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Shilin Guangji
Comprehensive Record of Affairs,1 compiled by Chen Yuanjing2 |
事林廣記
1269 |
|
The qin section of the Comprehensive Record of Affairs (1269 CE) contains some varied materials on the qin. These are here divided into numbered sections for convenient reference. |
Sample leaf from Shilin Guangji :
right: qin diagram, with names of its parts left: Confucius (with qin) at Xing Tan |
Although the titles of numbers two through six give only the name of the mode, clearly these are modal preludes (diaoyi). Modal preludes generally serve a group of melodies in that mode. This may be the only difference between them and kaizhi, which seem to have been preludes to specific melodies (as here with Golden Oriole). Unlike in Taiyin Daquanji, there are no lists here of melodies associated with the five diaoyi).
According to the introduction by Zha Fuxi, Shilin Guangji was compiled by Chen Yuanjing during the Southern Song dynasty, then was revised several times during the Yuan dynasty. Three editions survive: one in Japan printed in 1699, which has qin materials in the seventh volume; one a re-print by the Zhonghua Shuju of the Chunqing Library's edition printed during 1330-33; and one in the Beijing University Library, compiled by the Zheng family and printed during 1335-41. The third is identical to the second, so Qinqu Jicheng prints the first two.
Perhaps because much of the surviving editions of Shilin Guangji were added during later editions, Zha spends some time describing characteristics of the tablature in Shilin Guangji, to show they do date from the Song dynasty.
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a
separate page)
1.
Shilin Guangji 事林廣記 (QQJC I/11-16)
(244.xxx?) Zha Fuxi's preface says Chen Yuanjing (see next footnote) 編纂 compiled it. Zha does not discuss its possible relationship to another work attributed to Chen, 歲時廣記 Suishi Guangji.
An essay (.html from .pdf) by Wang Chenghua, Art and Daily Life: Knowledge and Social Space in Late-Ming: Riyong Leishu, says,
A preliminary essay by Lowell Skar, "Charting a New Itinerary of Perfection in Medieval China: The Formation and Uses of the Diagram on Cultivating Perfection (Xiuzhen tu" (2000), says as follows,
A backgammon website has an illustration from Shilin Guangji showing two backgammon players.
The FIFA website says that Shilin Guangji "gives details of the technical elements of conventional football", including a woodblock illustration.
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2.
Chen Yuanjing 陳元靚 (1200 - 1266)
Chen (42618.105; Bio/1364; N.D.), according to the afterword by 劉純 Liu Chun (Bio/622? early Ming) to Chen's 歲時廣記 Suishi Guangji, was a reclusive gentleman. He signed himself 廣寒仙裔 Guanghan Xianyi (Lunar Descendant of Immortals?). 16686.67 歲時廣記 says Suishi Guangji had four sections divided according to four time periods. It is not clear how much of the book still exists, or whether Shilin Guangji was a part of it.
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3.
Shilin Guangji, General Comments on Qin Tablature 事林廣記，琴譜緫說
Consists of the two essays discussed in the following two footnotes. Compare this with Taiyin Daquanji, Folio 5, Part 1.
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4.
(Kongzi) Jia Yu （孔子）家語
The original text here in Shilin Guangji is as follows:
5.
Chen Zhuo Canjun, Qin Shuo 陳拙參軍琴說
The original text is as follows (compare same passage in
Taiyin Daquanji):
6.
Diwang Shi Ji 帝王世紀
The original text is as follows:
7.
Illustration 圖
The names for the parts of the qin are translated
elsewhere on this site. This site also has
other illustrations of
Confucius playing qin for his students.
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8.
Finger technique explanations
There is no general title for this part, which has the three sections mentioned in the following three footnotes.
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9.
Right hand explanations 右手字譜 (QQJC I/12)
22 entries
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10.
Left hand explanations 左手字譜
20 entries
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11.
Explanations of clusters 琴譜直解 (QQJC I/12)
Five clusters intended to explain how the techniques are put together in clusters. There are printing errors in all five clusters, underlining the difficulty interpreting the ensuing tablature.
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12.
Tablature for Qin melodies 琴譜 (QQJC I/12-14)
The six short melodies are discussed in the following six footnotes.
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13.
開指黃鶯吟 Kaizhi Huangying Yin: Prelude, Intonation of the Golden Oriole (Listen to my recording 聽我的錄音)
The present melody survives only in Shilin Guangji (Zha Guide 1/---/4). Xu Jian discusses it briefly in QSCB, Chapter 6b1-8 (p.109), saying it "makes use of the song and dance of yellow orioles amongst flowering shrubs in order to express welcoming spring." "Song and dance" comes from the last line of the poem, perhaps suggesting it could have been a prelude to a melody for song and dance; if so, this would be very unusual for a qin melody.
