Shenpin Zhi Yi

As for complications within zhi mode melodies, these begin with naming the notes. In this context it is useful to compare it with shang mode. As with early shang mode melodies, SQMP melodies in zhi mode often include an altered third: the third interval up from the main tonal center (main note), while normally a whole-tones third, is sometimes flatted. On the other hand, whereas with shang mode it is clear that the first string is the relative note gong, with the zhi mode this is not so clear.

The tonal centers in zhi mode are as follows (compare melodies in shang mode, which have the open first string as the main tonal center and the open second string [shang] as the secondary tonal center [sometimes the open fifth string is also a secondary tonal center]):

The main tonal center is the equivalent of the open fourth string, called "zhi" (sol). Thus the title "zhi mode" is appropriate. And following on from this, if the open first string is considered as gong, then in zhi mode the main note is 5 (again, zhi); the note to be flatted is then 7 (ti), thus becoming 7^b.
The secondary tonal center is the equivalent to the note of the open second string (called "shang" [re]); it is thus a fifth interval above the primary tonal center.

In my transcriptions I have chosen always to express gong as "C", hastening to remind everyone that this is better considered as the relative note do. For almost all of these transcriptions, my decision as to which specific note to consider as gong has been based on avoiding written accidentals.⁵ Applying this to Shen Qi Mi Pu melodies in zhi mode has led to considering the first string as gong.

However, especially with later melodies in zhi mode, it might also be appropriate to consider other open strings as gong. Thus, in some cases the open fourth string seems to function as do better than the first string. Once again, since the fourth string is called "zhi", the title zhi mode" remains appropriate. In this case the relative tuning of zhi mode melodies would be considered not as 1 2 4 5 6 1 2 but as 4 5 7b 1 2 4 5 . This returns the occasionally flatted note to being mi (3).

Later zhi mode melodies become even more complex. For this it is interesting to consider the possibility that the musical complexity resulted from the players themselves being uncertain about which note was gong. The complexity generally relates to the flatted or non-flatted thirds plus the fourth (fa). Thus (considering the open fourth string as do), in addition to the flatted third alternating with the non-flatted third, the fourth (fa) is also quite common, either substituting for mi and/or mi^b (as with the shang mode melody Qiujiang Yebo) or mixing together with them (as with the zhi mode melody Saishang Hong).

Further complicating analysis is the movement of some melodies between shang and zhi modes. Thus, Yu Qiao Wen Da, originally grouped with shang melodies, is later said to be zhi. The later versions do in fact have characteristics of the zhi mode, though this requires considering the 3rd string as 1 do (see further comment).

It also appears that a number of melodies in mid-Ming handbooks categorized as in zhi mode diverge from the common pattern of this mode as described above. For example, Nanxun Ge seems to have the open 1st string, played as do, as its main note. Shi Xian seems to fit into the traditional scale system if the tuning is treated not as 1 2 4 5 6 1 2 but as 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 .⁶

Other melodies published in the mid-Ming and later seem best understood if the relative tuning of the seven qin strings is considered to be 2 3 5 6 7 2 3. This is because some zhi mode melodies seem best interpreted as having characteristics of a la - mi mode (compare A minor). Thus, if the tuning for Weibin Yin is considered as 1 2 3 5 6 1 2 , with 5 as the main note, it turns out that the third above 5 is always played as 7^b, never changing to the whole-tones third. This makes the open fourth string sound not like 5 or 1, but like 6 (la). This in turn suggests that perhaps the tuning should be treated as 2 3 5 6 7 2 3 . If the tuning is treated in this way, the melody will be found to have several occurrences of sharped 4, but overall it gives the feeling of a la - mi melody such as those in yu mode, but with the tonal center sometimes shifting from 6 and 3 to 1 and 5.⁷

In other cases, such as Saishang Hong, the note 1 is often sharped, giving the flavor or alternating between an A major and A minor mode. In this regard, it is interesting to observe that the ambiguous note, 1 or 1 sharp, has no open string representation in 2 3 5 6 7 2 3. Note also that a sharped 1 in la - mi modes is not uncommon in the qin repertoire. See, for example, comments under Shenpin Wuyi Yi, as well as the yu mode melody Pei Lan.

