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30. White Snow
- Shang mode:2 played as 1 2 4 5 6 1 2 |
白雪
1
Bai Xue Bai Xue illustration from Kuian Qinpu 3 |
As mentioned in the introduction to Yang Chun, both Yang Chun and Bai Xue have long been popular melody titles; in literature they have most commonly been paired.4 In addition, in many music repertoires there are melodies called Yangchun Baixue.5 In the qin repertoire the two melodies seem equally popuar: versions of both Yang Chun can be found in 37 surviving handbooks from 1425 to 1946, while versions of Bai Xue are in 38 handbooks throughout the same period.6 It should also be noted that in these qin handbooks Yang Chun and Bai Xue, while sharing similar commentary, are two completely distinct melodies, rarely paired.
This disassociation is also found in the Yuefu Shiji, where Bai Xue is in the section of qin song lyrics, but Yang Chun is included in the Jiangnan melody section of Qingshang lyrics.7
Further emphasizing the differences, the two melodies are in different modes: as stated in the original preface below, Bai Xue is in shang mode, while Yang Chun is in gong mode.8 And since Zhu Quan includes Bai Xue in the second folio, whereas Yang Chun was in the first folio, one might assume he obtained them from different sources.
In his preface Zhu Quan refers to commentary by Zhang Hua, author of the Bowu Zhi, and by the poet Song Yu. Zhu Quan's sources seem to be rather different from those quoted in the Yuefu Shiji entry for Bai Xue. (See also the YFSJ on Yang Chun.)
Other collections and historical records show that melodies on this theme were contuously played since ancient times.9
When reading the stories of the origins of Bai Xue one should keep in mind that these are mainly for their literary and historical associations, and have little to do with the actual origins of any surviving melody. Of this we can only say that the Yang Chun published in 1425 CE was copied from an earlier source, perhaps 13th century or earlier; it does not seem possible to say with certainty what if any revisions might have been made between the earlier tablature and 1425, or what editing Zhu Quan himself may have done.
Shi Kuang (Master Kuang) was perhaps the most famous musician in ancient China, said to have been music master to Duke Ping of Jin in the 5th C. BCE. Huainanzi (a book attributed to the court of Liu An (d. 122 BCE), says that when Shi Kuang played Bai Xue strange birds descended, accompanied by wind and rain.
Zhu Quan's quote from Song Yu, an early Han dynasty poet, is given with Yang Chun.10 Also mentioned with Yang Chun is the common attribution of Yangchun Baixue to the 3rd C. CE Taoist doctor Liu Juanzi.
Bai Xue survives in 34 handbooks to 1878. Guan Pinghu's reconstruction from SQMP is now available on recording. The Bai Xue recorded by Ding Chunyun (edited from Ziyuantang Qinpu) and Wu Zhaoji (similar source) are very different, but connections can still be heard.
The Emaciated Immortal says
this piece was written by Shi Kuang. Zhang Hua relates that the Celestial Emperor had Su Nü play the five stringed qin. She played Yang Chun and Bai Xue; so Shi Kuang was copying her when he wrote it. Yang Chun is in the gong mode, while Bai Xue is in the shang mode. Yang Chun has the meaning of the myriad objects responding to spring while its mild winds blow gently; Bai Xue has the sounds of snow-covered bamboo tinkling like jade in the cold clear air. Thus we have Bai Xue and the previously composed melody Yang Chun. These (two pieces) are probably what Song Yu was talking about when he said the loftier the tune the fewer are those who can accompany it.
Nine sections, three with titles:
12
(00.00) 1.
(01.11) 2. Sound of breaking bamboo
(01.59) 3.
(02.34) 4.
(02.58) 5. Sound of jade dropping and breaking
(03.32) 6. Sounds of music
(04.23) 7.
(05.20) 8.
(05.54) 9. harmonics
(06.28) -- Piece ends
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Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a
separate page)
1.