Kaizhi are thought (there seems to be no available specific information on this) to have been preludes to specific melodies, in this way contrasting to diao yi, which more generally introduced modes (though some surviving ones seem to be attached to specific pieces). However, because none of the old qin melody lists includes a melody called Golden Oriole, it cannot be argued very strongly that this kaizhi was created for a specific melody.
As for Intonation of the Golden Oriole, intonations (吟 yin) are themselves often short melodies (see a list). And "Golden Oriole" itself seems to have been found in various artistic forms (I have not found any dance references). 48904.1346 黃鶯 huangying (golden oriole) has nothing about music, but 48904.1347 (also 12/1012) 黃鶯兒 huangyinger is 詞牌、曲牌名 the name of a cipai (poetry structure) and qupai (opera tune type), specifically a 南曲入商調正曲 southern tune in shang mode or a 北曲入商角隻曲 northern tune going into a shangjiao short song (?), 一名金衣公子 also called Golden Clothed Lord (41049.203 jinyi gongzi, another name for orioles). There are further references to ci poetry.
The surviving melody itself is short and simple, with the following lyrics applied one character for each note,
14.
The original lyrics are:
15.
事林廣記﹕宮調 Gong Diao in Shilin Guangji
(Listen to my recording 聽我的錄音) (QQJC I/12)
16.
事林廣記﹕商調 Shang Diao in Shilin Guangji
(Listen to my recording 聽我的錄音)
17.
事林廣記﹕角調 Jiao Diao in Shilin Guangji
(Listen to my recording 聽我的錄音)
Talking in pairs, peaches and apricots everywhere.
And following beyond the mist the wandering bees go,
Singing and dancing merrily.
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雙雙語，桃杏益深處。
又隨煙外遊蜂去
恣狂歌舞。
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The second half of this melody is quite similar to the latter half of the 1425 melody Zhao Yin. Perhaps this indicates that this Gong Diao was originally a prelude to Zhao Yin. Unlike the shorter Gong Yi in
Taiyin Daquanji, Gong Diao has few phrases in common with the Shenpin Gong Yi of 1425. However, the modal characteristics are similar.
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This melody is quite different from the Shang Yi in Taiyin Daquanji, as well as the
Shenpin Shang Yi of 1425. However, it shares with them similar modal characteristics, in particular the inclusion of both standard mi with flatted mi.
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This melody is very similar to the second half of the melody Lienü Yin, suggesting that it perhaps was originally a prelude to that melody. Lienü Yin survives only in
Xilutang Qintong (1549), but this is perhaps evidence supporting suggestions that some or many of the melodies of Xilutang Qintong were copied from Song dynasty sources. Jiao Diao seems unrelated to the modal preludes Jiao Yi in
Taiyin Daquanji, and
Shenpin Jiao Yi of 1425. Perhaps its modal characteristics are similar to those of Shenpin Jiao Yi
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18.
事林廣記﹕徵調 Zhi Diao in Shilin Guangji
(Listen to my recording 聽我的錄音)
As with the Zhi Yi in Taiyin Daquanji, the tuning here seems to be considered as 5 6 1 2 3 5 6. However, in Shenpin Zhi Yi, as well as Zhi Yi and the three zhi mode melodies of 1425, my interpretation is 1 2 4 5 61 2. For me the zhi mode has seemed the most complex. (For more on this see Modality in early Ming Qin tablature.) Thus, although all three preludes end on the open 4th string, or open 2nd and 4th together, the modal characteristics do not seem to me to be quite the same. As for the melody itself, it is also very different from those of these other two preludes.
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19.
事林廣記﹕羽調 Yu Diao in Shilin Guangji
(Listen to my recording 聽我的錄音)
This prelude has more notes than any other modal prelude published in 1425 or earlier. The modal characteristics are similar to those of the
Yu Yi in Taiyin Daquanji, and Shenpin Yu Yi of 1425, but otherwise the melodies seem unrelated.
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20.
Shilin Guangji: 13 sets of rules for playing qin (original text)
These rules are found in a number of early handbooks (see, for example, in
Taiyin Daquanji, Folio 6, which seems verbatim but for some reason does not include #13). The entries are numbered here for convenience.
Return to the annotated handbook list or to the Guqin ToC.