These 440 biographical essays begin around 1100 CE, where Zhu Changwen's Qin Shi and Zhou Qingyun's Qin Shi Supplement end. As with those pages, the original biography (if translated) is indented.

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

1. 徽宗 Song emperor Huizong (r. 1101-1126)
   趙佶 Zhao Ji (1082 - 1135); see separate entry.

2. 高宗 Song Emperor Gaozong (r. 1127 - 1163)
   趙構 Zhao Gou (1107 - 1187); see separate entry.

3. 朱長文 Zhu Changwen (1041 - 1100)
   See separate entry

4. 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 Chen Yu Gu Tong, original name 澗泉 Jian Shui; 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.

5. 陳暘 Chen Yang
   Chen Yang (42618.949; in 1094 he 制科), style name 晉之 Jinzhi, was from 福州 Fuzhou (in Fujian). He wrote 琴聲經緯 Qinsheng Jingwei (QSCM #104.) Sources cited: 宋史 Song History, 陳氏樂書 Chenshi Yueshu.
   Chen Yang, style name Jinzhi, was from Fuzhou (in Fujian). He had several official positions, up to the rank of 禮部侍郎 assistant minister in the Ministry of Rites. He specialized in 曉樂律 standards for morning music, and was especially excellent at qin....

6. 葉夢得 Ye Mengde (1077 - 1148)
   See separate entry

   崔閑 Cui Xian (8405.xxx)
   (See Xu Jian's History 6a2.)

7. 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....

8. 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....

9. 何薳 He Wei
   He Wei (489.381), 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 considered to have been bad. The source cited is 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 (or 寒青 Hanqing). He wrote a 春渚紀聞 Chunzhu Jiwen which includes a 雜書琴事一卷 Zashu Qin Shi, One Folio. When the Song dynasty fled south (ca. 1125) he (retired).

10. 朱熹 Zhu Xi (1130 - 1200)
    Famous neo-Confucian scholar; see separate article

11. 姜夔 Jiang Kui (ca. 1155 - 1221)
    Famous poet, musician and critic; see separate article

12. 張巖 Zhang Yan (Bio. 1216)
    See separate entry

13. 張鎡 Zhang Zi
    -

14. 范先之 Fan Xianzhi
    -

15. 郭楚望 Guo Chuwang
    Style name of 郭沔 Guo Mian, see separate entry

16. 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.

17. 孫惟信 Sun Weixin
    -

18. 徐理 Xu Li
    See separate entry

19. 吳良輔 Wu Liangfu
    See Xu Jian's History 6a2. Qinshu Cunmu attributes a Qin Pu to Wu Liangfu.

20. 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

21. 文天祥 Wen Tianxiang (1236 - 1283)
    See separate entry.

    胡日宣 Hu Rixuan
    Style name 德昭 Dezhao, nickname 琴窗 Qinchuang

22. 汪元量 Wang Yuanliang
    See separate entry

23. 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).

24. 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)

25. 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

26. 金熙宗 Jin Emperor Xizong (r. 1135 - 1149)
    -

27. （金）世宗 Jin Emperor Shizong (r. 1161 - 1190)
    -

28. （金）章宗 Jin Emperor Zhangzong (r. 1190 - 1209)
    See Qinshi Chubian, Chapter 6, Part A5.

29. 苗秀實 Miao Xiushi (d. 1232)
    See separate entry
     

    元 Yuan Dynasty

30. 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
    -

31. 趙夢頫 Zhao Mengfu (1254 - 1322)
    See separate article

    張天與 Zhang Tianyu
    Zhang Tianyu (Bio/xxx), style name 伯禹 Boyu, self-nicknamed 句曲外史 Gouqu Waishi, was an gentleman who often listened to Zhao Mengfu discuss qin.

32. 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.

    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.

33. 俞琰 Yu Yan (1258 - 1327)
    5 lines, source given as 蘇州府志 Suzhou gazetteer. Qinshu Cunmu lists his Qin Pu in 40 folios. Xu Jian, QSCB, 6a3 has details, saying that he originated the modern tradition of qin songs. Qin Fu, p. 1699, has a preface from his 爐火監戒錄 Record of a Warning from the Stove. In it he 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 the books named in QSCB. He says 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.

34. 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.

35. 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.

36. 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.

37. 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.

38. 蕭性淵 Xiao Xingyuan
    Xiao Xingyuan (Bio/xxx) was from 鄱陽 Poyang (lake district east of Nanchang). One of his ancestors 官將領 was a high ranking military official had a qin that he loved called 霜鐘 Shuangzhong. Xingyuan 謫和林攜琴 lost office.... He visited 揭徯斯字曼碩 Jie Xisi (style name Manshi or Manshuo; Bio/2298, 1274 - 1344) at the Historiography Institute; Jie Xisi sang along. Etc. (西神客話 Xishen Kehua)

39. 宋尹文 Song Yinwen
    (See See Xu Jian's History 6a3)

40. 郭撫 Guo Fu
    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. It was motionless with no sound.... (eventually a guest came, cleaned it up and played it)... Guo Fu learned from him two melodies, 昭雲 Zhao Yun and 泣猿 Qi Yuan. But when other people played it, it still had no sound.

