
Jiang Jinqiu (Bio/) was from 西江 Xijiang (? 35587.102 tells only of rivers in Guangdong and Guangxi). For her husband Wu Lanxue see #394. Sources cited for #395: Xiangsushanguan Shiji (as for #394 above), and Ranzhi Yuyun.
Jiang Jinqiu, a poet from 西江 Xijiang, became the wife of Wu Lanxue after his first wife died. She was a skilled qin player. Lanxue's friend 李湛然 Li Zhanran could take Lanxue's poems and put them into qin melodies. Jinqiu was could also 傳之疊韻雙聲“芬流紗慢” set his couplets and alliteration to music, such as "Fragrance Flows from the Gauze Curtain".
張尚玉 Zhang Shangyu
Zhang Shangyu (Bio/).
At the same time as above, （#290) Wu Jinghu acquired a qin from 謝疊山 Xie Dieshan. Wu and his wife Zhang Shangyu, style name 琴慧 Qinhui, were also good students of the qin. Jiang Jinqiu and Zhang Shangyu were qin friends within the women's apartments.
吳蕙 Wu Hui
Wu Hui (Bio/); 漢槎 Han Cha (Bio/xxx); 費定烈 Fei Dinglie (37565.xxx). Sources cited: 吳江縣志 Wujiang Xianzhi and 松陵詩徵 Songling Shizheng.
Wu Hui, style name 蘭質 Lanzhi, grand-daughter of 漢槎 Han Cha, married the zhusheng degree graduate 費定烈 Fei Dinglie. Besides chanting and composing poems she was good at the principles of qin. If old tablature had mistakes she could correct them according to their intentions. Unfortunately she died before she was 30 years old.
王韻梅 Wang Yunmei
Wang Yunmei (Bio/). Source cited: Ranzhi Yuyun. (The McGill website has a 瑞鶴仙 Ruihe Xian by her that mentions qin near the end. Ruihe Xian is a 詞 ci form also used in a qin song.)
Wang Yunmei, style name 素卿 Suqing, was from 昭文 Zhao Wen (i.e., 常熟 Changshu) in Jiangsu province. Skilled at qin, she wrote 問月樓稿 (Sketches from Ask the Moon Tower). Its qin poem said,
古調日益稀，新聲日益靡....
(Total length: [5 + 5] x 9).
Her writings were very fine: not only refined but beyond compare.
江鴻禎 Jiang Hongzhen
Jiang Hongzhen (Bio/); Source cited: Ranzhi Yuyun.
Jiang Hongzhen was from 福州 Fuzhou in Fujian province. When six years old she could play the qin, at nine her poetry was good. When she was 15 she dreamt that six or seven girls in purple clothing beckoned her to go traveling. They said to her, "Yue and we are 閬風侍女 Waiting Maids from Mount Langfeng (42251.11: abode of immortals; reference to Chu Ci). Won't you return with us?" When she awoke she told her mother.... (Translation incomplete.
李文慧 Li Wenhui
Li Wenhui (Bio/xxx); source cited: Ranzhi Yuyun.
Li Wenhui, style names 亦士 Yishi and 端之 Duanzhi, was from 永城 Yongcheng in Henan. Skilled at qin, she wrote a 畹思小寄吟 Wansi Xiaoji Yin. Its "Evening ripples in the winding river, not sleeping soundly and playing the qin" poem says,
舟泊曲江口，孤嶼澹欲失。遙岸魚火明，煙中棹歌息。
.....(Total length: [5 + 5] x 9).....
月白與風清，驚起魚龍出。曲終猶徘徊，蓬窗風露溼。
閔苧 Min Ning
Min Ning (Bio/); source: 宋江府志 Songjiang Fuzhi
Min Ning, nicknamed 蘿屏 Luoping, was from 南匯 Nanhui (now part of Shanghai), married the widower 黃大昕 Huang Daxin (Bio/xxx). When young she studied qin from her uncle. (She also studied other arts but was especially good at qin. After marriage household duties made it difficult to continue these arts.)
閔蕙 Min Hui
Min Hui (Bio/); same source as above.
(Ming Ning's) younger sister Min Hui could also play the qin.
張如玉 Zhang Ruyu
Zhang Ruyu (Bio/); source: 浦城縣志 County Records of Pucheng, in northern Fujian province
