Ancient capitals of China located in Henan include Luoyang² (Loyang) and Kaifeng³ (compare the long-disappeared city of Ye⁴). These two cities have many associations with the qin, as do other parts of Henan such as the Songshan mountain range⁵ and the reputed Bamboo Grove of the Seven Sages near Shanyang. Many famous early qin players came from or lived in Henan,⁶ but the earliest surviving handbook published there was Fengxuan Xuanpin (1539), compiled by Zhu Houjiao, Prince of the Hui region, southeast of Songshan.

I play the following melodies with connections to Henan province.⁷

1. Dun Shi Cao
   Xu You goes into reclusion on a mountain in Henan

2. Yao Tian Sheng He
   Wangzi Qiao rides off to immortality from a peak in the Songshan Mountain range in Henan

3. Pei Lan (with He Wu Dongtian)
   A Clear Thinker in the Songshan Mountain range

4. Kongtong Wen Dao (with Dalü Yi and Kongtong Yin)
   The Yellow Emperor and Guangchengzi on a mountain sometimes said to be in Henan

5. Da Hujia
   Concerns the Xiongnu's abduction of Cai Wenji from her home near Kaifeng

6. Qiuyue Zhao Maoting
   Connected to Cai Yong (Kaifeng) and Zuo Si (Luoyang)

7. Guangling San
   Xi Kang, one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove (in northern Henan), was executed at Luoyang after playing this melody;
   He has also been associated with the following melodies:
   1. Feng Ru Song,
   2. Xuan Mo,
   3. Chang Qing,
   4. Duan Qing, and
   5. Gu Guan Yu Sheng

8. Jiu Kuang
   A melody connected to Ruan Ji, another of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove

9. Gu Yuan
   The lyrics by Jiang Kui mention Jin Gu, a valley to the northwest of Luoyang

10. Mozi Bei Ge
    Some sources say the philosopher Mozi was from Lushan in Henan

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. The connection of these melodies to Henan generally has to do with their theme; there is no evidence to suggest the melodies reflect a local musical idiom. (Return)

2. Loyang 洛陽
Old names include 東都 Dongdu, 西京 Xijing,司州 Sizhou, 河南府 Henan Fu
(Return)

3. Kaifeng 開封
Old names include 浚儀 Xunyi, 汴州 Bianzhou, 東京 Dongjing and 汴京 Bianjing.
(Return)

4. Ye 鄴 (also 40570.9 鄴城 Yecheng, etc.)
Today an "遺址 archeological site" between the modern 安陽 Anyang in Henan and 臨漳 Linzhang in Hebei, Ye was once a magnificent city, as described by Zuo Si in his 魏都賦 Wei Capital Rhapsody (See Nienhauser, Wen Xuan I, p. 429ff). Said to have been founded by Duke Huan of Qi around the time of Confucius, at the end of the Han dynasty Ye was first the headquarters of Yuan Shao (see Liu Bei), then from 210 to 220 the Wei administrative center (see Cao Cao). It was perhaps most famous for its 三台 three terraces built in 210 (金鳳臺、銅雀臺、冰井臺). However, the city eventually went into decline. For a later mention see Wang Jing'ao.
(Return)

5. Song Shan 嵩山
This mountain range, associated with a number of qin melodies, runs east to west south of Luoyang.
(Return)

6. Qin players connected to Henan province
The most famous are Cai Yong, whose Qin Cao is the earliest known listing of qin melodies, and Xi Kang, whose Rhapsody on the Qin is the first known depiction of the qin in its modern form. Other pre-Tang people said to have been qin players from Henan included Cai Wenji, Chu Yanhui, Du Kui, Ruan Ji, Liu Kun, Liu Yuan, Sun Deng, Xie Kun, Yuan Zhun, Yuan Zizhi, Zhang Ji, Zhao Yuan and Zheng Shuzu.
(Return)

7. Other related melodies that I do not yet play include:

1. Juyou Cao
   Wen Wang in captivity in Youli (Henan province, seat of the Shang dynasty)
2. Ou Cheng
   Lyrics by Cheng Hao or Cheng Yi, who lived in Loyang
   (Return)

 
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