41. 張桂 Zhang Gui
    Zhang Gui (Bio/) was from 婆源 Poyuan (southwest Zhejiang province).

42. 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...

43. 李天和 Li Tianhe
    Li Tianhe was from 新淦 Xin'gan (central Jiangxi province)

    李嵩壽 Li Songshou
    -

44. 林晉 Lin Jin
    Lin Jin was from 中山 Zhongshan (near 茅山 Maoshan in Zhejiang province)

45. 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)

46. 郭節之 Guo Jiezhi
    Guo Jiezhi, from 六合 Liuhe (north across the Yangzi from Nanjing)

47. 員怡然 Yuan Yiran
    Yuan Yiran was from 關中 Guanzhong (south of 華山 Huashan in 陝西 Shaanxi)

48. 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.

49. 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.

50. 倪瓚 Ni Zan (1301 - 1374)
    Ni Zan, style name 元鎮 Yuan Zhen, nickname 雲林 Yunlin, was from Wuxi. A famous painter and recluse, he became known as the 無錫高士 Recluse of Wuxi. See Ni Zan? and the Watt article

    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)

51. 張南窗 Zhang Nanchuang
    Zhang Nanchuang, from 雁山 Yanshan (northern Shanxi province), was good at qin. He was friendly with #50 Ni Zan.

52. 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.

53. 劉程 Liu Cheng
    Liu Cheng was from 定州 Dingzhou (in Zhongshan, near 茅山 Maoshan, Zhejiang province)

54. 王有恒 Wang Youheng
    Wang Youheng was from 揚州 Yangzhou

55. 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

56. 宣宗 Xuanzong (朱瞻基 Zhu Zhanji, 1398 - 1435; r.1426 - 1435)
    Oldest son of 仁宗 Renzong (朱高熾 Zhu Gaochi 1378 - 1425; r.1425 - 1426)

57. 英宗 Yingzong (朱祁鎮 Zhu Qizhen, 1427 - 1464; r. 1435 - 1464)
    (Spurious son and successor of Zhu Zhanji.)

58. 憲宗 Xianzong (朱見深 Zhu Jianshen, 1439 - 1487; r.1464 - 1487)
    (Eldest son of Zhu Qizhen)

59. 孝宗 Xiaozong (朱祐檔 Zhu Youdang, 1470 - 1505; r.1487 - 1505)
    (Son of Zhu Jianshen)

60. 懷宗 Huaizong (朱由檢 Zhu Youjian, d. 1644; r.1627 - 1644)
    (Last Ming emperor; son of 朱由校 Zhu Youxiao 1605 - 1627; r.1620 - 1627)

61. 寧獻王（朱）權 Zhu Quan, Prince of Ning (1378 - 1448)
    See separate biography

62. 衡王（朱）厚燆 Zhu Houqiao, Prince of Heng (1507 - 1551)
    No apparent connection with Zhu Houjiao, the compiler of Fengxuan Xuanpin

63. 益王（朱）厚炫 Zhu Houxuan, Prince of Yi
    Had close connections with #62 Zhu Houqiao. Ordered 洪都琴士涂桂監 qin gentleman 涂桂監 Tu Guijian of Hongdu to make a qin with materials he had selected.

64. 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

65. 潞王（朱）常淓 Zhu Changfang, Prince of Lu (d. 1646?)
    Zhu Changfang (Bio/571), Prince of Lu (Lu Wang; 18839.0), apparently in northern Henan, next to Lu'an district of Shanxi (see below), is famous for the hundreds of qins he made in Hangzhou in the mid-17th century. He is also credited with an important qin handbook, Guyin Zhengzong (QQJC/IX; 1634). There are in existence a large number of instruments attributed to him. Most of them look exactly alike and have a rather bad sound; it is known that many of them were forged. (Note that the one in the Metropolitan Museum of New York seems to be one of the better ones).

    Zhu Changfang was a son of 簡王翊鏐 (Zhu) Yiliu (1568 - 1614), posthumously called Prince of Jian. Zhu Yiliu, fourth son of 穆宗 the Longqing emperor, r. 1567 - 73, was made 潞王 Prince of Lu in 1584, his princedom being 闈輝府 Weihui district of Henan province (see account). Weihui is in northern Henan, close to 潞安府 Lu'an district of Shanxi province, apparent home of Zhu Cheng, who had recently compiled the Wuyin Qinpu (QQJC/IV; 1579; Zhu Changfang's Guyin Zhengzong seems to have little in common with it). Bio/571 says that Zhu Changfang succeeded as Prince of Lu in Weihui in 1618, that he fought to save the Ming in the face of rebellions, then retired to Hangzhou. (See, however, another story.) Source cited below is Chunhu Manlu.

