The Yangguan (Yang Gate) of the present poem was once a pass near the western end of the Great Wall, near Dunhuang. From the Han through the Tang dynasty there was apparently an oasis town at Yangguan, built around a lake.⁵ At the time, this area, as the crow flies about 60 km southwest of Dunhuang, was China's westernmost cultural and administrative center, often the last stop of an official before entering the "barbarian" lands of Central Asia. The 2000 km trip from the Tang capital Chang'an (now a southern suburb of Xi'an) to Yangguan would begin from Weicheng, on the Wei river just northwest of Chang'an. The departing friend apparently gets on a boat from the edge of a sandbank (shatou) on the Wei, which means he is heading upriver, entering the Wu Mountains after about 200 km. From near the source of the Wei river he could take several paths, but the destination is the desert town of Anxi (see the full title of the poem); from there it was a relatively short trip to Yangguan (which is near Dunhuang). These (except Dunhuang) and other place names are all mentioned in the present lyrics.⁶

The lyrics for the present version of Yangguan Sandie begin with the famous poem by Wang Wei, Weicheng Tune: Seeing Yuan Er off to Anxi.⁷

The lyrics here then considerably expand upon this theme, in doing so adding mention of the other geographic area described above as directly relevant to the trip westward, the Wu mountains (the refrain all verses of this song, beginning with verse two, is, "From the Wu Mountains' lofty heights waters flow east"). The source of these expanded lyrics is often an earlier poem of departure, most notably ones by Li Bai, Zhang Kejiu and Zhou Deqing.⁸ This explains some of the places mentioned here that are not directly relevant to the trip westward, such as the city of Yangzhou and the famous Yellow Crane Tower in Wuhan.⁹ It also includes some terms that could be place names but here do not seem to be,¹⁰ as well as some other terms that would have had special significance to people at that time.¹¹

Versions of Yangguan make it one of the most famous Chinese melodies, often played on other instruments. Although neither Yang Guan nor Weicheng appears as a title in any of the early guqin melody lists, comments by Su Dongpo (1037 - 1101) show that a melody connected to these lyrics had long been popular in his time. On the other hand, a comparison of the settings of Wang Wei's poem in the three earliest surviving qin versions, here, 1511 and 1530, suggests that there must have been quite a bit of variety amongst the melodies used.¹²

Qin tablature for Yangguan melodies survives in at least 29 handbooks from the present one up to 1961 (see appendix ¹³). Early qin handbooks have two basic versions of this piece, a short one first found in Faming Qinpu (1530) and usually called Yangguan Sandie, and a longer one as here, usually (but not here) called Yangguan Qu or simply Yangguan.¹⁴

Both versions include the Wang Wei lyrics above, and both use variations on the same melody. The one commonly played today is a descendant of the short version, in three sections; it is played largely as printed in Qinxue Rumen¹⁵ (1864), but can be traced back to the version mentioned above as first published in 1530. The long one, which can be traced to this one dated ca. 1491, generally has eight or nine sections. It occurs in eight handbooks through 1623, then again crops up in two 19th century handbooks. Four handbooks have both versions.

The expression sandie, meaning "three repetitions", is also found in the phrase "qinxin sandie".¹⁶ There was once a book or essay called Qin Xin Sanpian, but there was no known melody called Qin Xin: it is a phrase that means something like "qin thinking", or, "expressing oneself through the qin". Sandie, when used together with qin xin, is connected to the idea that playing something on the qin three times can lead to becoming one with the instrument.

Modern versions all use ruibin (raised fifth string) tuning, but early tablature may use either ruibin or qiliang (raised second and fifth strings; see comment). Some, as here, say or imply they use qiliang, but actually use ruibin. It is easy to convert this melody from one tuning to the other, because the second string is not used much. Main cadences are on 6 (la), as is common in ruibin mode.

Because the end of the Zheyin manuscript is missing, the last two lines here have had to be reconstructed based on other versions.¹⁷

 
Zheyin Shizi Qinpu Preface¹⁸

The Beyond-Sounds Immortal says,

This melody originated with Wang Mojie (Wang Wei), but later people added to it. The Royal Ancestor's Handbook does not have this melody. It seems as though, in our lives, (friends) are rarely together, they are often separated. At the point of departure they hold a cup of wine and three times sing Yangguan, with words like "going to the west there will be no old friends" (and) "people of Wu and Chu (i.e., neighbors) share the same melancholy ". Is this not sad?

