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SQMP ToC   /   Oulu Wang Ji 首頁
23. No Ulterior Motives
- Shang mode:2 standard tuning played as 1 2 4 5 6 1 2
  		忘機 1
Wang Ji
 
According to a story from the Yellow Emperor chapter of the Han dynasty book of Liezi,4

There was a man living by the sea-shore who loved seagulls. Every morning he went down to the sea to roam with the seagulls, and more birds came to him than you could count in hundreds. His father said to him:

'I hear the seagulls all come roaming with you. Bring me some to play with.'

Next day, when he went down to the sea, the seagulls danced above him and would not come down.

Therefore it is said: 'The utmost in speech is to be rid of speech, the utmost doing is Doing Nothing.' What common knowledge knows is shallow.

According to another version5 the old man himself never noticed the birds as he fished, so they came right up to him. One night he decided he should catch one, but the next day when he went out the birds would not come near. In his own preface Zhu Quan seems to combine both of these two storie.

This title (with several variants) has been very popular, appearing in 48 surviving handbooks from 1425 to 1961.6 However, only the first five (plus two related versions with other titles) to 1585 are musically related to the melody played here.7 The other 41 evolved from a completely unrelated Oulu Wang Ji (Seabirds [trust those with] No Ulterior Motives) first published in 1620. This latter melody became the version still played today, still usually called Oulu Wangji.8 Xilutang Qintong (1549) has the old version but also calls it Oulu Wangji. The other two titles for surviving versions of the old melody are Teng Liu Yin9 (Melody of Teng Liu, deity of snow), and Jin Shan Yin10 (Completed Skills Intonation).

The reputed composer Liu Zhifang,11 from Tiantai in Zhejiang province, is also credited with a piece called Wujiang Yin.12 He was a student of Guo Chuwang and thus one of the qin players in the Zhe(jiang) School of the Southern Song Dynasty, which flourished in Hangzhou during the 12th and 13th centuries. Yang Zan, who collected a large number of qin pieces in his now-lost Rosy Cloud Cave Handbook, was particularly impressed when he heard Guo's pieces in the shang mode.13

Other than my own, there are no other recordings of any of the early versions of this theme.14

 
Original Preface15

The Emaciated Immortal says

this piece was composed in the Song dynasty by Mr. Liu Zhifang of Tiantai. Some say its meaning follows that of Liezi's story about the Old Man of the Sea, who had no ulterior motives, and so birds didn't fly (away from him). The fingers are used to achieve this. Perhaps it has the same flavor as sitting down and forgetting meanings.

 
Music
Two sections (Titles from Chongxiu Zhenchuan Qinpu 16)

(00.00) 1. The ulterior motives stop
(00.51) 2. Sitting in tranquility
(01.58) -- harmonics
(02.11) -- Melody ends

Return to the Shen Qi Mi Pu ToC or to the Guqin ToC.

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Wang Ji references
10543.54 忘機 Wang Ji says 心無紛競，淡焉漠焉，謂之忘機 : calm and detached. There are two quotes, one from a poem by 儲光義 Chu Guangyi (should be 儲光羲 Chu Guangxi, fl. 846; ICTCL), the other a poem by Li Bai. No mention of qin.

Regarding the connection with seagulls, the original story in the Yellow Emperor chapter of Liezi (online in the China Text Project at 列子，黃帝 11) calls the seabirds 漚鳥 ouniao rather than 鷗鷺 oulu, and there is no mention of wang ji; the conclusion there is that" 齊智之所知，則淺矣 common knowledge is shallow".

48240.41 鷗鷺忘機 Oulu Wang Ji says .41/1: "謂人無機心者，能便異類亦相與狎近也 this refers to people without ulterior motives being able to make things with which they are not related become familiar"; it cites the Book of Liezi story. There is then a reference from 李商隱 Li Shangyin (813-858) that "海翁忘機，鷗故不飛 because the old man of the sea forgot his ulterior motives the seabirds as a result did not fly away". Perhaps this is the first specific connection made between "wang ji" and the Liezi story (the other reference at 48240.41/1 is also Tang dynasty).

