It also has one of the most clearly defined origins, being attributed not only to a specific person, the famous Song dynasty qin player Guo Chuwang⁴ of Yongjia (by the southern coast of Jiangsu province), but also apparently connected with specific events in his life: trips to Jiuyi mountains, which run along the border between Hunan and Guangdong provinces. (See #52 Fan Canglang.)

The scenery of the Jiuyi Mountains and of the Xiao and Xiang rivers below is mentioned often in Chinese poetry,⁵ and it is also a famous theme in painting, particularly as Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers.⁶ The Xiao feeds into the Xiang, which flows northward past Changsha before ending at Dongting Lake. Dongting then feeds into the Yangzi River about 200 km. upriver from where the Han River comes into it from the north.

But Jiuyi mountains also have an additional significance. As the reputed burial place of the legendary emperor Yu Shun, it is sometimes used to represent China, and this seems to be the intention here: the clouds blocking the view of Jiuyi mountains are seen as an allusion to the Jin dynasty then controlling north China and so blocking access to it.

Guo's Fan Canglang and Xiao Xiang Shui Yun also concern the merits of being out of office. Other of Guo's compositions like Bu Yue and Qiu Yu⁷ do so as well: although the music hasn't survived, a poem by Yuan Jue⁸ shows how they use scenery to describe such emotion. Other compositions with this theme include Chun Yu,⁹ #63 Feiming Yin (q.v.) and perhaps #64 Qiu Hong (q.v.).¹⁰

Along with Meihua Sannong and Liu Shui, this is one of the three pieces in SQMP to survive into the active modern repertoire with clearly recognizable motifs. It is also one of the most popular qin pieces both historically (in 54 surviving handbooks¹¹) and in terms of present recordings (at least 27). However, other than my own, there are no other recordings of the SQMP version.¹²

 
Original Preface¹³

The Emaciated Immortal says

this piece was written by Mr. Chuwang, Guo Mian. Mr. Guo is from Yongjia, and whenever he wanted to look at the Jiuyi mountains they were blocked by clouds above the Xiao and Xiang rivers, so he used (writing music about this) to express his loyalty to his country. However, this piece about water and clouds (also) has the suggestion of making one's own enjoyment; the flavor of cloud shapes reflected in sparkling water; and a desire to have wind and rain fall on the head, to wear a grass rain cape by the side of a river, and to use a boat on the Five Lakes (to hide from the world).

 
Music
Ten sections¹⁴

(00.00) 01. Mist and rain over Dongting Lake
(00.43) 02. The Jiang and Han river scenery is broad and clear¹⁵
(01.23) 03. Cloud images cast down by a brilliant sky¹⁶
(01.51) 04. The sky and water join on the horizon
(02.26) 05. Waves roll and clouds fly
(02.59) 06. A wind comes up and stirs the water¹⁷
(03.19) 07. Water and sky have the same azure color
(03.42) 08. Cold river and cool moon
(04.29) 09. Limpid waves extend 10,000 miles
(04.54) 10. (Night) scenery reflects all aspects of nature¹⁸
(05.37) --- harmonics
(05.58) --- Piece ends

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Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. 19079 does not mention this melody. (Return)

2. For further information on ruibin mode see Shenpin Ruibin Yi and Modality in Early Ming Qin Tablature. (Return)

3. Image of Xiao Xiang, attrib. Dong Yuan 董源，瀟湘圖
This copy of the image was taken from the Wikipedia bio of Dong Yuan (c. 934-c. 962). The original is in the Palace Museum, Beijing. Their website has information and a better copy. (Return)

4. For further information on Guo and his contemporaries see Historical Notes on the Silk String Zither. (Return)

5. 40338.5 gives poetic references to Wen Xuan (2), Li Bai and Liu Zongyuan. (Return)

6. Eight Views of Xiao Xiang 瀟湘八景
There are a number of paintings on this theme, and it can also be found in important Korean and Japanese paintings as well. The theme is discussed in detail in Alfreda Murck, The Subtle Art of Dissent, Harvard-Yenching Institute Monograph Series, 50. 19079.6 瀟湘八景 Xiao Xiang Bajing lists the eight views as (translation Murck):