    Zhu Changfang, Prince of Lu, had the personal nickname 敬一道人 Jingyi Daoist. He was a son of 簡王翊鏐 (Zhu) Yiliu, Prince of Jian. In 1618 Changfang inherited his feudal title. Later as the Ming dynasty perished he lived in Hangzhou. When the Qing soldiers arrived Changfang came out on the road and surrendered to them. The people of Hangzhou then respected him, calling him 潞佛子 Buddha Lu.... (Made hundreds of qin in Hangzhou.)

66. 冷謙 Leng Qian (straddled Yuan and Ming dynasties)
    See separate entry; includes his 16 Rules for Qin Tones

67. 危素 Wei Su
    -

    張弘道 Zhang Hongdao
    -

    董英仲 Dong Yingzhong
    -

68. 林右 Lin You
    -

69. 張宣 Zhang Xuan
    -

70. 陳汝言 Chen Ruyan
    -

71. 吳海 Wu Hai
    -

72. 郭彥貴 Guo Yan'gui
    -

73. 鄧旭甫 Deng Xufu
    -

74. 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

75. 施彥昭 Shi Yanzhao
    (Also in QSCB, 7.A.)

76. 俞寰 Yu Huan
    -

77. 尤鏊 You Ao
    

78. 張收 Zhang Shou
    -

79. 沈民則 Shen Minze
    -

    劉仲禮 Liu Zhongli
    -

80. 魏時敏 Wei Shimin
    -

81. 盧閎侃 Lu Hongkan
    -

82. 張澤民 Zhang Zemin
    -

83. 盛英 Sheng Ying (Cheng Ying?)
    -

84. 陳憲章 Chen Xianzhang
    -

85. 伍雲 Wu Yun
    -

86. 朱瓘 Zhu Guan
    -

87. 祝海鶴 Zhu Haihe
    -

88. 高騰 Gao Teng
    -

89. 譚鎧 Tan Kai
    -

90. 張鶚 Zhang E
    -

91. 張弓 Zhang Gong
    -

    楊繼盛 Yang Jisheng
    -

92. 黃銑 Huang Xian (Huang Xi?)
    -

93. 宋學古 Song Xuegu
    -

94. 陳鼐 Chen Nai
    -

95. 宋克 Song Ke
    -

96. 王陞 Wang Sheng
    -

97. 黃維珪 Huang Weigui
    -

98. 張德潤 Zhang Derun
    -

99. 皇甫涍 Huangfu Xiao
    -

100. 皇甫濂 Huangfu Lian
     -

101. 陳鳳 Chen Feng
     -

102. 王圻 Wang Qi (Wang Yin?)
     -

103. 蘇洲 Su Zhou
     -

104. 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?)

105. 張大命 Zhang Daming
     Zhang Daming (張大命字右袞福建建溪人) was a famous late Ming qin master. Van Gulik (pp. 121-2, 179, 240) discusses his general work on the qin, Qin Jing (also called Yangchuntang Qinjing), 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..
     Zhang Daming, style name Yougun, from Jianxi in Fujian, built a qin construction room called Yangchuntang (Bright Spring Hall).... (12 lines)

106. 林有麟 Lin Youlin
     - Bio/1448 (son of 林景暘 Lin Jingyang, 1530 - 1604); wrote 青蓮舫琴雅 Qinglianfang Qinya (see Van Gulik, Lore)

107. 李之藻 Li Zhizao
     Source: 操縵錄 Caoman Lu
     Li Zhizao, style name 振之 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 His 頖宮禮樂疏 Institute of Higher Learning Ritual Music Commentary, in 10 folios, according to what is written in Siku (Quanshu), included qin tablature (see Pan'gong Liyue Shu Qinpu [#7])....

108. 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)

109. 張新 Zhang Xin
     -

110. 史繼佃 Shi Jidian (or Jitian)
     -

111. 鄭祐 Zheng You
     -

112. 屠隆 Tu Long
     -

113. 王逢年 Wang Fengnian
     -

      
     卷三 Folio 3

114. 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?
     

115. 嚴澂 Yan Cheng （嚴天池 Yan Tianchi; Bio/816 has no dates)
     Songxianguan Qinpu documented his melodies; see QSCB, 7.A.
     Source (also for Shen Taishao): Chunhu Manlu

     沈太韶 Shen Taishao (original name 沈音 Shen Yin)
     Bio/xxx, but his biography here calls him the best qin teacher of his time; details under QSCB, Chapter 7a2 (p. 126). Teacher of Hao Ning (see Zangchunwu Qinpu, 1602) as well as Yan Cheng and others.

