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Confucian Qin Themes 儒家主題
Confucius teaching students (more images)  
The themes of these melodies include both stories about Confucius and melodies which specifically endorse Confucian principles. Other melodies which discuss the virtues of ancient rulers could also be included here. Or the focus could be the region of Confucius' home town, Qu Fu in Shandong province. Or one could include melodies such as Guan Ju, connected to lyrics in the Book of Songs, supposedly edited by Confucius. (No link means my reconstruction has not been finalized.)

  1. Huo Lin (Captured Unicorn)
    A unicorn is captured at Da Ye, near Qufu. This is thought to be a lucky omen, indicating a good prince is at hand, but Confucius reveals that in fact it was unlucky, because no such prince is at hand. (Illustration)

  2. Yi Lan (Lonely Orchid)
    Confucius, after being rejected at many courts, returns home to Lu. He finds a lovely orchid alone in a field, and compares it with himself. (Illustration)

  3. Nanxun Ge (Song of Southern Breezes)
    Nanfeng Ge, in Kongzi Jiayu, a post-Han collection of stories attributed to Confucius, says,

    The breezes coming from the south are mild;
    They can solve my people's worries.
    The breezes coming from the south are timely;
    They can bring abundance to my people's property.

  4. [Wen Wang] Si Shun ([Wen Wang] Thinks of Shun); also called Wen Wang Cao (Wen Wang's Melody)
    The Shi Ji writes that Confucius learned Wen Wang Cao from Shi Xiang. (Illustration)

  5. Wen Wang Qu (Wen Wang's Tune)
    Lyrics are poems 236, 237 and 238 in the Shi Jing, by tradition compiled by Confucius.

  6. Jiang Gui Cao (About to Return Melody)
    Confucius, on his way to Jin, hears an advisor there has been executed, so he returns home. (Illustration)

  7. Guishan Cao (Turtle Mountain Melody)
    Confucius leaves the city and thinks of this mountain because the duke of Lu has accepted a gift of dancing girls from Qi, and is ignoring his official duties. (Illustration)

  8. Yasheng Cao (Melody of the Secondary Sage)
    This piece invokes Yan Hui, the favorite student of Confucius. Yan Hui was also known as Yasheng, secondary sage.

  9. Xing Tan (Apricot Forum, or Ginkgo Forum)
    Xing Tan is said to be the place in Qu Fu where Confucius taught his students. (Illustrations)

  10. Mingde Yin with
  11. Kongsheng Jing
    Musical setting of The Great Learning and a commentary by Zhu Xi; used for Confucian ceremonies?

  12. Pei Lan (Orchid Ornament)
    According to Confucius Household Sayings, Confucius said that when you first go into a room you notice whether the smell is good or bad, but after a while you get used to it; so a good person should always find good surroundings. An orchid worn at the belt symbolizes this. (There is also a Chu Ci reference.)

  13. Moufu Kuang Jun (Moufu Admonishes his Lord)
    Also called Qizhao Shi (Good Advice Poem, from the Zuo Zhuan; Watson, p.167); 祭公謀父 Duke Moufu of Zhai (on Yellow River north of Zhengzhou, Henan), gives good Confucian advice to an early Zhou king.

  14. Xue Chuang Ye Hua (Evening Talk by a Snowy Window)
    The sung version (1539) has a Confucian text; I play the purely instrumental version, which is more about snow itself

  15. You Lan (Lonely Orchid)
    Same theme as #2 Yi Lan, but unrelated melodies (there are several versions).

  16. San Cai Yin (Three Talents Intonation) The version in Japan is a setting from the Doctrine of the Mean, Chapter 26.

  17. Da Zai Yin (Hail Greatness Intonation)
    The version in     Japan is a setting from the Doctrine of the Mean, Chapter 27.

     
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