After this 48240.41/2 says "古琴曲名 old qin melody title".
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2. Shang mode (商調 shang diao)
Standard tuning is also considered as 5 6 1 2 3 5 6. For further information on shang mode see Shenpin Shang Yi and Modality in Early Ming Qin Tablature.
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3. Image
None yet selected. As for seagulls, in general it might be added that in traditional Chinese art there are many images of lakes and streams but very few connected to the ocean. <-- (Not 鳧鷖 fuyi 47624.54 Shi Jing, Da Ya, 248 "wild duck" - on the 涇 Jing river, not the sea-->
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4. Liezi 列子 (Wiki: book and person)
From the translation by AC Graham, p. 45-6. Liezi is the name of a person (also known as 列禦寇 Lie Yukou) and of his book, also called The Book of Liezi.
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5. Reference to be added
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6. Tracing the various Wang Ji melodies
There are three relevant entries in the Zha Guide; see details in the appendix below.
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7. Tracing the old version of Wang Ji
The four versions of the apparently Song dynasty Wang Ji melody, plus the three related melodies listed at the top of the Appendix below, are in handbooks dated:

  1. 1425 (Wang Ji; 2 sections)
  2. 1539 (Wang Ji; identical to 1425)
  3. 1549 (Oulu Wang Ji; 3 sections)
  4. 1551 (Teng Liu Yin; 3 sections)
  5. 1557 (Teng Liu Yin; identical to 1551)
  6. 1561 (Jin Shan Yin; 2 sections)
  7. 1585 (Wang Ji; 2, lyrics, gong mode and rather different, but still related to 1425)

Note that although there is no version in the existing 1491 handbook, the lyrics from 1585 can be made to fit the 1425 version (Section 1, badly; Section 2, easily). This perhaps suggests that the original edition of 1491 included this melody.
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8. No Ulterior Motives regarding Seabirds (鷗鷺忘機 Oulu Wang Ji), modern version
Oulu Wang Ji (sometimes written Ou Lu Wang Ji) as played today can be traced to a melody first surviving from Sizhaitang Qinpu (1620), a handbook compiled by the wife of a late Ming dynasty prince. That version has no commentary, so its origins are unknown, but it has continued to be connected to the same story from Liezi told with the SQMP version and its six related versions, the last of which was published in 1585. The 1620 version, in 3 sections, is printed in QQJC IX/29; versions related to it can be found in almost 40 Qing dynasty handbooks (Zha Guide, 4/42/64), but the one commonly played today is said to be based on the one published in 1802 (also in 3 sections; see in Guqin Quji, I/250). Although the 1620 and 1802 versions are clearly related, there are also noteworthy differences: the 1620 version is somewhat shorter, missing, for example, the opening glissandos.

Xu Jian discusses this later Oulu Wang Ji under Qing dynasty melodies (QSCB, Chapter 8). After summarizing the story from Liezi he mentions the Song dynasty Wang Ji Qu by Liu Zhifang, saying that the Qing dynasty version was both shorter (according to my analysis this statement is incorrect) and a completely new piece, different in both style and content. He continues,

The afterword to the version of this melody in Wuzhizhai Qinpu (1722; QQJC XIV/435) says that it puts emphasis on expressing circumstances in which,

海日朝暉，滄江夕照。 A day by the sea in morning sunlight; by a broad river the stars shine down.
群飛眾和，翱翔自得。 A flock flies, gathered as a group; soaring at will.

It shakes off the traditional style of 沖淡虛無 diluting nothingness (making few demands on life), instead,

When going into the melody it uses jinfu (slide up then back), tuifu (slide down then back) again seeing diechu (repeat out, causing people who) listen to these sounds to have their hearts happily go pit-a-pat. (As for the circumstance that) this sort of finger techniques are nowadays rather esteemed, (Daoist scholars very much disapproved, to the extent that they attacked it as) exceeding even that which goes beyond (the evil music of) Zheng and Wei. (Afterword in Qinpu Xiesheng [1820] - note that QQJC does not have this handbook, and the quotes here are not in Zha's Guide, p.43ff).