Zhang Ruyu, from Pucheng, was a granddaughter of 張倫玉 Zhang Lunyu (Bio/xxx; 832.xxx), Minister of the Board of Revenue and Population. (When young she was filial, taking care of her mother in illness). When she grew up she married 監生 Inspector 吳芳榆 Wu Fangyu. Good at qin she wrote an 暗香琴譜 An Xiang Qinpu.
董琬貞 Dong Wanzhen
Dong Wanzhen (Bio/); source: 琴隱園集 Qin Yin Yuan Ji.
Dong Wanzhen, style name 容壺 Ronghu, was the wife of 都督 Commander 湯雨生 Tang Yusheng of 武進 (常州 Changzhou, Jiangsu). People said she was a granddaughter of 紅豆詞人潮 the Red Bean Poet of Chaozhou (? 吳綺 Wu Qi, 1619 - 94 [Bio/1041], nicknamed Red Bean Poet, was once magistrate of Chaozhou). Skilled at poetry and a good painter, she was especially good at the prinicples of qin. She once sketched a picture called 梅窗琴趣 Plum Window Qin Interest, and herself wrote one poem called 青玉案 Green Jade Table that said,
梅花不作瑤琴主絕塞霜笳苦
畫裏韶光如夢度朱闌池縠綠....
董肅 Dong Su
Dong Su (Bio/); Source: same as above. It is not clear why her surname is not 湯 Tang, after her father.
(Dong Wanzhen's) daughter Dong Su studied qin from her mother. She also made extremely good progress. (Tang) Yusheng had a boat. At night he heard his daugther Su playing the qin and 詞調寄長命女 (wrote an instructive poem using "chang" for the rhyme?) that said，
新月上，一碧湘流平似掌，斷螢涼入舫，半夜魚燈吹畫綠綺片時清響，
只有中郎能意賞客緒無安放。
何淑蘋 He Shupin
Miss He (Bio/), Source cited: 邵武府志 Shaowu Fuzhi (Shaowu is in Fujian.)
Miss He, style name 淑蘋 Shupin, was a daughter of 何長敦 He Changdun (Bio/xxx), 博野知縣 a government official serving in Boye (southern Hebei province). When young she studied poetry. She was very talented, especially at understanding music theory. Pipa lute, zheng zither and di transverse flute she would play a bit and at once be skilled. Her 從父 paternal uncle 何長聚 He Changju (Bio/xxx), a noted scholar, admonished her, saying, Those are not really good for you; he then presented her with a qin and taught her several old melodies. In a month she had learned well enough to carry the tunes and so her other instruments, like the pipa, all gathered dust, being unplayed. She died young. There is a 琴北詩鈔 Qin Bei Shi Chao which has passed down (about her?).
洪銑 Hong Xian
Hong Xian (or Hong Xi; 17757.38xxx; Bio/1288 has no dates). Source cited: Zhang Xingjian's Biographies of Very Filial Women (張星鑑洪孝女傳 Zhang Xingjian Hongxiaonü Zhuan; 10026.675 張星鑑 puts this in Siku Quanshu, so Hong Xian must have lived earlier than 1780.)
Filial Daughter Hong had the given name Xian. Her father, 坦 Tan, from 歙縣 She county (Anhui), was a businessman in Suzhou and thus familiar with what went on in 吳縣 that region. Her mother's maiden name was 潘 Pan and her elder brother was 潘鈞 Pan Jun. She was the fifth filial daughter (or woman in the book given below as source). From birth she had an excellent disposition. She was filial to her parents and respectful to her older brothers; she spoke honestly and did things correctly. She liked the Daoist sayings of the immortals and thus got the nickname Eagerly Looking for Immortals (企仙 Qixian). Her father died when she was young and so she and her mother were taken care of by her maternal grandfather. When she was nine she followed her mother, fleeing a catastrophe, to 青州 Qingzhou (central Shandong), where they were taken care of by relatives surnamed 徐 Xu. She dressed plainly, not using fine silks for her daily clothing. She was especially fond of the arts and her paternal uncle taught her the qin. After playing some pieces she got to the stage where she seemed not even to be using her hands when playing. Thus within a year she could already play 10 pieces. During 庚午冬 the winter of gengwu [1750, 1690, 1630, etc.] her brother Hong Jun's job as a bookkeeper took him to Hubei as a school investigator. Hong Xian then took care of her mother and they (also) went to the Chu region. Here she (or her music?) remained solemn, no different from the time in Qingzhou.
