Modal characteristics of melodies using this tuning have been introduced by modal preludes⁴ using titles that include the terms huangzhong, wuyi, yingzhong and fugu. In all, such preludes survive in at least 16 later handbooks.⁵

Shen Qi Mi Pu has 10 melodies using this tuning. In all cases the modality involves having as tonal centers mi (3), la with mi (6 and 3) and do, usually also with mi, though the endings in Folio 3 are usually do to so (start 1, end 5); in Folio 1 they mostly end on 1. The codas in particular suggest that that a characteristic of this mode is the alternation between 1/5 and 6/3 (compare major and minor modes). However, the particularly strong emphasis on 3 suggests that this could be the closest equivalent in early qin music to a "3-7, or theoretical jiao, mode". The numerous occurrences of 4 and 7 emphasize the importance of 3; and perhaps it is natural that a mode on 3 should emphasize its relationship with 6 and 1. See further on this below.

One of the puzzling aspects of this tuning is that the name huangzhong (yellow bell) invokes the most classical or fundamental of ancient Chinese tones. And yet, although this tuning is used for melodies with such classical names as Da Ya, or such classical themes as Shanzhong Si Youren, it is also used for many, if not most, of the melodies with themes related to the non-Han regions of North and Central Asia. Indeed, the connection of the name huangzhong with this theme is so strong that at least one related melody, Li Ling Thinks of Han, though using a different tuning, is still said to belong to huangzhong mode.⁶

Shen Qi Mi Pu has ten titles that use this tuning, as follows.

None of the five titles in Folio 3 actually mentions huangzhong. It is thus not clear whether Zhu Quan was aware of modal differences within this tuning, or considered them significant.

Xilutang Qintong (1549) has 12 titles using this tuning, as follows.

Xilutang Qintong does not have any of the four titles with this tuning that SQMP had in Folio 1. Of the five from Folio 3, it includes four under Wu Yi, but it includes Longshuo Cao (there called Zhaojun Yuan) under Yingzhong Mode.

I have learned both of the Wuyi mode titles that are in Xilutang Qintong but are not in SQMP. These are #120 Yi Guanshan and #121 Han Gong Qiu.

I have also learned both of its Yingzhong mode titles not found in SQMP. These are #136 Yingzhong Yi and #137 Han Jie Cao

Further on the general modal characteristics of melodies using this tuning, taking the first string as 1 (C), overall one can say that most commonly the tonal centers are 6 and 3 (6 - 3 mode; compare A and E of A minor), but the endings are usually on 1 and 5 (1 - 5 mode; compare C and G of C major). However, within the melodies 1 with 3 seems more important than 1 with 5, with 3 actually seeming by itself sometimes to be the main tonal center. As mentioned above, this suggests that this tuning has a large number of passages that suggest a "3-7, or theoretical jiao, mode", this being reinforced by the frequency in this tuning of the notes 4 (also 4#) and 7. The bodies (i.e., before the closing harmonics) of three of the four Folio 1 pieces end on 6, whereas the bodies of all the Folio III pieces end on 3. However, the harmonic codas of the Folio I pieces all end on 1 while those of Folio III all end on 5 except Da Ya, which ends on 3.⁷

Some melodies published later with this tuning seem to put less emphasis on 3 and more on contrasting passages in 6 - 3 (compare Western A minor) with others in 1 - 5 mode (compare C, its relative major); see, for example, Han Jie Cao as published in 1549. This brings up interesting questions. It is said that traditional Chinese music did not modulate (change key). To me this means that the predominant notes follow the standard pentatonic scale, 1 2 3 5 6, no matter what the tonal center. Thus the 6 - 3 mode would have the scale 6 1 2 3 5, not 6 7 1 (or 1#) 3 4#. In general this is the case. However, in the above melodies there is often a 7, and it usually occurs when 6 is the tonal center. In some melodies 1 is sharped, again when 6 is the tonal center. This is true whether or not the theme is Han or non-Han.