 
Music
8 Sections titled and with lyrics¹⁹

00.00   1. Rain at the edge of the sandbank
00.28   2. Releasing the magnolia boat
00.59   3. Leaving (as at) Yellow Crane Tower
01.37   4. Going on a distant road
02.37   5. Sorrow comes and goes like the tide
03.59   6. Wind blows in the willows
04.58   7. The moon shines on the sandbank
05.35   8. Repeatedly (asking the parting friend) to return
06.26       Original tablature ends; see comment
06.45       Closing harmonics
07.04       End

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Yang Guan melody references
42673.380 陽關三疊 says it is 陽關曲反覆歌之之謂，參見陽關曲條 the name of Yuanguan Qu with the lyrics repeated; the earliest quote in the lengthy entry is from Su Dongpo (蘇軾，和孔密州五絕，見邸家園留題詩). Su Dongpo once wrote Three Poems on Yangguan Lyrics.

42673.384 陽關曲 Yangguan Qu says it is 曲調名，渭城曲之別名 the name of a melody, another name for Melody of Weicheng, as well as 小秦王 Xiao Qinwang; it was a 清平調 qingping melody and originally a poem by Wang Wei (which it quotes), then it entered 樂府 the Music Bureau. Yuefu Shiji includes Wang Wei's poem in Folio 80, amongst its Songs of recent times (近代曲辭 Jindai qu ci).

Stuart Sargent has comment on Su Dongpo's treatment of Yang Guan. And "Dapu, Bringing Old Music to Life" has some analysis of the rhythms of the Zheyin Shizi Qinpu version of Yangguan Sandie.
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2. Ruibin and other tunings and modes for Yangguan Sandie)
Here Yangguan Sandie is grouped with qiliang mode pieces, which raise the 2nd and 5th strings, but in fact it uses ruibin tuning, which raises only the fifth string. Compare the short version, which today uses ruibin but which in the earliest surviving version (1530) uses qiliang (see also below). If not otherwise indicated, which tuning is being used can be determined by seeing whether the second string is stopped in the 10th position, as in ruibin tuning, or in the 11th position (today 10.8), as in qiliang tuning. In Zheyin Shizi Qinpu it is stopped at the 11th position.

Which tuning is used here does not seem to affect the modal characteristics, which concern primary and secondary tonal centers (see Modality in Early Ming Qin Tablature). Here the primary tonal center seems to be re with the secondary center la (most sections end on la, but the whole piece ends on re). (See comment by Xu Jian in QSCB, p.74. In the longer version mi seems to have more prominence; la mi is a characteristic of the standard tuning yu mode. No standard tuning modes melodies seem to be re la.
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3. Image
Painting by Sun Chengmin.
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4. Liu Yong: Autumn Departure, to the ci tune Bells Ring in the Rain (柳永：秋別，雨霖鈴)

Detail of a Ming illustration (source; see full version)

Liu Yong (987 - 1053), from Chong'an (崇安) in Fujian, according to Stephen Owen in his Anthology, p. 574,

The detail at right shows that, as the man is departing by boat, a servant carrying on a pole a qin and perhaps books is about to load them on the boat; to the right there seem to be some boxes, perhaps with food, presumably also about to be taken. The wheel is perhaps part of a wheelbarrow. The writing on the full picture says that a wife is saying goodbye to her husband as he leaves to take the official exams. There is further comment on "qin and books" together with another image. The full version of the image at right pairs it with Liu Yong's poem Autumn Departure, as follows:

Translation from Xu Yuanzhong, p.176; the extra capital letters reflect the way the poem was arranged in that book on more lines.
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5. Yangguan today
John Man, The Great Wall (Bantam Books, 2008, p.116), describes the present Yangguan as follows:

(The) whole place has had a makeover, turning a shell of dusty walls into a museum and film studio. (We went) past a mock-up siege engine and Mongol campsite, out to a beacon-tower. The moon was up, lighting a view that explained much that had puzzled me. In Han times, the softly lit plain before me had been a lake, fed by four springs. That was why Yangguan was here, why it had been famous for its wild swans and fish: fresh water. For centuries 10,000 people had lived around its shores, protected by the fort and its garrison.... Then the springs had faltered, the lake had shrunk back, people had left. By about AD 900 the fortress had fallen into ruin....A few years ago, people came here, and saw only a ruin. It was sad. So a local businessman...decided to raise money, renovate it, build a museum to remind people of its history, and recoup some of his expenses from film companies and visitors....