116. 孟紹甲 Meng Shaojia
     -Bio xxx

117. 戚忠臣 Qi Zhongchen
     Bio xxx

118. 鄭邦俶 Zheng Bangchu
     -

119. 來復 Lai Fu
     -

120. 顧道潔 Gu Daojie
     -

121. 徐正學 Xu Zhengxue
     Jinshi during 1573 - 1620

122. 陳南谿 Chen Nanxi or Nanqi
     Bio xxx

123. 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

124. 虞謙 Yu Qian, nickname 樵谷 Qiaogu
     From 開化 Kaihua in central west Zhejiang (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

125. 高攀龍 Gao Panlong (1562 - 1626)
     From 無錫 Wuxi; Bio 2004

126. 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)

127. 詹懋舉 Zhan Maoju (Bio xxx)
     During 1573 - 1620 he guarded 潁州 Yingzhou (modern Fuyang in western Anhui)

128. 都修之 Du Xiuzhi, style name of 都某 Du So-and-so
     From 杭 Hang (Hangzhou?)

129. 陳瑞 Chen Rui
     From 太原 Taiyuan Bio xxx

130. 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.

131. 吳文蒸 Wu Wenzheng, also called 文正 Wenzheng
     From 江陰 Jiangyin

132. 康國相 Kang Guoxiang
     From 郃陽 (Geyang or Heyang)

133. 陸泰徵 Lu Taizheng (or Taizhi)
     From 常熟 Changshou

134. 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

135. 巖調御 Yan Diaoyu, style name 印持 Yinchi (Bio xxx)
     Wrote a 琴述 Qin Shu; (Also in QSCB, 7.A.)

136. 高宇泰 Gao Yutai (Ming/Qing; Bio 1996)
     From 鄞 Yin county of Zhejiang province.

137. 鄘露 Kuang Lu, style name 湛若 Zhanruo (1604 - 1650; Bio. 460)
     From 雨海 Yuhai (Also in QSCB, 7.A.)

138. 華夏 Hua Xia
     From 定海 Dinghai district of Zhejiang (Also in QSCB, 7.A.)

139. 楊正經 Yang Zhengjing (Bio xxx)
     A 宣慰司人 (7276.199 an official rank) from 西陽 Xiyang

140. 尹爾韜 Yin Ertao (1600 - 1678; Bio 324, under nickname 尹芝仙 Yin Zhixian)
     浙江山陰人 From Zhejiang; his handbook is 徽言祕旨 Huiyan Mizhi, 1647.
     He is also mentioned in #141 Zhang Dai and #171 Sun Quan
     QSCB, Shaoxing Qin School, describes his writing some qin songs based on lyrics written by 崇禎 Chongzhen emperor (r. 1628-44), but these do not seem to have survived

141. 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

142. 王若芝 Wang Ruozhi
     From 益都 Yidu

143. 陸符 Lu Fu
     From 寧波 Ningbo

144. 徐谼 Xu Hong (1580-1650)
     See separate enty: 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)

145. 夏汝弼 Xia Rubi, style name 叔直 Shuzhi
     -

146. 楊茂芳 Yang Maofang
     From 通州 Tongzhou

147. 張頤 Zhang Yi
     From 惠安 Hui An

148. 于鑒之 Yu Jianzhi
     From 金壇 Jintan

149. 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 written praise of Zhuang Zhenfeng. Han wrote poetry, but does not seem to have been connected to qin songs. Van Gulik, Lore, p.53, says Qing dynasty commentary 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

150. 冷士嵋 Leng Shimei
     From 丹徒 Dantu

151. 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."

152. 周續之 Zhou Xuzhi, style name 臞鶴 Quhe
     From 嘉興 Jiaxing

153. 鍾秉會 Zhong Binghui, style name 時舉 Shiju
     A recluse living in 南昌 Nanchang (Bio/xxx)

154. 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.

155. 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

156. 劉禮仁 Liu Liren
     From 潁州 Yingzhou

157. 毛際可
     From 浙江遂安 Sui An in Zhejiang

158. 孫延銓 Sun Yuanquan
     From 青州益都 Yidu in Qingzhou

159. 謝良琦 Xie Liangqi
     From 廣西全州 Quanzhou in Guangxi

     將韻和 Jiang Yunhe
     -

     曹泗濱 Cao Sibin
     -

     張訒庵 Zhang Ren'an
     -

     張煥宸 Zhang Huanchen
     -

160. 范佩蘭 Fan Peilan
     From 中州 Zhongzhou

     朱周望 Zhu Zhouwang
     -

161. 何匯海 He Huihai
     From 惠安崇武 Chongwu in Huian

162. 吳元沖 Wu Yuanchong
     His ancestors were from 太倉 Taicang

163. 尤侗 You Dong (or Tong)
     From 長洲 Changzhou

164. 譚清 Tan Qing
     From 常熟 Changshou

165. 程志灊 Chen Zhiqian
     From 歙 She county

166. 崔朋銓 Cui Pengquan
     From 海門 Haimen district

167. 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 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.