1. 平沙雁落 Pingsha Yan Luo Geese Descending to Level Sand
2. 遠浦帆歸 Yuan Pu Fan Gui Sail Returning from a Distant Shore
3. 山市晴嵐 Shan Shi Qing Lan Mountain Market, Clear Mist
4. 江天暮雪 Jiang Tian Mu Xue River and Sky, Evening Snow
5. 洞庭秋月 Dongting Qiu Yue Autumn Moon over Dongting
6. 瀟湘夜雨 Xiao Xiang Ye Yu Night Rain on Xiao Xiang
7. 煙寺晚鐘 Yan Si Wan Zhong Evening Bell from a Mist-Shrouded Temple
8. 漁村落照 Yu Cun Luo Zhao Fishing Village in Evening Glow

The first section of Xiao Xiang Shui Yun mentions Dongting Lake (compare Scene 5 above); otherwise, the closest thematic connection between these scene titles and the thematic content of the qin melody seems to come in Section 10 of the melody, which opens with a passage said to evoke the sound of a temple bell. Elsewhere, Geese Descending to Level Sand is the name of a qin melody and similar phrases can be found as melody section titles (see, e.g., Qiu Hong, Section 15. There is also a qin melody called Autumn Thoughts at Dongting. And Night Rain on Xiao Xiang is name of the Song dynasty qin used in my CD Music Beyond Sound.
(Return)

7. 步月，秋雨 Walking the Moon, Autumn Rain; see in Xu Jian. (Return)

8. 袁桷「郭楚望〈步月〉、〈秋雨〉琴調二首」。 Partial text is in Xu Jian, p. 89. (Return)

9. 春雨 Spring Rain; see Xu Jian. The piece of this name in Wusheng Qinpu (1457) is probably unrelated. (Return)

10. 飛鳴吟，風入松。 Wang Mengshu in his Wusilan commentary p.23 #43 says Chengyi Qintan (?) attributes to Guo a version of Feng Ru Song, though this is in fact a very ancient title. (Return)

11. Besides the appendix below, see also the footnote with Liu Shui for pieces which have survived in less recognizable form. (Return)

12. It is also one of the first pieces I reconstructed because, although it is shorter than the current version, it is quite obviously related to it and I could use the rhythms of the version I had learned from my teacher Sun Yuqin as a guide for reconstructing rhythms here. (Return)

13. For the original text see 瀟湘水雲. (Return)

14. Placing this 10 section 1425 version next to the 18 section 1722/modern version shows the following sections have some common phrases:

1425	1722/modern
1	1
2	2
3	3 - 4
4	5 - 8
5	9 - 12
6	13?
7	14 - 15
8	16
9	17
10	18

(Return)

15. At the beginning of this section is a comment 一絃合處水光雲影, meaning "the passage on the first string which calls for (sliding into) a unison sound (he), depicts cloud images in the rippling water"; at the beginning of section three the instruction is repeated 一絃合處亦謂水光雲影. However, the appropriate passage does not occur in section 2, only near the end of sections 3 and 4. (Return)

16. See previous footnote. (Return)

17. At the beginning of this section are the instructions 至此為滿天風雨 "here comes the part about wind and rain coming down on the head" (also at end of the section?). (Return)

18. This section begins with a dayuan on the note fa (4) -- in other words it is played back and forth seven times, four at an upper octave, four at a lower one: this is completely outside the mode. This is said to evoke the sound of a temple bell. Such an interpretation makes particular sense when put alongside the famous Song dynasty paintings of a related theme, 瀟湘八景 Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang River. The seventh view (see list) is called 煙寺晚鐘 Evening Bell from a Mist-Shrouded Temple. (See Alfreda Murck, The Subtle Art of Dissent, p.110ff.) (Return)

 
Appendix: Chart Tracing 瀟湘水雲 Xiao Xiang Shuiyun;
based mainly on Zha Fuxi's Guide, 8/86/135; comments on melody and mode are very tentative.