As described by Man, the wall here was originally a series of whitewashed watch-towers connected by earthen ramparts. For our purposes it would be interesting to know what image Wang Wei might have had of Yangguan itself. Unfortunately, Man does not say anything about the source of his information that Yangguan was once famous for wild swans and fish. As for the exact location of the old lake and town, in June 2009 I found the nearby Yangguan Museum through a Google map search for "陽關博物館" (Yangguan Bowuguan). There is also some further information available online, but from the online images (see, e.g., China Fact Tours and Cultural China) it is difficult to know what connection the exterior architecture there today has with anything that might have been there during the Tang dynasty. The Google map satellite view seems to suggest there are dams bringing a green swath to this area, but this is not evident from online photos.
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6. Places from Chang'an to Yangguan mentioned in the Zheyin Shizi Qinpu lyrics
Places specifically named include:

1. 長安 Chang'an (Wiki)
   The walls surrounding the center of the modern city of 西安 Xi'an (Wiki) were built on the walls of Tang dynasty Chang'an, but today Chang'an is the name of a southern district of the modern city.
2. 渭城 Weicheng (Wiki; in 陝西 Shaanxi province)
   Weicheng was once a river port for Chang'an, on the 渭河 Wei River about 25 km west northwest of the old walled city. Today a virtual suburb of Xi'an, it is administratively a district in southeast 咸陽 Xianyang county (Wiki), around the Xianyang Musuem.
3. 吳山 Wushan (Wu Mountains; no connection to 吳 Wu district around Suzhou)
   From available maps it is difficult to say what the extent is of the mountain range in Shaanxi called "Wushan", but in historical times perhaps this referred to the mountains on the Wei River as it came out of the gorge about 200 km upstream from Xi'an, just west of Baoji (Wiki). Today there is a 吳山森林公園 Wushan Forest Park about 50 km northwest of Baoji, but it is not on the river. Travelers then followed the Wei River another 100 km or so to 天水 Tianshui (Wiki) in Gansu, then perhaps past 武山 Wushan and 渭源 Weiyuan ("Source of the Wei") on the way to Shatou.
4. 安西 Anxi (in 酒泉 Jiuquan prefecture [Wiki], Gansu province)
   Modern maps locate this near 瓜州城 Guazhou city, about 120 km northeast of 敦煌 Dunhuang. The Wiki entry for 瓜州縣 Guazhou county says it used to be called Anxi County.
5. 陽關 Yangguan
   Yangguan was a pass in the Great Wall west of Dunhuang. One can find a Yangguan Museum on Google maps about 50 km southwest of Dunhuang.

Other places mentioned are listed in another footnote below.
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7. Original Wang Wei lyrics for Weicheng Tune, Seeing Yuan Er off to Anxi
The original lyrics of the poem 渭城曲，送元二出便安西 are,

These lyrics were included in Yuefu Shiji, Folio 80. And Su Dongpo (see above) once wrote 陽關詞 三首 Three Poems on Yangguan Lyrics following this form.
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8. Other poems quoted in the Zheyin Shizi Qinpu lyrics
These poems include:

1. Li Bai, 黃鶴樓送孟浩然之廣陵, "At Yellow Crane Tower seeing Meng Haoran off to Guangling"
   In addition to the Yellow Crane Tower, Verse 3 of the Zheyin lyrics also mentions the "animation of spring" and "going down to Yangzhou".
   故人西辭黃鶴樓， An old friend here in the west says farewell at Yellow Crane Tower,
   煙花三月下揚州。 For the animation of spring in the third month he is going down to Yangzhou.
   孤帆遠影碧空盡， A lonely sail is a far off shadow in the far blue emptiness,
   唯見長江天際流。 All one can see is the Yangzi River flowing to the edge of the world.