168. 孔興誘 Kong Xingyou
     From 曲阜 Qufu

169. 張英 Zhang Ying
     From 江南桐城 Tongcheng in Jiangnan

170. 徐常遇 Xu Changyu
     From 廣陵 Guangling. See Van Gulik p.83 "most prominent representative of the Guangling school"
     See QSCB, Qing dynasty Qin specialists and Xiangshan Tang Qinpu

     徐祐 Xu You
     Son of Xu Changyu

     徐禕 Xu Yi
     Son of Xu Changyu, he compiled 澄鑒堂琴譜 Chengjiantang Qinpu (Clear Mirror Hall) in 1689 (XIV/3)

171. 孫泉 (written 水全) Sun Quan
     Connected to #140 尹爾韜 Yin Ertao

172. 菜毓榮 Cai Yurong
     From 山湖 Shan Hu

173. 鄭善述 Zheng Shanshu
     Lived in 閩 (Fujian)

174. 莊臻鳳 Zhuang Zhenfeng
     QSCB; see separate entry: author of Qinxue Xinsheng (1664) and teacher of Shin-Etsu.

175. 陳翼 Chen Yi
     From 常熟 Changshou

176. 張文星 Zhang Wenxing
     Played new music (?) at the beginning of Kangxi period (1662 - 1723)

177. 黃正傳 Huang Zhengzhuan (or Zhengchuan)
     From 建寧 Jianning

178. 夏浦 Xia Pu
     From 蘇州 Suzhou

179. 沈宗敬 Shen Zongjing
     From 華亭 Huating

180. 巖光(支學) Yan Guangxiao
     From 曲阜 Qufu

181. 朱人特 Zhu Rente
     From 泰興 Taixing

182. 黃應纘 Huang Yingzuan
     From 漳州府平和 From Pinghe in Zhangzhou district

183. 章生 Zhang Sheng
     From 閩 Min (Fujian)

184. 金陶 Jin Tao
     From 嘉興 Jiaxing; see QSCB, Qing dynasty Qin specialists

     王澤山 Wang Zeshan
     -

185. 魏濱 Wei Bin
     From 直隸鳳潤 Fengrun in Zhili

186. 王坦 Wang Tan
     From 通州 Tongzhou

     王公捷 Wang Gongjie (?)
     -

187. 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 (<1609) in order to make a dual language (Manchu / Chinese) 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 Extra Vol. 10 of Siku Yishu Zongshu.) (Source: Siku Tiyao.)

188. 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.

189. 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
     -

190. 程雄 Cheng Xiong
     From 燕山 Yanshan (QSCB, Chapter 8A [p. 153] says 安徽休寧人 from Xiuning in Anhui, studied with Han Shigeng)
     Compiled Songfengge Qinpu

191. 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
     -

192. 雲志高 Yun Zhigao
     See QSCB, Qing dynasty Qin specialists; from 廣東文昌 Wenchang in Guangdong; compiled 蓼懷堂琴譜 Luhuaitang Qinpu (1702; XIII.3)

193. 祖餐雲 Zu Canyun
     A recluse in 吳 Zhejiang

     祖簡能 Zu Jianneng
     -

     董陳亮 Dong Chenliang
     -

194. 徐祺 Xu Qi
     From 揚州 Yangzhou, he compiled 五知齋琴譜 Wuzhizhai Qinpu (1722; XIV.4).
     See QSCB, Qing dynasty Qin specialists

     徐侯 Xu Hou
     -

     周魯封 Zhou Lufeng
     -

     黃鎮 Huang Zhen
     -

     汪安候 Wang Anhou
     -

     羅子敬 Luo Zijing
     -

195. 張岡 Zhang Gang
     From 長洲 Changzhou

196. 吳方 Wu Fang
     From 陳州 Chenzhou

197. 曹友仙 Cao Youxian
     From 上海 Shanghai

198. 江永 Jiang Yong
     From 婺源 Wu Yuan, he compiled 琴徽圖 Diagrams of Qin Positions, and 琴五調圖 Diagrams of Five Modes of the Qin

199. 郭裕齋 Guo Yuzhai
     Compiled 德音堂琴譜 Deyintang Qinpu (1691; XII.7)

200. 張翬 Zhang Hui
     From 吳縣 Wu district

      
     卷五 Folio 5

201. 吳水雲 Wu Shuiyun
     -

202. 張梁 Zhang Liang
     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. (Source: 西神客話 Xishen Kehua.