Tracing the title Bai Xue
白雪 23191.641 says "old melody, see Yangchun Baixue;" it then gives
references to Wen Xuan, Lu Ji; Yuefu Shiji (mentions qin) etc.; see also .646 Bai Xue Qu 白雪曲 ("qin melody", with references to Wen Xuan, Xi Kang, etc.) and .649 Bai Xue Yang Chun 白雪陽春 (another Wen Xuan reference). The title (but not Yang Chun) is listed as #7 in the Qin Cao Hejian Yage.
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2.
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.
Kuian Qinpu illustration (QQJC XI/16)
There is no inscription.
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4.
As can be seen from the Original Preface here.
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5.
陽春白雪 Yangchun Baixue: see comments under
Yang Chun.
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6.
Zha Fuxi's Guide 5/48/66 (for Yang Chun: 3/27/19). The chart below shows which handbooks have which of the two melodies.
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7.
Yuefu Shiji commentary and lyrics for Bai Xue
The Yuefu Shiji entry for Bai Xue is as follows.
Qin Ji says, "Bai Xue" was written by Shi Kuang. It is a melody in the shang mode."
Tang Shu, Yuezhi, says, "Bai Xue is a melody from the Zhou dynasty."
Zhang Hua, Bowu Zhi, says, "As for Baixue, it is the name of the melody the Celestial Emperor (Fu Xi) ordered Su Nü to play on the 50 string se.
Guo Maoqian himself adds,
(This translation follows the punctuation of the modern edition of Yuefu Shiji; the information seems to have come from Xin Tang Shu.)
Yuefu Shiji then includes two poems entitled Bai Xue Ge and one called Bai Xue Qu (compare Yang Chun lyrics). These are not yet translated:
Zhu Xiaolian (朱孝廉)
8.
See also the comments under Yang Chun. The origins of this modal difference are not clear.
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9.
Details to be added.
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10.
See also Van Gulik, Hsi Kang, p.92.
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11.
For the original Chinese text see 白雪.
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12.
Timings follow my CD. Some other handbooks have full sets of section titles; the fifth usually corresponds; the sixth doesn't. For the original Chinese titles see 白雪.
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Appendix: Chart Tracing Bai Xue
(see also the Yang Chun chart)
Based mainly on Zha Fuxi's Guide, 5/48/66 .
|
琴譜
(year; QQJC Vol/page) |
Further information (handbooks with Bai Xue also have Yang Chun unless otherwise indicated)
(QQJC = 琴曲集成 Qinqu Jicheng; QF = 琴府 Qin Fu) |
|
1. 神奇秘譜
(1425; I/132) |
9 sections (no subtitles); 2nd and 3rd editions have
punctuation
"by 師曠 Shi Kuang" |
|
. 浙音釋字琴譜
(<1491; I.8) |
lyrics of 1585 don't fit 1425
neither do those for Yang Chun |
|
2. 發明琴譜
(1530; I/330) |
9; almost same as 1425; no punctuation
No Yang Chun |
|
3. 風宣玄品
(1539; II/188) |
9; related to 1425 but simpler (no minor thirds)
|
|
4. 梧岡琴譜
(1546; I/385) |
9; related to 1425: perhaps a bit more elaborate but fewer
minor thirds
"Xu family tradition", but how old? (comment) |
|
5. 琴譜正傳
(1561; II/449) |
9; identical to 1546
|
|
6. 西麓堂琴統
(1549; III/82) |
9; like 1425
|
|
7. 步虛僊琴譜
(1556; facsimile) |
8T; similar to 1425
Not in QQJC/III |
|
8. 太音傳習
(1552-61; IV/64) |
9; similar to 1539: related origin?
