Although this lowered third string tuning seems rather basic, and the number of names given it (see below) also seems to underline its importance, not many melodies published in Ming dynasty used it.³

(The following explanation is added under the name of the mode:)

Shen Qi Mi Pu has three pieces using this tuning:

•   #1, Dunshi Cao (calls the mode manjiao)
• #49, Shenpin Biyu Yi
• #50, Baji You.

In each of these pieces the main note is 1 (gong), but whereas in Dunshi Cao the secondary note is 5 (zhi), for the other two melodies the secondary note is 3 (jiao), with 6 (yu) also being quite important.

Xilutang Qintong (1549) groups melodies using the lowered third tuning under three headings:

• Huangzhong ⁵ (elsewhere used for 1 3 5 6 1 2 3; see wuyi and yingzhong⁶)
  Modal prelude and one melody: Li Ling Si Han (a.k.a. Su Wu Si Jun)
• Taicu ⁷
  Modal prelude and four melodies: the two from 1425, plus a prelude for each.
• Dalü ⁸
  Modal prelude and two melodies: Kongtong Yin and Kongtong Wen Dao.

Xilutang Qintong uses the name biyu for a different tuning, a quite odd one: from standard tuning lower strings 1, 4, 6, giving the 3rd an 4th strings the same pitch: 4 6 1 1 3 4 6 ( 6 1 3 3 5 6 1)! To further complicate matters, the title of the SQMP melody said to be in biyu mode, Baji You, is later used for a completely different melody in mangong mode (lower 1, 3, 6), and this mangong tuning is also called taicu.

The modern repertoire includes a few melodies in this tuning. In particular, the Mei'an school put three melodies into this tuning: Fenglei Yin (see under 1539), Qiujiang Yebo (see under #24 Yin De) and Saoshou Wentian (see under #45 Huangyun Qiusai).⁹ It calls this tuning linzhong.¹⁰

 
Original preface
None¹¹

 
Music
One section¹²

(00.45) -- harmonics
(01.03) -- 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 Biyu Yi 神品碧玉意
24916.xxx; only
    24916.13 only biyu 碧玉 : jasper;
    24916.20 biyu ge 碧玉歌，樂府清商曲，吳聲歌之一 : a Yuefu Qingshang melody;
    24916.22 biyu xiao碧玉簫，詞牌、曲牌名 : cipai and qupai names.
    (Return)

2. 慢角 man jiao literally meaning "lower jiao" (name of the third string) (Return)

3. For more information on this mode, and modes in general, see Modality in Early Ming Qin Tablature and Qin Tunings, some theoretical concepts. (Return)

4. 無媒 (Return)

5. 黃鐘 (Return)

6. 應鐘 (Return)

7. 太簇 (Return)

8. 大呂 (Return)

9. 穌武思君。風雷吟、秋江夜泊、搔首問天 (Return)

10. 林鐘 (Return)

11. Although SQMP modal preludes have no prefaces, those in Zheyin (which all have identical music) do. In Zheyin the preface to the biyu modal prelude is as follows:

12. Timing is from my Shen Qi Mi Pu CDs (Return)

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