2. Zhang Kejiu: [Zhegui Ling] Farewell at Xiling (張可久：［拆掛令］西陵送別)
   Zhang Kejiu (1270-1348) was known for his Yuan dynasty sanqu. The Zheyin lyrics also mention "cannot begin to record parting miseries", Xiling and Dongzhou (Verse 2), plus "controlling farewells...like waving willows as they waft" (Verse 3) and "tides come" (Verse 5). Zhang's full poem (thanks to Stephanie Chin [錢屬賢 Qian Shuxian] for her translation help) is as follows:

   畫船兒載不起離愁。 人到西陵，恨滿東州， 懶上歸鞍，慵開淚眼，怕倚層樓。 春去春來，管送別依依岸柳。 潮生潮落，會忘機泛泛沙鷗。 煙水悠悠，有句相酬，無計相留。

   A small decorated boat cannot carry such heavy parting miseries. People going to Xiling fill Dongzhou with sorrow, Loath to saddle up to return, lethargically opening teary eyes, averse to leaning on the railing of a tall tower. Springs come and go; controlling farewells would be like waving willows as they waft down to the shore. Tides come and go, meeting naively drifting seagulls. The hazy waters are boundless, but words bound our mutual toasts, and I don't know how to ask you to stay.

3. Zhou Deqing: [Yue Diao, Liuying Qu] Parting from a Friend (周德清：［越調·柳營曲］別友) 
   Zhou Deqing (1277? - 1365?) is perhaps best known for his 中原音韻 Central Plains Songs and Rhymes (Wiki). This poem seems to concern a friend going to take the civil service exams after the Yuan finally reinstated them in 1315. As for relevant references, Section 8 of the Zheyin lyrics mentions 東君 dongjun, 一葉身 yi ye shen, 桃李侯門 taoli houmen and 挑雲 tiaoyun. Zhou's poem (not yet translated) is as follows:

   一葉身，二毛人，功名壯懷猶未伸。 夜雨論文，明月傷神，秋色淡離樽。 離東君桃李侯門，過西風楊柳漁村。 酒船同棹月，詩擔自挑雲。 君，孤雁不堪聽！

   An insignificant person, hair half white: honor and rank could evoke strong feelings not yet expressed. Night rain essays....

Quite likely there are other farewell poems that are of significance here.
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9. Other places mentioned in the Zheyin Shizi Qinpu lyrics
Most of these places can still be found on modern maps. Some may be intended as generally descriptive terms rather than specific place names. Their connection to the Wang Wei poem seems to lie in their being mentioned in other farewell poems.

1. 黃鶴樓 Yellow Crane Tower (Huang He Lou (Wiki; see also the Li Bai poem)
   48904.1341; the Yellow Crane Tower in Wuchang, now part of modern Wuhan city, was originally built in the 3rd century, but had to be re-built many times, most recently in 1986 (in Qing dynasty style).
   Note that
2. 揚州 Yangzhou (Wiki)
   In Jiangsu; noted for its beautiful flowers in spring; see Li Bai poem in previous footnote.
3. 梁州 Liangzhou
   15135.66 in southwest Shaanxi, east of Xi'an. By some accounts it was one of the 九州 nine provinces into which Yu the Great divided China. Also a town in Sichuan.
4. 楚水 Chu River
   15473.14 rivers in Chu; a river in 陝西 Shaanxi
5. 金陵 Jinling
   An old name for Nanjing (Wiki)
6. 彭城 Pengcheng
   10231.87 towns and areas in 江蘇 Jiangsu, 湖南 Hunan and 河南 Henan. Best known, and probably intended here, is the one in Jiangsu, aka 徐州 Xuzhou. This was the home of Su Shi, who wrote a number of farewell poems that mention Pengcheng (as well as 彭祖 Pengzu, after whom the city was named).