琴譜	Page numbers refer to indicated volume in 琴曲集成 Qinqu Jicheng
1.   神奇秘譜       (1425; I.6)	p.155; 10T; main body ends on 2, but closing harmonics end on 6 tonal center is 6 (la), secondarily 3; sometimes changes to 1 or 2
2.   浙音釋字琴譜       (<1491; I.8)	p.206; 10T; lyrics, otherwise = 1425
3.   發明琴譜       (1530; I.11)	p.324; 10T; same as 1425
4.   風宣玄品       (1539; II.1)	p.331; 10; same titles; large sections same, others different tonal center still seems to be 6 and 3
5.   梧岡琴譜       (1546; I.12)	p.431; 10; more elaborate; opening harmonics end on 1 main body ends on 2 then 3; then ends with modal prelude: 5 1
6.   琴譜正傳       (1547; II.2)	p.471; 10; same as 1546 p.497; 10; many differences from above
7.   西麓堂琴統       (1549; III.1)	p.202; 11; much more elaborate tonal center generally still 6, but ends on 5 1
8.   步虛僊琴譜       (1556; III.2)	#48 (these pages are missing from QQJC edition) modal prelude ends on 5 1
9.   太音補遺       (1557; III.3)	p.397; 10; more elaborate; main body before the modal prelude adds 3 after 2 modal prelude ends on 5 1
10. 太音傳習       (1553-62; IV.1)	p.183; 10; similar to 1425 (compare)
11. 龍湖琴譜       (1571; 琴府#5)	Qin Fu, p.278; 10T; very similar to 1425 (compare); no lyrics
12. 玉梧琴譜       (1589; VI.1)	p.79; 10; more elaborate
13. 琴書大全       (1590; V)	p.524; 10; quite different opening section ends on 1; melody ends on 5 1
14. 文會堂琴譜       (1596; VI.3)	p.262; 10; more elaborate
15. 藏春塢琴譜       (1602; VI.4)	p.422; 10 more elaborate
16. 陽春堂琴譜       (1611; VII.4)	(太古正音欽佩) p.422; 10; more elaborate opening section ends on 1; melody ends on 5 1
17. 太音希聖       (1620; IX.2)	p.233; 10T; different lyrics; more elaborate
18. 古音正宗       (1634; IX.3)	p.370; 10T; titles as 1 but music more elaborate
19. 羲軒琴經       (late Ming; IX.5)	p.442; 10 (1 & 2 are missing)
20. 徽言秘旨       (1647; X.1)	p.216; 10; more elaborate some phrases once ending on 6 (la) now end on 2 (re, but ends on 1 and 5)
21. 徽言秘旨訂       (1692; X.2)	missing (same as 1647?)
22. 友聲社琴譜       (early Qing; XI.3)	p.169; 10; more elaborate
23. 愧庵琴譜       (1660; XI.1)	p.65; 10; diff
24. 琴苑新傳全編       (1670; XI.4)	p.430; 10T; like 1425
25. 大還閣琴譜       (1673; X.3)	p..434; 12; more differences more important phrases once ending on 6 (la) now end on 2 (re; open 1st string)
26. 嚮山堂琴譜       (<1700?; XIV.2)	p.95; 13; more elaborate
27. 澄鑒堂琴譜       (1689; XIV.3)	p.321; 13; more elaborate
28. 德音堂琴譜       (1691; XII.7)	p.577; 12; more elaborate
29. 琴譜析微       (1692; XIII.2)	p.134; 13; more elaborate
30. 誠一堂琴譜       (1705; XIII.4)	p.419; 12; more elaborate
31. 五知齋琴譜       (1722; XIV.4)	p.546; 18; like modern version (see transcription in Guqin Quji, I., p.181ff); tonal center remains shifted from la to re (open 1st string)
32. 臥雲樓琴譜       (1722; XV?)	p.
33. 存古堂琴譜       (1726; XV?)	p.
34. 春草堂琴譜       (1744; ?)	p.
35. 蘭田館琴譜       (1760; XVI.2)	p.268; 12; more elaborate
36. 琴香堂琴譜       (1760; XVII.1)	p.160; 13; more elaborate
37. 研露樓琴譜       (1766; XVI.4)	p.514
38. 自遠堂琴譜       (1802; XVII.2)	p.514; 12; more elaborate
39. 指法匯參確解       (1821; ?)	p.485; 13; more elaborate
40. 峰抱樓琴譜       (1825; ?)	p.
41. 鄰鶴齋琴譜       (1830; ?)	p.
42. 二香琴譜       (1833)	p.
43. 悟雪山房琴譜       (1836)	p.
44. 行有恒堂錄存       琴譜 (1840)	p.
45. 稚雲琴譜       (1849)	p.
46. 蕉庵琴譜       (1868)	p.
47. 天聞閣琴譜       (1876)	p.
48. 天籟閣琴譜       (1876)	p.
49. 希韶閣琴譜       (1878)	p.
50. 枯木禪琴譜       (1893)	p.
51. 琴學初津       (1894)	p.
52. 琴學叢書       (1910; 琴府11)	p.
53. 雅齋琴譜叢集       (?)	(3 pu)
54. 詩夢齋琴譜       (1914)	p.
55. 沙堰琴編       (1946)	p.
56. 夏一峰傳譜       (1957)	p.
57. 研易習琴齋琴譜       (1961)	p.
58. 愔愔室琴譜       (2000)	p.
59. 虞山吳氏琴譜       (2001)	p.

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