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The Qin in Popular Culture: Novels and Opera

Many essays describe the silk string qin zither as an instrument solely for scholars and recluses, men of principle who exercised restraint. But how accurately did this represent the view of most educated Chinese? In the past, how did the literati interact with popular culture, and how was the qin depicted there?1 How is it depicted in modern popular media?2

Qin melodies do in fact most often deal with nature and the lofty and pure attitudes of qin players; and purists (some might say fundamentalists) even wrote that one shouldn't play the qin for merchants, courtesans, foreigners or other sorts of vulgar people.3 Certainly, they wrote, the instrument of the sages should not be associated with gain or romance, only with the Confucian desire to serve and the Daoist urge to remain aloof.4

On the other hand, it is important to note that depictions of the qin in popular culture often show the instrument in a somewhat different light. Novels and operas often mention the above attitudes towards the qin, but they also sometimes mock the pretence involved.5 They also temper these ideals with depictions of worldly activities.

Relevant novels/stories and operas can be divided into two types, those which mention the qin, and those which have the same theme as qin melodies.6

 I. Novels and operas with significant reference to the qin
     Selective list, in chronological order 7

  1. Hong Lou Meng (Dream of the Red Chamber
  2. Xi Xiang Ji (Story of the Western Chamber))
  3. Zhuwu Ting Qin (Listening to the Qin from a Bamboo Thicket)
  4. Pipa Ji (Story of the Lute)
  5. Yuzan Ji (Story of the Jade Hairpin)
  6. Kong Cheng Ji (Ruse of the Empty City)
  7. Xi You Ji (Journey to the West), especially the dialogue between a fisherman and a woodcutter,

II. Stories found in the repertoires of both qin and opera:
     Chronological listing; pre-Qing dynasty titles only (see more on LXS8)

  1. Hudie Meng (See LXS 11 etc. and Zhuang Zhou Meng Die)
  2. Han Gong Qiu (See LXS 22, etc. and Longshuo Cao; see also Zhaojun Chu Sai below)
  3. Yi Qiao Jin Lü (See LXS 28 and Yi Qiao Jin Lü)
  4. Chibi Fu (See LXS 86 etc., Qian Chibi Fu and Hou Chibi Fu)
  5. Guang Chengzi (See LXS 148 and Kongtong Wen Dao)
  6. Zhuo Wenjun (See LXS 160 etc. and Feng Qiu Huang; by Zhu Quan)
  7. Lanting Hui (See LXS 187 and Liu Shang)
  8. Zhaojun Chu Sai (See LXS 190 and Zhaojun Yuan; see also Hanjie Cao above)
  9. Wenji Ru Sai (See LXS 190 and Da Hujia)

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Literati and popular culture
R. H. Van Gulik (Lore, pp. 48-9) wrote the following about the reality of the rôle of the qin in Chinese society.

Few scholars were expert on the qin, but on various occasions in official and private life they enjoyed popular music. Now the qin supplied a means of self-justification for these scholars, both to other people and to themselves. In all sorts of mixed company the scholar could listen with delight to performances of popular music, and from time to time lustily chime in with some gay song; but when asked about his views on music, he could gravely point to the qins hanging up in his library, and thereby definitely remove all doubts that might exist with regard to his elevated disposition. On the other hand, returning from a noisy banquet with some old friends, enlivened by the presence of some charming singing girls, the scholar could, in the silence of his library, take the qin from its brocade cover, burn incense, and touch a few strings, thereby convincing himself that, although he might temporarily amuse himself with vulgar music in order to while away some moments of leisure, in reality he only appreciated the sacred music of the Ancients.
(Return)

2. Guqin in modern media
The focus of this page is qin references in classical times. For some more modern references see some Wikipedia pages, such as answers.com and schools. (It mentions a film for which I wrote and played qin music, House of the Lute (1979). (Return)

3. The first three paragraphs of Zhu Quan's Shen Qi Mi Pu preface present this attitude. The modern reader then must decide: is Zhu Quan correct? Or is this simply evidence of the qin's broader role in society? In this regard it is interesting to note illustrations 35 and 36 in Van Gulik's Lore of the Chinese Lute (between pp.224 and 225). In one someone is playing a qin facing a woman (geisha?) playing a sanxian three string banjo. In the other some merchants are playing qin, sanxian, sheng mouth organ and xiao end-blown flute. (Return)

4. The qin ideology section has more on orthodox attitudes towards the qin. (Return)

5. See, for example, Musical Instruments/Zither in the indices to David Tod Roy (trans.), The Plum in the Golden Vase (Jin Ping Mei), Volumes One and Two. There is a clear element of satire involved in the author's presentation of people who give lip service to the lofty ideals connected to the qin. (Return)

6. Opera titles often change or have variants. Only one title is included here. (Return)

7. Some of the melodies included with these introductions are as follows:

  1. Feng Qiu Huang (Wen Jun Cao)
  2. Xiao Xiang Shui Yun
  3. Zhi Zhao Fei
  4. Guanghan You
  5. Hujia Shibapai
  6. Wen Wang Cao
  7. Gao Shan
  8. Liu Shui
  9. Si Xian (Yasheng Cao)
  10. Yi Lan.
  11. Zhaojun Yuan
    (Return)

8. LXS: This list was compiled from titles found in 李修生（主編），古本戲曲劇目提要 (北京，文化藝術出版社，1997) Li Xiusheng (ed.), Guben Xiqu Jumu Tiyao (Outlines and Analyses of Old Opera Scripts) -- here called LXS. In many cases there is more than one opera with the story; here only the earliest is given, followed by "etc.". Many other relevant operas exist in title only. These are often mentioned in my introductions to individual melodies. (Return)

 
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