10. Terms mentioned here that could be place names but here do not seem to be
These include:

1. 沙頭 Shatou (but here "sandbank")
   5/960 沙頭 says 沙灘邊；沙洲邊 shatou means "edge of a sandy beach" or "edge of a sandbank", and its use as the title for Section 1 as well as lyrics in Section 4 both suggest that shatou is referring to the place on the Wei River where the departing friend is boarding his boat. However, it could also be the name of a town on the route west. 17570.212/2-3 沙頭 says that in the Han dynasty Shatou was a district in 酒泉郡 Jiuquan Commandery, which included Anxi; it thus seems to be the same as 17570.38 沙州 Shazhou, also described as a district near Dunhuang. If so it is about 100 km east of Anxi. However, although this seems to be the most likely place, 17570.221 沙縣 Shaxian (Sha County) is perhaps another possibility in Gansu; the modern name is 洮沙 Taosha and it is on the 洮河 Taohe River. If one were to follow the Wei River to near Weiyuan, one could then go overland to the nearby Taohe River near Taosha and follow it north to where it joins the Yellow River, by the modern 劉家峽大壩 Liujiaxia Dam (Wiki). From here one could then follow the Great Wall westerward to Anxi. This generally seems to have been a common route used in those days. (There are other 沙頭 Shatou, e.g., in Hubei and Guangdong, but these do not seem relevant.
2. 西陵 Xiling (but here "western hills"?)
   35587.473 ancestral home of Yellow Emperor's wife, perhaps in Henan; grave in Henan of 魏武帝 Wei emperor Wu (陵 ling means "mound" or "tomb"); region in Hubei. In the lyrics here it could logically be contrasting a western area to which the writer is going with the eastern region (see next), where his heart lies. However, it again refers to earlier poetry, in particular a poem by Zhang Kejiu.
3. 東州 Dongzhou (but here "eastern regions"?)
   14827.111 another name for 朿州 Cizhou, near 瀛洲 Yingzhou (Beijing area). As with Xiling it may not be used here as a place name, instead meaning simply "eastern regions", as in 4/829 東州兵 and 東州逸黨.

Note that the translations here of these is still tentative; the latter two in particular could still suggest place names.
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11. Some other expressions used in the Zheyin Shizi Qinpu lyrics
These are listed here in order of their first mention.

1. magnolia boat (木蘭舟 mulan zhou); 14750.390 木蘭舟 gives as its earliest reference a story from 述異記 Shuyi Ji about 魯班 Lu Ban (legendary master carpenter of the Spring and Autumn period) making one; because of this a beautifully made boat would be called a "magnolia boat". Such a boat is also mentioned in 雨霖鈴 Yulin Ling, the farewell poem by 柳永 Liu Yong (987 - 1053) included above, also called Parting at the Station Post (長亭送別 Changting Songbie).
2. animation of spring (煙花三月 yanhua sanyue); "yanhua" can also refer to courtesans.
3. station post (長亭 changting); see 42022.292 長亭 as well as the previous entry and the Liu Yong poem above; perhaps the first one was at Weicheng.
4. turquoise feather garment; 鷫鸘裘 (鸘 = 鷞). 48302.3 鷫鷞裘 (sushuang qiu) says it was a garment made from feathers of a turquoise kingfisher; it then quotes 西京雜記 Xiling Zaji saying that when Sima Xiangru and Zhuo Wenjun first came to Chengdu they lived in such poverty that Wenjun traded her turquoise feather garment for some wine; after this they opened a wine shop.
5. beautiful tower (畫樓 (hualou); 7/1379 畫樓 says it is a 雕飾華麗的樓房 tower with beautiful carvings on it (compare 畫船 a gaily decorated boat).
6. short distance post; 24524.55 短亭 (duanting), a rest pavilion 5 miles out of town.
7. post road (驛路 yilu); see 46012.48 驛路 .
8. sand bank (汀洲 tingzhou); 17488.8 汀洲 is a sandbank or island; 17488.2 汀州 is a place in Fujian.
9. at dawn (漏曉 louxiao); 18508.xxx, but 18508.21 漏夜 (louye) is "deep at night".
10. the master (東君 dongjun); 14827.149 東君 gives several options: "master" plus some immortals.
11. disciples at a grand gateway (桃李侯門 tao li houmen); this phrase literally means "peach plum noble's gate", sounding perhaps as though it could be a proper name, but 15099.29 桃李 (taoli) "peaches and plums" actually refers to one's students (as well as to female beauty); 667.57 侯門 (houmen; not 候門 back gate) refers to homes of the nobility. (See also earlier.)
12. an insignificant person (一葉身 yi ye shen); 1.2812ff have various expressions with 一葉 (one leaf; a small boat, etc.), but no 一葉身 yi ye shen; likewise with 1/82. However, 9/455-8 says 葉 is a 量詞 classifier for 輕博物體 insignificant objects. (See also earlier.)
13. hermit's abode (三徑 sanjing); 10.xxx but 1/223 三徑 (also 三逕) gives this definition, referring to a story by 晉 趙岐 Zhao Qi of Jin (d. 201 CE).

