Right hand Finger Techniques

(75 techniques explained: the translations follow the numbers added to the accompanying folio pages at right. The first 8 are the most basic strokes: one should learn their names as they are often mentioned later. The first 22 have shorthand names; many cannot be entered into the computer so there is only an underline. Later techniques are often repeats. They begin:)

木 mo (rub): use the forefinger inwards over a string
乚 tiao (poke/incite): use the forefinger outwards over a string
勹 gou (hook): use the middle finger inwards over a string
__ ti (pick out): use the middle finger outwards over a string
丁 da (hit): use the ring finger inwards over a string
__ zhai (pluck): use the ring finger outwards over a string
尸 pi (cleave): use the thumb inwards over a string (outward? compare 劈 pi [cleave] with 擘 bo/pi [slice open])
__ tuo (support): use the thumb outwards (inward?) over a string
厂 li (pass across): the fore finger connects a "tiao" over two or three strings
早 cuo (pinch): the index and middle fingers between two strings and "pinch" them
__ lun (rotate): the ring, middle and forefingers successively do a zhai, ti and tiao
艹 san

(scatter): play the strings without using the left hand fingers to press down
__ gun (imperial robe: usually 滾 gun [roil]): use the ring finger to zhai from (string) 7 to 1
弗 fu (brush off): use the forefinger to mo from the (string) 1 to 7
__ da yuan (hit in a circle): gou 4, tiao seven, playing connectively three times; same on other strings
__ ban yuan (half circle): use the forefinger to mo 6 and mo 7, the middle finger to gou 5, (then) play 5 and 7 to be like as one sound
__ chang suo (long chain): use the forefinger to mo and tiao three times, then use the middle and forefingers to ti, mo and tiao, altogether 9 sounds
__ xiao suo (small chain): use the forefinger to tiao, mo and tiao
(compare xiao suo with suo as well as fan suo)
省 shao xi (short rest): a 稍歇 short rest
quan fu (completely sustain): mo two strings as if one sound
又单 shuang tan (double play): use the thumb to hold in place the middle finger (and forefinger, then the) two fingers in order shoot out across (two strings)
__ bola (shake and slash): use the middle and forefingers pressed together first to go inwards then go outwards
(see comment comparing 潑刺 bola with 撥刺 poci)