Although it was termed a "small recreational piece", it has an artistic result that is rather significant. The rapid harmonic gunfu (glissandos that open the melody) draw people into the beautiful seaside scenery, then sonorous smoothly played stopped sounds express an environment of carefree seabirds soaring aloft. This tries to use the opening phrase as an example. (A staff notation example consisting of the first eight bars of section 2 is here omitted).

I am not sure what this example is intended to "try" to show. Note that there are many recordings available of modern versions related to this.
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9. 滕六吟 Teng Liu Yin (Intonation of Teng Liu, deity of snow)
18466.2 Teng Liu 滕六﹕雪神名。見古書《幽怪錄》。 This version of Wang Ji survives only in 太音傳習 Taiyin Chuanxi (1551; QQJC IV/63) and Taiyin Buyi (1557; QQJC III/327); the two are identical, and both are used as a prelude to Bai Xue (White Snow). An old story book called Youguai Lu (幽怪錄 9411.59xx uncanny, spooky) tells of a deer, knowing a notorious hunter is after him, who prays to the diety of snow. The next day there is heavy wind and snow so the hunter does not come out.
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10. 盡善吟 Jin Shan Yin (Intonation of the Perfectly Good)
23556.36 盡善 jin shan refers to .37 盡善盡美 (perfectly beautiful and perfectly good), quoting Lun Yu, 八佾 Bayi/25 (D. C. Lau, p. 27). In that passage Confucius uses these terms to describe the Shao music of Emperor Shun. This version of Wang Ji survives only in Qinpu Zhengchuan (1561; QQJC II/517), where it has two sections and is used as a prelude to Xiaoshao Jiucheng Fenghuang Laiyi.
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11. 2270.xxx 劉志方 Liu Zhifang, from 天台 Tian Tai, near the coast about 150 km southeast of Hangzhou, is discussed in Xu Jian p.89: 郭楚望; 楊瓚; 紫霞洞譜十三卷; 毛敏仲; 吳江吟. Xu Jian gives as reference a 胡長孺，紫外譜琴序.
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12. Wujiang Yin 吳江吟
Wujiang is a town about 25 km south of Suzhou. 3453.xxx has no references to music, nor is this title included in any handbooks or melody lists.
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13. There is further discussion of Liu Zhifang and his Hangzhou contemporaries in QSCB, Chapter 6a3. See also Shen Qi Mi Pu: A General Introduction.
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14. My own version is included in my Shen Qi Mi Pu recordings.
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15. For the original text see 忘機.
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16. For the original titles see 忘機.
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Return to top.

 
Appendix: Chart Tracing Wang Ji

This chart is based mainly on three entries in Zha Fuxi's Guide:

4/42/64 : 忘機 Wang Ji (plus 鷗鷺忘機 Oulu Wang Ji, 海鷗忘機 Haiou Wang Ji, 忘機引 Wang Ji Yin and 鷗鷺 Ou Lu)
23/199/-- : 滕六吟 Teng Liu Yin
18--/-- : 盡善吟 Jin Shan Yin.

      琴譜
    (year; QQJC Vol/page)		 Further information
(QQJC = 琴曲集成 Qinqu Jicheng; QF = 琴府 Qin Fu)
  1.  神奇秘譜
      (1425; I/125)		 2 sections
 
      浙音釋字琴譜
      (<1491)		 ? See comment
 
  2.  風宣玄品
      (1539; II/144)		 2; same as 1425, including mistakes
 
  3.  西麓堂琴統
      (1549; III/103)		 3; called 鷗鷺忘機 Oulu Wang Ji but related to #1
 
  4.  太音傳習
      (1552; IV/63)		 3; called 滕六吟 (Teng Liu Yin); Teng Liu is deity of snow; precedes 白雪 White Snow
not indexed
  5.  新刊正文對音捷要
      (1573; ---)		   not indexed; same as 1585?
 