Has both versions of Yang Chun |
|
9. 太音補遺
(1557; III/328) |
9; very similar to 1546
|
|
10. 新刊正文對音捷要
(1573; --) |
9TL; same as 1585?
|
|
11. 五音琴譜
(1579; IV/218) |
16; related to 1425 but a bit more elaborate
|
|
12. 重修真傳琴譜
(1585; IV/386) |
9TL; same preface as 1425, but many differences in the music
|
|
13. 玉梧琴譜
(1589; VI/21) |
9; related (omits minor thirds)
|
|
14. 琴書大全
(1590; V/485) |
9; related to 1546 (a few minor thirds: after this it is rare to see them)
|
|
15. 文會堂琴譜
(1596; VI/215) |
10; related to 1546
|
|
16. 藏春塢琴譜
(1602; VI/315) |
9; same as 1589
|
|
17.a 真傳正宗琴譜
(1589; VII/76) |
12TL; lyrics different again; music related but quite different
(楊倫太古遺音) |
|
17.b 真傳正宗琴譜
(1609; ???) |
same as 1589 edition?
|
|
18. 陽春堂琴譜
(1611; VII/370) |
12; like 2589/1609 but without lyrics?
(太古正音欽佩) |
|
. 松絃館琴譜
(1614; VIII/--) |
Has Yang Chun but no Bai Xue
|
|
19. 理性元雅
(1618; VIII/214) |
9TL; melody related to 1585
"its shang continues Yang Chun's gong" |
|
20. 太音希聖
(1620; IX/143) |
9; lyrics; fairly well related to 1425 in spite of lyrics
|
|
21. 樂仙琴譜
(1623; VIII/418) |
12; 商音; same as 1611; first handbook to put Yang Chun and Bai Xue side by side
Zha's index missed the Yang Chun here! |
|
. 古音正宗
(1634; IX/--) |
Has Yang Chun but no Bai Xue
|
|
. 羲軒琴經
(late Ming; IX/--) |
Has Yang Chun but no Bai Xue
|
|
22. 徽言秘旨
(1647; X/68) |
10; related but many diff.
|
|
23. 徽言秘旨訂
(1692; X.2) |
missing? same as 1647?
|
|
24. 愧庵琴譜
(1660; XI/17) |
10; related to 1425; has picture!
No Yang Chun |
|
25. 臣奔堂琴譜
(1663/5; XI/86) |
5; lyrics; very similar to 1589
No Yang Chun |
|
26. 琴苑新傳全編
(1670; XI/328) |
9; almost same as 1425
Has the 1425 Yang Chun |
|
27. 大還閣琴譜
(1673; X/351) |
10; related to 1425 but often quite different
Has first 和陽春 He Yangchun as well as Yang Chun |
|
28. 澄鑒堂琴譜
(1689; XIV/221) |
10; compare 1673 and 1623
No Yang Chun |
|
29. 德音堂琴譜
(1691; XII/503) |
9; compare 1673
|
|
30. 蓼懷堂琴譜
(1702; XIII/213) |
12; quite different from others
|
|
. 誠一堂琴譜
(1705; XIII/--) |
Has Yang Chun but no Bai Xue
|
|
31. 一峰園琴譜
(1709; XIII/518) |
6; shortened version; paired with Yang Chun
(see afterword and 1623) |
|
32. 自遠堂琴譜
(1802; XVII/327) |
10; like 1689; see recording by Ding Chunyun
No Yang Chun |
|
33. 裛露軒琴譜
(>1802; ?) |
10; "from 1689"
|
|
. 琴學軔端
(1828; ?) |
Has Yang Chun but no Bai Xue
|
|
34. 小蘭琴譜
(1812; ?) |
15
|
|
35. 悟雪山房琴譜
(1836; ?) |
11; like 1802
|
|
36. 天聞閣琴譜
(1876; ?) |
10; "same as 1702", but many changes; also, 1702 has 12 sections: compare its Sec. 8 to 1876 8-10
(1702 Sections 8 + half of 9 are "no need to play"; 1876 diff. here) |
|
37. 希韶閣琴譜
(1878; ?) |
10
|
|
38. 沙堰琴編
(1946; ?) |
11; preface and afterword
|
|
. 研易習琴齋琴譜
(1961) |
10; Afterword; 中呂均，徵音; precedes 和陽春 He Yangchun
No Yang Chun |
|
. 愔愔室琴譜
(2000/247) |
Yang Chun but no Bai Xue
|
|
39. 虞山吳氏琴譜
(2001/110) |
From 1802, with staff notation
|
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