Also as mentioned above, this tuning is used for most of the qin melodies with themes related to the non-Han regions of North and Central Asia.⁸ Are the melodies with this exotic theme modally different from the ones with more standard Han themes? My conclusion from transcribing and playing these melodies is that they may be somewhat less pentatonic than the huangzhong melodies with Han themes, but as yet I am unable to be more specific on this topic than what is already written above.

Another modal question comes up with Longshuo Cao. It, like Huangyun Qiusai, generally avoids using the 1st string. So although the tonal centers are different, it is in this way compatible with ruibin tuning. Indeed, at the end of the 16th century the tuning for Longshuo Cao sometimes changed to ruibin, though the melody changed little (the 1st string being still little used).

 
No original preface⁹

 
Music
One section¹⁰

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

 
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Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Shenpin Wuyi Yi 神品無射意
射 is usually pronounced she. When pronounced yi it is an old form of 斁 yi, meaning "weary". Thus, 無斁 wuyi: not weary of. 19580.362 無射 Wuyi gives three meanings (see also 7/127):

1. 射終也。言萬物隨陽而終。當復隨陰而起，無有終已也。。。
   7595.xxx; 2/xxx (weariness ended?).
2. 鍾名、古十二律之一
   Name of a bell; one of the old 12 tones.
3. 無厭也（詩，周頌，清廟）不顯不永，無射于人斯。
   Not detesting (Shi Jing #266: Very bright, very glorious, Showing no distaste toward men [Waley]); not weary (Shi Jing #218)

2. Yellow Bell Mode (or Tuning): Huangzhong Diao (黃鐘調)
The instructions here for Wuyi mode (also called Huangzhong) mode are: slacken 1st, tighten 5th strings each a half step. Here it specifically says 黃鐘調，即無射調 Huangzhong mode is the same as Wuyi mode, but elsewhere, as discussed above, huangzhong mode can also use standard tuning (see the 1511 song Huangzhong Diao) or lower third tuning (see Manjiao). I have not yet examined Shenpin Huangzhong Yi in Yuwu Qinpu (1589).

48904.1330 黃鐘調 (huangzhong diao) says 燕樂羽聲七調之第五運。又作黃鐘羽﹕ yu tone in Music for Feasts....
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3. The following instructions are written under the title Huangzhong Mode:

However, elsewhere there are at least two other tunings that use the name Huangzhong.

4. Some modal preludes may have been created specifically for the pieces they precede; such preludes, according to some definitations, should have been called kaizhi.
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5. Tracing Wuyi modal preludes
See also Wuyi Gongdiao and Huangzhong Diao in the QSDQ list. This covers the following entries from Zha Fuxi's Guide:

6. Li Ling Thinks of Han uses lowered third string tuning.
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7. The SQMP melodies in the tuning with the most connection to 1-5 as a tonal center are #14 Shanzhong Si Youren and #15 Xiao Hujia; both also have 6-3 as centers. All the other pieces in this mode emphasize 6-3 more than 5-1 except Da Ya, which most strongly has 3 as the primary tonal center and 6 as secondary tonal center. However, whereas all except Yi Zhen have 6 or 3 as as the final note of the body, all except Da Ya have C or G as the final note of the ending coda.
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8. Specifically, one melody in Folio I, Xiao Hujia, and three in Folio III, Huangyun Qiusai, Longshuo Cao and Da Hujia, have this theme. So do Han Jie Cao and Li Ling Si Han in Xilutang Qintong (1549). All use the tuning 1 3 5 6 1 2 3 except Li Ling Si Han, which calls its mode "huangzhong", but uses the tuning 1 2 3 5 6 1 2.
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9. Although SQMP modal preludes have no prefaces, those in Zheyin (which all have identical music) do. Zheyin calls the wuyi mode huangzhong, with the preface to the prelude as follows,

10. Timing is from my SQMP CDs.
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