(From here the terms atop each column are themselves written out in longhand.
The next two [#23 and #24] are the last two shown here.)
歷 li (same as #9 above, but see comment): The forefinger passes forward across the seventh string and goes across the sixth; the thumb does not touch the seventh string.
摘 zhai (same as #6 above): The ring finger reverses itself and incites one string outwards
挑 tiao (same as #2 above): The forefinger incites a string outwards
勾 gou (compare #3 above): The forefinger hooks a string downwards; the middle (finger) is currently used
彈 tan (dan tan; play): Bend the forefinger and middle finger into the thumb, grasp a finger then let it go out; whether playing one string or two strings the two fingers do it the same (individually; for in sequence see 雙彈 shuang tan)
拍 pai (smack?): the left and/or right hand "齊按 equally strikes/presses down on" ("按 an" can have either meaning) a string (to make a sound?)
擘托 bo/pi tuo (slice open and support): the thumb 上擡 lifting a string is called "slice open"; the opposite is "support" (compare #7 above)
掫 zou (grasp; compare 撮 cuo pinch): the ring finger "restrains" the second string while the thumb "slices open" the seventh at the same time, making one sound; also called a "大齊 big combination down"
掙 zheng (strive): the ring finger "restrains" the first string while the index finger "incites" the fourth at the same time, making one sound
捻 nian (pinch): the thumb and index finger pinch a string upwards
齪聲 chuo sheng (compel sounds [49668 grate teeth; 迫 compel]): in sequence do chuo; the thumb "restrains" the fifth string, the ring finger "hits" the first then stops on the second; setting down the index finger to "incite" the fourth string is just this. All the strings are like this. (N.B.: translation uncertain; I have not seen chuosheng in any surviving tablature.)
齪三 chuo san (compel three): the thumb stops on the fourth string, the ring finger "hits" the first string, the index finger "incites" the third string, perhaps doing these in sequence, perhaps doing them together. Zhao Yeli said, "Bend the finger in to "restrain" the fourth string, the ring finger hits the first, the index finger "incites" the third; in sequence is called "compelling", simultaneous is called "pinching".
齪四 chuo si (compel four): the thumb stops on the sixth string, the ring finger hits the second string, the index finger "incites" the fifth string. Zhao Yeli said, the index finger incites the third string.
齪六 chuo liu (compel six): the ring finger hits the first string, the thumb "slices" the sixth string
間勾 jian gou (閒勾 jian gou: divided hook): the middle finger 按 presses down the second string, the ring finger on the first. The middle (finger) first "hooks" the second string, the ring finger then hits the first string. (Elsewhere 間勾 jian gou is said to come after a da yuan; see also 挑間勾 tiao jian gou below.)
疾間勾 ji jian gou (quick jian gou): like the previous jian gou but the two sounds are connected quickly.
復間勾 fu jian gou (doubled jian gou): with the middle finger pressed on the second string "hook" (the string). The ring finger then "hits"the first string. Do this two times and it is called "doubled jian gou".
打 da (hit): the middle or ring finger going outwards hits a string across the surface; the two fingers can be equally used. (This is different from elsewhere.)
(Translating this entry required re-interpreting some characters and changing the phrasing in one place.)
全扶 quanfu (completely help along): with the thumb resting on the third string, (the index finger?) "hits" the first string (then it) just "hooks" past the second string. Lifting (起 ?) the middle finger it just "hits" the first string, then "hooks" the second string. Lifting the ring finger it just stops the sound of the first string: (making) four sounds all connected but done as one sound. On other strings it is exactly like this.
緩全扶 huan quanfu....
(This one and the rest not yet translated.)
節全扶 jie quanfu
疾全扶 ji quanfu
半全扶 ban quanfu
緩半扶 huan banfu
蠲 juan
連蠲 lian juan
挑間勾 tiao jian gou
轉指 zhuan zhi
圓婁 yuan lou
節撥剌 jie bo la (撥剌 bola: also called 撥刺 boci)
疾撥剌 ji bola
三瑣 san suo
長瑣 chang suo
急瑣 ji suo
打瑣 da suo
却瑣 que suo
緩却轉 huan que zhuan
摘歷 zhai li
拂歷 fu li
度絃 du xian
擘歷度 pi li du
擘摘歷度絃 pi zhai li du xian
擘歷齪殺聲 pi li chuo sha sheng
歷齪擘聲 li chuo pi sheng
蹕，一作終 bi (clear way for the) imperial retinue; also written 䟤 (bi)
雙勾 shuang gou
輪 lun
送輪 song lun
歷擘 li pi
節歷 jie li
節送輪 jie song lun
啄搦聲 zhuo nuo sheng (sound of pecking and grasping)
(Next page:)
拍殺 pai sha: 直舒四指於中徽指煞為曲也。

(None of these yet translated.)

Continue with left hand techniques or go to the Folio 5 ToC.

Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. 太音大全集卷五 Taiyin Daquanji Folio 5, Part 4 (QQJC 1981 edition I/79-80, 2010 edition I/89-90; QF/88) (Left hand: 5) QQJC I/90, top; the first technique on this page is #25 above, 挑 tiao.
The finger techniques in this edition of Taiyin Daquanjii, other than the illustrated finger technique explanations in Folio 3, are all between pp. 89-98 and 101-102 (first line only). It could be interesting also to compare the technique explanations here with those collected in the Wusilan finger techniques, and also compare this with illustrated techniques in Qin Yuan Yao Lu attributed to Zequan Heshang.

Images above were copied from the editon of Taigu Yiyin in the National Central Library, Taiwan (same as QF/87-92). The first 24 techniques there are the same as those in Taiyin Daquanji (QQJC I (30 Volume edition I/89-90). As can be seen here and on the previous page, the layout and clarity are quite different (note that Taiyin Daquanji the entries are read top to bottom then right to left). Translations here are generally based on the content of that Taiyin Daquanji. Finger techniques go from QQJC I/89-98. The two images at right are from the top and bottom of page 90.
(Return)

2. Explanations by translator
See comments concerning the structure of the original text.
(Return)

3. Images: Taigu Yiyin
Images from this Taigu Yiyin are easier to follow than the same material from Qinqu Jicheng, at right.
(Return)

QQJC I/90, bottom: the first technique on the page below is #60 摘歷

Return to Taiyin Daquanji ToC