  6.  重修真傳琴譜
      (1585; IV/323)		 2; lyrics; rather diff.; included with gong mode pieces
 
  7.  思齊堂琴譜
      (1620; IX/29)		 3; rel to modern version but much shorter & no opening harmonics
 
  8.  古音正宗
      (1634; IX/285)		 4 sections
 
  9.  陶氏琴譜
      (late Ming; IX/449)		 3 (not numbered) + harm sect at end; lyrics;
called Wang Ji, but rel to 1629
10. 徽言秘旨
      (1647; X/205)		 first to begin w/harmonics; extended to 7 sections; "羽音"
 
11. 徽言秘旨訂
      (1692; fac/)		 Missing
 
12. 友聲社琴譜
      (early Qing; XI/163)		 15; begin w/harm (but not run)
(not indexed)
13. 愧庵琴譜
      (1660; XI/63)		 4+harm; diff?
 
14. 琴苑新傳全編
      (1670; XI/351)		 4; like 1647 etc; called Wang Ji
but called Wang Ji and attrib to Liu Zhifang!
15. 松風閣琴譜
      (1677/82; XII/295)		 6; 忘機; afterword "韓石耕譜"
 
16. 松風閣琴瑟譜
      (1687?; XII/407)		 7; 忘機; afterword "韓石耕譜"
 
17. 德音堂琴譜
      (1691; XII/491)		 5; 鷗鷺 Ou Lu;
 
18. 蓼懷堂琴譜
      (1702; XIII/276)		 5; 海鷺忘機; 宮羽音;
 
19. 五知齋琴譜
      (1722; XIV/435)		 3; begin w/harm
 
20. 琴書千古
      (1738; XV/)
 
21. 琴學練要
      (1739; XVIII/)		 (治心齋琴譜; facsimile
 
22. 春草堂琴譜
      (1744; XV/)		 facsimile
 
23. 琴劍合譜
      (1749; XVIII/)
 
24. 蘭田館琴譜
      (1760; XVI/200)		 6
 
25. 琴香堂琴譜
      (1760; XVII/35)		 6; begin w/harm
 
26. 研露樓琴譜
      (1766; XVI/439)		 5 begin w/harm
 
27. 自遠堂琴譜
      (1802; XVII/322)		 3+收音; begin w/harm
 
28. 琴譜諧聲
      (1820; XX/)
 
29. 指法匯參確解
      (1821; XX/)
 
30. 峰抱樓琴譜
      (1825; XX/)
 
31. 琴學軔端
      (1828; XX/)
 
32. 鄰鶴齋琴譜
      (1830; XXI/)
 
33. 悟雪山房琴譜
      (1836; XXII/)
 
34. 張鞠田琴譜
      (1844; XXIII/)
 
35. 一經盧琴學
      (1845; XXII/)
 
36. 琴學尊聞
      (1864; XXIV/)
 
37. 琴學入門
      (1864; XXIV/)
 
38. 蕉庵琴譜
      (1868; XXVI/)		 facsimile
 
39. 以六正五之齋琴譜秘書
      (1875; XXVI/)
 
40. 天聞閣琴譜
      (1876; XXV/)
 
41. 天籟閣琴譜
      (1876; XXI/)		 lyrics as #7
 
42. 希韶閣琴譜
      (1878; XXVI/)
 
43. 雙琴書屋琴譜集成
      (1884; XXVII/)
 
44. 希韶閣琴瑟合譜
      (1890; XXVI/)
 
45. 琴學初津
      (1894; XXVIII/)
 
46. 詩夢齋琴譜
      (1914)		 not indexed and not in Qinqu Jicheng
 
47. 夏一峰傳譜
      (1957; p.32)		 3+收音; begin w/harm
 
48. 研易習琴齋琴譜
    (1961; Folio 2, #8)		 5; begin w/harm