Modal preludes called Shenpin Gong Yi, Gong Yi, Gong Diao, Gong Yi Kao and Gongyin Chudiao, were all used to introduce characteristics of gong mode.³ There are 25 of these in all, most later versions being melodically related to the one here; others are seemingly unrelated.⁴ All seem to consider the third string as gong (do, 1) and use that as their main tonal center, with zhi (so, 5) as the secondary tonal center. This characteristic (also found in some of the other modes here) makes it tempting to compare it with the Western major mode. Most of the preludes open on 5 (played on the open 1st and 6th strings) and end on 1/5 (inverted fifth on 1).

For more information on such modal characteristics see also Modality in Early Ming Qin Tablature.⁵

SQMP Folio 2 has two melodies in gong mode:

1. Guanghan You (Wandering in a Lunar Palace)
2. Meihua Sannong (Three Repetitions of Plum Blossom)

Both use the first string as gong (do) with do as the main note and so as the secondary note.

In addition, Folio 1 has seven melodies using standard tuning, all said to be in gong mode:

1. Gufeng Cao (The Ancient Style)
2. Gao Shan (High Mountains)
3. Liu Shui (Flowing Streams)
4. Yang Chun (Sunny Spring)
5. Xuan Mei (Profoundly Serene)
6. Zhao Yin (Seeking a Recluse)
7. Jiu Kuang (Wine Mad)

However, the first of these, Gufeng Cao, seems in fact to use yu mode right up to the ending.

Later pieces in gong mode that I have studied include the following:

1. Yi Qiao Jin Lü
2. Yi Sa Jin
3. Tiao Xian Pin
4. Xiuxi Yin
5. Yang Chun
6. Liu Shang
7. You Lan

 
No original preface⁴

 
One section.

(00.41) -- harmonics
(00.52) -- Modal prelude ends

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Celestial Air Defining Gong Mode (Shenpin Gong Yi 神品宮意)
神品宮意 25211.182 神品 shenpin refers to art, not music. 7327.169 宮調 says it is an old music category, e.g. for Music for Feasting (fairly lengthy entry). Gong, which literally means "palace", is the first note of the Chinese music scale. "Yi" is short for "diao yi", the common name for a modal prelude (compare "kaizhi").
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2. Gong mode tuning
See also Qin Tunings, some theoretical concepts and Van Gulik's comments in Lore, pp.86-7. Here Van Gulik says the diaoyi include all the basic playing techniques used in that mode, but I have not found this to be the case.
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3. Some modal preludes may have been created specifically for the pieces they precede; such preludes, according to some definitations, should have been called kaizhi.
(Return)

4. Tracing Gong modal preludes
See the appendix below. This covers the following entries from Zha Fuxi's Guide:

5. Preface to gong modal prelude
Although SQMP modal preludes have no prefaces, those in Zheyin Shizi Qinpu do, so the prefaces to Zheyin preludes are included here to give an idea of one Chinese conception of mode. However, since Zheyin has melodies in only 9 of SQMP's 14 modes, any prefaces to the other six preludes (for gong, shang, jiao, mangong, manshang and manjiao modes) must come from elsewhere (note that the jiao prelude is missing from Zheyin, and in SQMP manshang has no prelude). It so happens that surviving prefaces for modal preludes in Zheyin are almost identical to those in Chongxiu Zhenchuan Qinpu (1585), and the latter also has prefaces for all the missing modal preludes except mangong, so they can also be applied to Shen Qi Mi Pu modal preludes. Thus the following preface to the gong modal prelude comes from 1585 (see also the lyrics from the same source):

 
Appendix: Chart Tracing Shenpin Gong Yi
Traces several gong mode titles, as indicated above