203. 譚子璽 Tan Zixi
     -

204. 徐梗 Xu Geng
     -

205. 葉魯白 Ye Lubai
     -

206. 沈曦賓 Shen Xibin
     -

207. 陸生芝 Lu Shengzhi
     -

208. 顧耘叟 Gu Yunsou
     -

     廖燕 Liao Yan
     -

     蕭絅若 Xiao Jiongruo
     -

209. 陳春樹 Chen Chunshu
     -

210. 徐遴 Xu Lin
     -

211. 張開基 Zhang Kaiji
     -

     賈巢雲 Jia Chaoyun
     -

     曹永鼎 Cao Yongding
     -

212. 馬兆辰 Ma Zhaochen
     -

213. 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
     -

214. 潘翰 Pan Han
     -

215. 陳遵 Chen Zun
     -

216. 李郊 Li Jiao
     -

     李襄五 Li Xiangwu
     -

217. 曹尚絅 Cao Shangjiong
     -

218. 蘇璟 Su Jing
     -

     閆沛年 Yan Peinian
     -

219. 戴源 Dai Yuan
     -

220. 王善 Wang Shan see QSCB
     - style name 元伯 Yuanbo; compiled Qin Xue Lianyao; wrote melody for You Jian Quan.

     王叔均 Wang Shujun
     -

     帥皋蘭 Shuai Gaolan
     -

221. 沈鳳來 Shen Fenglai
     -

     沈汝愚 Shen Ruyu
     -

222. 黃庭 Huang Ting
     -

223. 廖惟聰 Liao Weicong
     -

224. 張道浚 Zhang Daojun (or Daoxun)
     -

225. 顧玉 Gu Yu
     -

     梁萬(示冀) Liang Wan(ji? character not in dictionary "spiritual + hope")
     -

226. 籃鼎元 Lan Dingyuan
     -

227. 黃世熹 （xi written 火喜, a variant)
     -

228. 王昶 Wang Chang
     -

     周端 Zhou Duan
     -

229. 茆在宮 Mao Zaigong
     -

230. 楊廷果 Yang Tingguo
     -

231. 侯維岳 Hou Weiyue
     -

232. 姜大親 Jiang Daqin
     -

     康兆元 Kang Zhaoyuan
     -

233. 萬復 Wan Fu
     -

234. 顏超 Yan Chao
     -

235. 馬駿 Ma Jun
     -

236. 林仁 Lin Ren
     -

237. 謝伯 Xie Bo
     -

     謝愚泉 Xie Yuquan
     -

238. 唐庭楷 Tang Tingjie (or Tingkai)
     -

239. 蔣寶三 Jiang Baosan
     -

     張覆照 Jiang Fuzhao
     -

240. 李克岐 Li Keqi
     -

241. 徐光燦 Xu Guangcan
     -

242. 王範 Wang Fan
     -

243. 吳潁芳 Wu Yingfang
     -

244. 崔應階 Cui Yingjie
     -

     白如熙 Bai Ruxi
     -

245. 謝廷賓 Xie Tingbin
     -

246. 任金書 Ren Jinshu
     -

247. 沈銓 Shen Quan
     -

248. 程瑤田 Cheng Yaotian
     -

249. 徐宗彥 Xu Zongyan
     -

     林哲侯 Lin Zhehou
     -

250. 曹庭棟 Cao Tingdong
     -

     何夢瑤 He Mengyao
     -

251. 吳聲譽 Wu Shengyu
     -

     
     -曹秋潭 Cao Qiutan

252. 索祿 Suo Lu
     -

     唐侃 Tang Kan
     -

     唐明 Tang Ming
     -

253. 積善 Ji Shan
     -

      
     卷六 Folio 6

254. 楊天益 Yang Tianyi
     -

255. 萬柏 Wan Bo (or Bai)
     -

256. 王繪 Wang Hui
     -

     姚仁 Yao Ren
     -

257. 江玨 Jiang Jue (text has 王玉 jue or gu, the old form)
     -

258. 陳允衡 Chen Yunheng
     -

259. 吳宜蟄 Wu Yizhe (or Yizhi)
     -

260. 李世則 Li Shize
     -

     李馨 Li Xing
     -

     李粹 Li Cui
     -

261. 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
     -

262. 汪德鉞 Wang Deyue
     -

263. 徐養源 Xu Yangyuan
     -

264. 徐涵 Xu Han
     -

     吼琴 Hou Qin
     -

265. 高步瀛 Gao Buying
     -

266. 劉光照 Liu Guangzhao
     -

267. 周顯祖 Zhou Xianzu
     -

268. 趙一漁 Zhao Yiyu
     -

     汪國 Wang Guo
     -

269. 江孟寬 Jiang Mengkuan
     -

     汪秉鍾 Wang Bingzhong
     -

270. 萬國諫 Wang Guojian
     -

271. 徐昌景 Xu Changjing
     -

272. 鄧松 Deng Song
     -

273. 葉桾 Ye Jun
     -

     陳同文 Chen Tongwen
     -

274. 張味琴 Zhang Weiqin
     -

275. 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.

