The earliest surviving mention of Chu Ge as a qin melody seems to be in the northern Song Qinqu Mulu of Seng Juyue (the monk Ju Yue), where it is #80 in a list of "less ancient melodies."⁴ It was then apparently very popular during the early and middle Ming dynasty, appearing in 14 handbooks to 1611, but after this it occurs only once, around 1800, where it seems to be a copy of an earlier version.⁵

In Shen Qi Mi Pu this piece is mistakenly grouped with the shangjiao mode melodies: its tuning should put it together with those in the qiliang mode. This mistaken placement is often followed in later handbooks.

The version in Taigu Yiyin (1511) has lyrics throughout, but so far I have only been able to trace the source of the short song at the beginning: it occurs in Yuefu Shiji,⁶ where it is attributed to Xiang Yu himself. This poem is also included in Zhu Quan's preface (see below).

Xilutang Qintong (1549) also includes these lyrics, pairing them with part of the music in the section called He Cries at Having to Leave Yu Ji. It is quite possible to sing these lyrics in Section 7 (same title) of the Shen Qi Mi Pu version as well.⁷

Whereas Zhu Quan gives no attribution, Zheyin Shizi Qinpu (before 1491) comes up with Zhang Liang as the creator. Zhang was the advisor who persuaded Liu Bang that he could dishearten the enemy if his soldiers would sang the songs of their native state of Chu.⁸

The borders of the ancient state or region of Chu varied considerably, but in general centered on the modern provinces of Hubei and Hunan. There are many references to melodies of Chu, from the collection of poems or songs called Chu Ci (including the works of Qu Yuan, said to be the southern counterpart of the northern Shi Jing); to popular ancient melodies associated with Chu such as #7 Yang Chun and # 30 Bai Xue; and to later melodies associated with the region, such as #53 Xiaoxiang Shuiyun.⁹

Xu Jian comments on Chu Ge, which he includes under Song dynasty melodies, as follows,¹⁰

Besides mine, there are also recordings of the Shen Qi Mi Pu version of Chu Ge by Yao Bingyan and Yao Gongbai.¹¹

 
Original Preface ¹²

The Emaciated Immortal says,

this piece is an old one. It concerns Xiang Yu (of Chu, whose defeat by Liu Bang led to the latter establishing the Han dynasty in 202 BC) coming to Gai Xia, being unable to defeat the Han soldiers, (being tricked into) entering a ravine, (where) the Han soldiers surrounded him several layers deep. (The Han general) Han Xin caused his soldiers all to sound out with songs of Chu. Xiang Yu heard this at night, and was greatly alarmed, saying, "Has Han already overcome Chu? If this is so, how can the men of Chu be so numerous!" And so that night he got up and drank in his tent. He sadly sang about forgetting his troubles, and planned to bid farewell to his wife Yu Ji. He himself made a song which said, (see original lyrics)

He sang (this) several times, and Yu Ji joined him. Thus their tears flowed down, and all his followers cried; when none could look up at them, Yu Ji took a sword and slit her throat.¹³ Thereupon Xiang Yu mounted his fast horse, together with over 800 strong comrades under his banner, and went out into the night and broke through the blockade toward the south. (At daylight) when the Han soldiers realized this they chased them, and consequently his double pupils had no more hope. His soldiers scattered and his power lost, he came to the Wu river and, (refusing the offer of a boatman to take him across to safety, saying he had lost all his honor,) perished (also by slitting his throat).

Someone of that time was moved by this affair, and wrote a qin song to commemorate it.

 
Music
Eight sections:¹⁴

(00.00) 1. Recalling his departure from Jiangdong (his home)
(00.37) 2. His spirit wants to consume the Qin rulers
(01.12) 3. At night he hears an iron di flute
(02.11) 4. His 8,000 soldiers are scattered
(02.26) 5. His brave spirit is dissipated
(02.58) 6. He cries at having to leave Yu Ji
(03.40) 7. He loses his way at Yin Ling (in Anhui; can add lyrics here)
(04.20) 8. He will not cross the Wu river.
(04.49) -- play harmonics of the modal prelude
(05.02) -- Piece ends

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

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. 楚歌 15473.146 Song of Chu; the song heard by Xiang Yu's forces when surrounded by Han (cf. Shi Ji). (Return)

2. Shen Qi Mi Pu includes Chu Ge after Zhuangzhou Meng Die, which is in Shangjiao mode. However, it is clear that it should be connected to Shenpin Chushang Yi, which uses the same tuning as 淒涼調 qiliang mode: tighten 2nd/5th strings: 2 4 5 6 1 2 3. For further information see Modality in Early Ming Qin Tablature. (Return)