琴譜     (year; QQJC Vol/page)	Further information (QQJC = 琴曲集成 Qinqu Jicheng; QF = 琴府 Qin Fu)
1.  太音大全集       (Song/Yuan; I/92)	宮意 Gong Yi Begins on 6 then four phrases ending on 5, 5, 3, 1, then harmonic coda on 1
2.  事林廣記       (Song/Yuan; I/12)	宮調 Gong Diao; longer, but no harmonic coda Begins on 6 then six phrases ending on 5, 3, 2, 3, 1, 1 and 1 (last 3 also emphasize 5)
3.  神奇秘譜       (1425; I/146)	神品宮意 Shenpin Gong Yi; quite different from the above: five longer phrases end on 5, 3, 5, 1 then harmonic coda ending on 1/5 (inverted 5th). Second phrase begins 2-7-7-2-7-6-5 (compare triad on 5)
浙音釋字琴譜       (<1491; I/--)	Either missing or was never a part of it : lyrics of 1585 don't fit 1425 melody using the normal pairing method (see argument)
4. 風宣玄品       (1539; II/58)	神品宮意 Shenpin Gong Yi; quite different, somewhat longer Seems like a revision of 1425: 7s changed to 1 and 6
5. 梧岡琴譜       (1546; I/377)	神品宮意 Shenpin Gong Yi; quite different, somewhat shorter Also seems like a revision of 1425: 7s also changed to 1 and 6
6. 琴譜正傳       (1561; II/406)	神品宮意 Shenpin Gong Yi; Identical to 1546
7. 西麓堂琴統       (1549; III/60)	宮意 Gong Yi Starts out like 1546 then more changes
8. 步虛僊琴譜       (1556; III/--)	宮意 Gong Yi; in Folio I of facsimile edition Close to 1425, including 7s, but some changes
9. 太音傳習       (1552-61; IV/27)	宮意 Gong Yi Same as 1546 but missing harmonic coda
10. 太音補遺       (1557; III/310)	宮意 Gong Yi (but ToC has 宮意考 Gong Yi Kao) Same as 1546
11. 龍湖琴譜       (1571; 琴府/226)	神品宮意 Shenpin Gong Yi; lyrics same as 1585 but last line repeated for harmonic coda. Except for opening and harmonic coda it is musically very different from 1425 (and 1585)
12. 五音琴譜       (1579; IV/194)	神品宮意 Shenpin Gong Yi; related but again quite different from 1425; starts on 1 unisons instead of octaves; omits 7s but seems to add some slides into non-pentatonic tones; ends on 5/1
13a. 新刊正文對音       捷要 (1573; --)	See in ToC: identical to 1585?
13b. 重修真傳琴譜       (1585; IV/298)	宮意 Gong Yi; lyrics Related to but very different from 1425; longer; ends on 1/1
14. 玉梧琴譜       (1589; VI/10)	神品宮意 Shenpin Gong Yi; after opening octaves on 1 it is different: first to continue with 9th position on 3rd (then 4th); long harmonic coda ending on 5/1.
15. 琴書大全       (1590; V/469)	神品宮意 Shenpin Gong Yi; Quite different again; another long harmonic coda ending 5/1
16. 文會堂琴譜       (1596; VI/186)	宮意 Gong Yi; Like 1546 but seems to omit some ornaments
17. 綠綺新聲       (1597; VII/9)	宮意 Gong Yi; lyrics begin like 1585, but are quite a bit longer; music seems like new composition but tonal centers still 1 and 5, ending 5/1.
18. 藏春塢琴譜       (1602; VI/292 / 304)	神品宮意 Shenpin Gong Yi. Two: first seems to be an elaboration of 1546 (especially at end); second version is identical to 1589
19. 三才圖會續集       (1607; VI/464)	宮意 Gong Yi; lyrics same as 1585: music also seems same
20. 真傳正宗琴譜       (1589; VII/170)	宮意考 Gong Yi Kao; missing from QQJC Toc but included in text Seems to be a new melody; lyrics like 1585 but with some insertions (e.g., 惠風膏雨沐花天，景悠然...) and a change near end
21. 陽春堂琴譜       (1611; VII/354)	宮意 Gong Yi Very similar to 1546
22. 琴適       (1611; VIII/17)	宮意 Gong Yi  lyrics; identical to 1597
23. 樂仙琴譜       (1623; VIII/359)	宮意考 Gong Yi Kao; same melody and lyrics as 1589
24. 羲軒琴經       (late Ming; IX/401)	宮意 Gong Yi Very similar to 1546
25. 琴苑新傳全編       (1670; XI/311)	神品宮意 Shenpin Gong Yi Seems like 1425 with modifications like 1546 (no 7s)
26. 天聞閣琴譜       (1876)	宮意初調 Gongyi Chudiao; see comment New unrelated melody

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