Original preface
None⁸

Music
One section⁹

(00.45) -- harmonics
(01.04) -- Modal prelude ends

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

Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Shenpin Zhi Yi 神品徵意
10483.66 徵歌 zhi yi quotes Li Bai; .78 徵聲 says 五音中之徵聲; but no mention of a zhidiao. Zhi, elsewhere usually pronounced zheng, has a great many meanings (summon, ask, clear, stop, surname, etc).
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2. Later the melodies seem often to suggest the tuning should be considered as 4 5 7b 1 2 4 5 or 2 3 5 6 7 2 3 .
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4. Taigu Yiyin groups melodies chronologically, not by mode. Determining mode thus comes from direct observation as well as by comparing versions included under modes in later handbooks.
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5. For more on the rationale for this see comments under Modality in Early Ming Qin Tablature.
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6. If the tuning of Shi Xian is considered as 2 3 5 6 7 2 3 there are many F sharps in the transcription.
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7. Relative pitch names for the strings
As outlined in a footnote to Weibin Yin, avoiding the most number of accidentals there requires considering the tuning to be 5 6 1 2 3 5 6. In that case 2 is the main note and 6 the secondary note. However, there are then numerous occurences of 4 (fa). With a similar transposing to 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 , Shi Xian also has 2 as the main note and 6 as the secondary.

Considering this tuning 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 in Western terms as G A C D E G A , one can compare Weibin Yin and Shi Xian as follows. The mode of Weibin Yin seems somewhat akin to a D minor mode (except that the B is usually not flatted), while that of Shi Xian more closely resembles A minor. Both start on the note A. In Weibin Yin it soon becomes apparent that A, as the dominant, is the secondary tonal center while the tonic D is the primary tonal center. In Shi Xian, however, it is clear that A is both the tonic and primary tonal center while the secondary tonal center is the sub-dominant, D.

As another alternative to 1 2 4 5 6 1 2 one can also consider 4 5 7b 1 2 4 5. Take, for example, Saishang Hong, which avoids the open 5th string. By any analysis the open fifth string is a second interval above the main tonal center (equivalent to the open fourth string) and a fifth interval above the secondary tonal center (open second string). If the tuning is considered as 1 2 4 5 6 1 2, then the scale must be considered as 1 2 4 5 7, with the main tonal center 5, secondary 2 and 7 often flatted. All this seems to suggest that it is most appropriate to consider the tuning as 4 5 7b 1 2 4 5, making the main tonal center 1 (do) and the secondary tonal center 5 (so). It is, however, rather unusual (at least in the Ming dynasty qin repertoire) for the note 2 (re, shang) to be avoided; in addition, another avoided note is 6 (la), making the scale (i.e., the names of the notes generally played in this melody) 1 3 4 5 7^b, with 3 often flatted.

This latter way of looking at the melody considers 3 the norm and flatted 3 a variation. However, it is also possible to consider the flatted 3 the norm and non-flatted 3 as the variation. In this case it would be more natural to consider the melody not to be in a do - so mode but in a la - mi mode, so that the scale is not 1 3 4 5 7^b but 6 1 2 3 5, with 1 sometimes sharped. For this the tuning of the seven qin strings should be considered as 2 3 5 6 7 2 3 . A sharped 1 in la - mi modes is not uncommon in the qin repertoire. See, for example, comments under Shenpin Wuyi Yi.
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8. Preface
Although SQMP modal preludes have no prefaces, those in Zheyin (which all have identical music) do. The preface to the zhi modal prelude in Zheyin is as follows,:

（徵意）﹕希仙曰，
考之徵數五十有四聲，陰中之陽，稍清也。位於四弦專之，而為徵調。有清和之音。
Meaning of Zhi (mode):
(Not yet translated.
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9. Music
The tablature in Zheyin Shizi Qinpu is identical, so its lyrics can be sung here.
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Return to the Shen Qi Mi Pu ToC or to the Guqin ToC.