276. 屈鼇 Qu Ao
     -

     王泉之 Wang Quanzhi
     -

277. 何述善 He Shushan
     -

278. 孫匯 Sun Hui
     -

279. 屈頌滿 Qu Songman
     -

280. 巖恪 Yan Ke (or Que)
     -

281. 江山 Jiang Shan
     -

     李崑 Li Kun
     -

282. 程起振 Cheng Qizhen
     -

283. 胡欽 Hu Qin
     -

284. 嚴秉彝 Yan Bingyi
     -

     嚴慵 Yan Yong
     -

285. 吳式芬 Wu Shifen
     -

286. 韓桂 Han Gui
     - see QSCB, Qing dynasty Qin specialists

     徐渭仁 Xu Weiren
     -

287. 查奕照 Cha Yizhao
     -

288. 祝鳳鳴 Zhu Fengming
     -

     祝鳳喈 Zhu Fengjie
     -author of Yuguzhai Qinpu

     許海樵 Xu Haiqiao
     -

289. 孫長源 Sun Changyuan
     -

290. 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 ).

291. 沈浩 Shen Hao
     -

     沈遵生 Shen Zunsheng
     -

292. 蔣文勳 Jiang Wenxun
     - see QSCB, Qing dynasty Qin specialists; compiled Erxiang Qinpu (1833)

     戴長庚 Dai Changgeng
     - see QSCB, Qing dynasty Qin specialists

293. 吳統 Wu Tong
     -

294. 黃增康 Huang Zengkang
     -

295. 郭鳳岡 Guo Fenghang
     -

     姚振翥 Yao Zhenzhu
     -

296. 陸應麒 Lu Yingqi
     -

297. 姚配中 Yao Peizhong
     -compiled Yijinglu Qinxue

298. 趙非石 Zhao Feishi
     -

     李詠霞 Li Yongxia
     -

299. 陳本禮 Chen Benli
     -

300. 朱本福 Zhu Benfu
     -

301. 鄭蘭 Zheng Lan
     -

302. 沈烜 Shen Xuan
     -

303. 梅植之 Mei Zhizhi
     -

304. 王瑋 Wang Wei
     -

305. 湯貽汾
     -

     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
     -

306. 鄒安鬯 Zou Anchang
     -

307. 戴煦 Dai Xu
     -

308. 慶瑞 Qing Rui
     -

309. 秦維瀚 Qin Weihan
     See QSCB, Qing dynasty Qin specialists

310. 唐彝名
     -

311. 黃曉珊 Huang Xiaoshan
     -

312. 劉人熙 Liu Renxi
     -

313. 張春圃 Zhang Chunpu
     The source for this story is given as 蓴湖漫錄 Chunhu Manlu.
     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.

314. 倪世鑑 Ni Shijian
     -

315. 李蘭 Li Lan
     -

     周慶賢 Zhou Qingxian
     -

316. 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

317. 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.

318. 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....

319. 智和 Zhi He
     -

320. 思聰 Si Cong
     -

321. 邵琥 Shao Hu
     -

322. 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.

323. 林虛極 Lin Xuji
     -

324. 蘇紹成 Su Shaocheng
     -

325. 商碧山 Shang Bishan
     -

326. 羅道士 Luo Daoshi
     -

     元 Yuan dynasty

327. 芳洲 Fang Zhou
     -

328. 王德譧 Wang Delian
     -

     明 Ming dynasty

329. 無瑕 Wu Xia
     -

330. 張印頂 Zhang Yinding
     -

331. 孔希島 Kong Xidao
     -

332. 景輝 Jing Hui
     -

     清 Qing dynasty

333. 嶧聲 Yi Sheng
     -

334. 雲村 Yun Cun
     -

335. 岳蓮 Yue Lian
     -

336. 澄照 Cheng (or Deng) Zhao
     -

337. 特藻 Te Zao
     -

338. 古心 Gu Xin
     -

339. 金道人 Jin Daoren
     -

340. 鶴雛 He Chu
     -

     笠道人 Li Daoren
     -

341. 練江 Liang Jiang
     -

342. 可韻 Ke Yun
     -

343. 蔡璸 Cai Bin
     -

344. 沈心耕 Shen Xingeng
     -

345. 軾侶 Shi Lü
     -

346. 吳浩 Wu Hao
     -

347. 高峻 Gao Jun
     -

348. 鄭濂 Zheng Lian
     -

349. 徐體微 Xu Tiwei
     -

350. 明辰 Ming Chen
     -

351. 張道浦 Zhang Daopu
     -

352. 陳紹藩 Chen Shaofan
     -

353. 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.