3. 項羽 Xiang Yu
The story of Xiang Yu and his beloved concubine 虞姬 Yu Ji was also related in the popular opera 霸王別姬 Bawang Bie Ji (The Great King Leaves Yu Ji, often translated as Farewell My Concubine). (Return)

4. Seng's list also includes several other entries with this theme: Chu Xiang Yun, Ba Shan Cao and Chu Ge Xing (again). (Return)

5. Zha Guide 10/99/149. See also the appendix below. (Return)

6. See p.850 of 樂府詩集 Yuefu Shiji, a collection of ancient poetry compiled in the Song dynasty). 項羽 Xiang Yu's proper name was 項籍 Xiang Ji. This is the scene described in the Chu Ge illustration. (Return)

7. Most qin melodies, if they have lyrics, have them throughout. Xilutang Qintong is the only qin handbook to regularly have lyrics only in one or two sections of a melody. The lyrics Xilutang Qintong has for Chu Ge, included with part of Section 7 (of 10), are as follows:

These lyrics (translated in the SQMP Chu Ge preface above), can also be sung with the opening of the SQMP Chu Ge, Section 7. However, the pairing of finger strokes to Chinese characters does not quite follow the traditional pairing method.
(Return)

8. Zhang Liang 張良
Zhang Liang, style name 子房 Zifang, is the subject of the qin melody 圯橋進履 Yiqiao [San] Jinlü (At the bridge, going down [three times] for the shoe), which tells of Zhang fetching a shoe which an old man dropped off a bridge. The old man, who turns out to be a sage, thereupon imparts the knowledge Zhang subsequently uses to become Liu Bang's chief advisor. (Return)

9. Later melodies associated with Chu usually have a tuning which includes raising the fifth string from standard tuning. There have been no studies into the origin of this custom, and it must be noted that all surviving versions of Yang Chun and Bai Xue use standard tuning. (Return)

10. Qinshi Chubian, pp.95-6. (Return)

11. In about 1976, when I was first starting to reconstruct a few old pieces, I privately heard the late 張世彬 Zhang Shibin of Hong Kong play Chu Ge. Its beauty further inspired my own interest in playing the old pieces. (Return)

12. For the original Chinese text see 楚歌. (Return)

13. So that Xiang Yu would not worry about her during the upcoming battle. (Return)

14. For the original Chinese section titles see 楚歌. (Return)

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

 
Appendix: Chart Tracing Chu Ge;
based mainly on Zha Fuxi's Guide, 10/99/149.

琴譜     (year; QQJC Vol/page)	Further information (QQJC = 琴曲集成 Qinqu Jicheng; QF = 琴府 Qin Fu)
1.  神奇秘譜       (1425; I/162)	8T
2.  浙音釋字琴譜       (<1491; I/209)	8T; lyrics; otherwise same as 1425
3. 謝琳太古遺音       (1511; I/274)	12T but unnumbered; all have lyrics; all have titles except first section; First section quite similar to qiliang modal prelude; the rest is related to the 1425 main melody
4. 發明琴譜       (1530; I/348)	8; lyrics; first section is also like qiliang modal prelude; compare 1511
5. 風宣玄品       (1539; II/294)	8T; melody related quite closely at first, but last three sections almost completely different
6. 梧岡琴譜       (1546; I/428)	9T; preceded by "qiliang modal prelude", adding that it is same as chushang (it is!); related: compare 1539 (ending also seems unrelated to 1425)
7. 琴譜正傳       (1561; II/465)	Identical to 1546
8. 西麓堂琴統       (1549; III/256)	10T; quite similar to 1425 but adds famous lyrics to Section 7 Once again the ending is very different from 1425
9. 太音傳習       (1553-62; IV/172)	9T; no modal prelude, but said to use qiliang related; compare ending with other post-1425 versions
10. 太音補遺       (1557; III/385)	9T; preceded by modal prelude called qiliang but actually like earlier chushang; otherwise, compare with 1546
11. 新刊正文對音捷要       (1573; --)	Handbook not reprinted: same as 1585 below?;
12.   重修真傳琴譜       (1585; IV/414)	10T; lyrics = 1511; quite different; first section is like chushang modal prelude
13. 文會堂琴譜       (1596; VI.3)	9; related
14.a 真傳正宗琴譜       (1589; VII/145)	9T; new lyrics; related (called qiliang but no diaoyi) (楊掄太古遺音)
14.b 真傳正宗琴譜       (1609; VII)	?
15. 陽春堂琴經/譜       (1611; VII/428)	9; related (adds a bit?) (太古正音欽佩)
. 琴苑新傳全編       (1670; XI/--)	There is a Chushang modal prelude (XI/408), but no melody under it.
83. 裛露軒琴譜       (>1802; ?)	Not available for examination at present. Zha: 9T; lyrics; qiliang; "太古遺音" (?)