妙孁 Miao Ling
Miao Ling (Ling 7025: a woman's character = 靈). Her handbook is in the 2010 Edition of QQJC: Zha Fuxi had listed it as non-indexed work #27, attributing it to 師妙孁 Shi Miaoling (Bio/xxx) and saying it is a hand copy in the Shanghai Library. Source cited: 琴書存目 Qinshu Cunmu #320; almost verbatim to this.
Miao Ling was a woman of 韓城 Hancheng (Hebei or Shaanxi). Good at qin, she wrote a 梅華仙館琴譜一卷 Plum Flower Immortals Hall Qin Handbook, one Folio. It had finger techniques at the front. Its melodies were selected from Deyintang Qinpu, Chuncaotang Qinpu, Baojinzhai Qinpu (Qinshu Cunmu #316, but it has no further information), Wuzhizhai Qinpu and Erxiangzhai (perhaps Erxiang Qinpu). She was probably the one who collected all these handbooks in order to make this one.
吳德韞 Wu Deyun
Wu Deyun (Bio/) was second wife of 溫純 Wen Chun (Bio/2369: a well-known calligrapher and engraver; no dates given). Source cited: 墨林今話 Molin Jinhua (5615.73, by 蔣寶齡 Jiang Baoling, 1781 - 1840, and son; same as #388 above).
Wu Deyun, style name 恒卿 Heng Qing, was the second wife of widower 溫純 Wen Chun, style name 一齋 Yizhai, of 烏程 Wucheng (north of Hangzhou). She was good at playing qin. Yizhai once wrote an engraving that said, 花中疑有曲絃外欲傳神句貽之 Leisure among the flowers has melody beyond the strings. He (I?) wanted to transmit spiritual phrases and present them to her. (??.)
纖纖 Xian Xian
Xian Xian was the style name of 金逸 Jin Yi (1770 - 1794), a native of Suzhou. Women Writers of Traditional China, p.485ff, includes four poems and says her teacher, the noted poet and essaying 袁枚 Yuan Mei (1716 - 1798) wrote an inscription on her grave. It says her husband was a government student named Chen Ji, about whom I have found no further information; his style name must have been 竹士 Zhushi. The 廋吟廔集 Souyinlou Ji mentioned here should be 廋吟廔詩草 Poetry drafts from the Tower of the Slender Intoner. Tingyun Guan (845.50) had been a home of the poet-painter 文徵明 Wen Zhengming (1470 - 1559). Source cited here: 大鶴題跋 Great Crane Colophon.
陳竹士 Chen Zhushi was a government scholar during the period 1796 - 1851 (嘉道, i.e. 嘉靖+道光). His wife, Madame Xian Xian, was good at poetry and skilled at qin. Her 廋吟廔集 Souyinlou Ji still exists. She once had in her collection a qin that was an old object from the 停雲館 Tingyun Guan. On the back was engraved 纖纖珍玩 Xian Xian enjoys the treasure. It was secretly stored in Chen Zhushi's womens' quarters.

Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. 琴史續 Qinshi Xu; my copy is a photocopy from The Chinese Library, Taipei. It was bound together with Qinshi Bu, and indexes sometimes only list Qinshi Bu (Return)

2. 周慶雲 Zhou Qingyun (Return)

3. The earlier books quoted early histories which have sometimes been translated in whole or in part. The present volume quotes mostly local records. Unlike Zhu Changwen, Zhou Qingyun names his sources. He may edit somewhat the sources, but generally simply quotes them. (Return)

4. My comments on this are in Qin History, Footnote 1. (Return)

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