354. 賀炳 He Bing
     -

355. 慧蒼 Hui Cang
     -

356. 覺阿 Jue A
     -

357. 覺虛 Jue Xu
     -

358. 張鶴
     Compiled/wrote Qinxue Rumen

     王嘯霞 Wang Xiaoxia
     -

359. 空塵 Kong Chen
     -

360. 聞溪 Wen Xi
     -

      
     卷八 Folio 8: 閨秀 Graceful Ladies
     (See also Early Women Players)

      
     宋 Song dynasty

361. 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 (女郎)嬛記 6719 = 21632.9 瑯嬛記三卷 Record of the Heavenly Library, Ming book pretending to be Yuan.
     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

362. 喬夫人 Wife of Qiao
     Qiao's wife (4114.xxx) is known through the famous poet 元遺山 Yuan Yishan, nickname of 元好問 Yuan Haowen 1190 - 1257, from 忻州 Xinzhou in northern Shanxi (ICTCL p. 953: one of the greatest poets and the outstanding literary figure of the 金 Jin dynasty). The source cited here is 元遺山集 Collected Works of Yuan Yishan. 行臺公 Xingtai Lord (34850.392 a government rank?) 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,
     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 (度虛籟 du xu lai);
           悠揚飛絮攪青冥
     貽仙不此湘靈瑟
           五字錢郎莫漫驚.

     He praised her to such an extent!

363. 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 Shuzhan 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.

364. 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 lyrics of 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)
     Sandalwood brush case with beautiful brushes;
           With snow water she blends her ink on yudaopao.
     Her writing is as good as that of 薛濤 Xue Tao on 萱草帖 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.

      
     明 Ming dynasty

365. 田貴妃 Tian Guifei
     Tian Guifei (the original entry is written 田_?_, the second character being like 犯 fan, but 女 nü replaces 犬 quan; the most famous concubine was 楊貴妃 Yang Guifei (22219.248) of the Tang dynasty) was a concubine (恭淑貴妃) of 莊烈帝 Zhuanglie Di, who reigned 1628 - 1644 as the last emperor of the Ming dynasty. . For 朝天 Zhao Tian 14705.20/2 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 aritistic 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 (朝天 Zhao Tian 14705.20/2, does not mention music). 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, The emperor once wrote Five Poems 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, and 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.

366. 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.

367. 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.

368. 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 Extra Chronicles from Liu Xi (22365.xxx).
     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.

369. 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.

370. 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.

371. 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.

372. 沈素瓊 Shen Suqiong
     Shen Yin 沈隱, style name 素瓊 Suqiong (17529.xxx for both). 黃鵠悲鳴聲 Huanggu Bei Ming Sheng (48904.1272 黃鵠曲) is a YFSJ poem (p.663). Source cited: same as #368: 留溪外傳 Extra Chronicles from Liu Xi (22365.xxx).
     Shen Suqiong, given name 隱 Yin, was a young woman of 京都 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 黃鵠悲鳴聲 Huanggu Bei Ming Sheng. (It 悲鳴 sadly cried) so 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 monther to 武林 Wulin mountains (near Hangzhou); since they loved Hangzhou they made this their home. (Her?) 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，
           空彈野調寄情癡。

     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.

373. 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。

374. 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

375. 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 Playing the Qin at Night by the Pond that says,
     初月掛林梢，     池水尚耿耿。
     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),     先得情虛境 first attaining a lunar emptiness.

376. 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.

377. 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.

378. 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.

379. 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.

380. 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.)

381. 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.

382. 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.

383. 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 Changshou. 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.

384. 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.

385. 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。

386. 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.

387. 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。

388. 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, 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.

389. 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 she would 茗甲欲坼爐香方酣 enjoy fine wine, burn incense and, when tipsy, strum on the 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.

390. 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.

391. 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.

392. 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.

393. 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.)

394. 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。.

395. 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.

396. 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.

397. 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 Changshou) 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.

398. 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.

399. 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。

400. 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.

401. 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.

402. 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。

403. 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?).

404. 洪銑 Hong Xian
     Hong Xian (or Hong Xi; Bio/ ). Source cited: Zhang Xingjian's Biographies of Very Filial Women (張星鑑洪孝女傳 Hong Xingjian Hongxiaonü Zhuan; 17757.38xxx; Bio/1288 has no dates but 10026.675 puts it in 四庫全書 Siku Quanshu, so presumably Hong Xian was earlier than this.)
     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.

405. 妙(霝/女) Miao Ling
     Miao Ling (Ling 7025: a woman's character = 靈). Zha Fuxi lists her handbook as non-indexed work #27, attributing it to 師妙霝/女 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.

406. 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. (??.)

407. 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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