See also the previous footnote.
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12. Antiquity of the Yangguan melodies
On several occasions I have played these early versions (<1491 and 1530; occasionally 1511) for people and asked whether they considered them related. Generally people without any knowledge of the melodies have emphasized the similarity; those familiar with the modern version (similar to the 1530 version and very popular, whereas very few people have listened to the other versionsya) have emphasized the differences.
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13. Tracing qin versions of Yang Guan
See the appendix below.
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14. Various titles for melodies connected to the Wang Wei lyrics
All of these do not have lyrics, but the melodies are more or less related and could be paired to the lyrics. They include:

1. 陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie
2. 陽關操 Yangguan Cao
3. 大陽關 Da Yangguan
4. 秋江送別 Qiujiang Songbie (Autumn River Parting)
5. 春江送別 Chunjiang Songbie (Spring River Parting)

These are all mentioned in the appendix below.
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15. 琴學入門 Qinxue Rumen version
There are several recordings based on this version. It is quite rare for the lyrics to be sung. See further comments on this under the short version.
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16. 琴心三疊 Qin Xin Sandie
See QSDQ, Chapter 17 and a Li Bai poem. For qin xin see under Sima Xiangru.
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17. Reconstructing the missing ending of Yang Guan San Die
Although the last page of Zheyin Shizi Qinpu is missing, the ending of this melody can be reconstructed with some confidence that it is faithful to the original. Thus, the lyrics of the version in 樂仙琴譜 Lexian Qinpu (1623) are almost identical to those here, so they are here used here for the missing section. In addition, the music for the first 4/6ths of Section 8 is almost the same as that of the first 4/6ths of Section 5 after the harmonic opening, so the last 2/6ths of Section 5 are used for the missing part of Section 8; the 1623 lyrics match this perfectly. For the postlude the music is taken from the postlude to Yangguan Cao in 真傳正宗琴譜 Zhenchuan Zhengzong Qinpu (1589). It could also be taken from the 1623 coda, which differs only in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th notes.
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18. Original Preface
The original Chinese preface can be seen under 陽關三疊.
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19. Yangguan Sandie section titles and lyrics (original Chinese and my tentative translation)
Sections 2 through 8 have new lyrics, all ending with the same refrain ("From the Wu Mountains' lofty heights...."). Section 1 has the original Wang Wei lyrics; note, however, the insertion in the fourth line of the meaningless words "的那 of those/that". In Zheyin Shizi Qinpu, as in most Ming dynasty handbooks with lyrics, the pairing of music and lyrics is mostly syllabic, with one character for each right hand stroke; however, it was common to insert phrases such as "的那 of those/that" or the equally meaningless "你那 your that" as pairs for the left hand stroke technique 對起 duiqi. Also, where a finger pattern is repeated (再作 "do again"), there is no indication of whether the paired phrase should also be sung again. Such passages are indicated below by empty phrases (i.e.: "，，" or "，。"). This, plus the very literary but somewhat casual nature of the original lyrics, makes smooth translation problematic.

1.	沙頭過雨 渭城朝雨浥輕塵。 客舍青青柳色新。 勸君更盡一杯酒。 西出陽關（的那）無故人，。	Rain at the edge of the sandbank  The morning rain at Weicheng dampens the light dust, The inn is green with the color of new willows. Urgently the gentlemen offer up one more cup of wine. Going west to Yangguan there will be no (of those) old acquaintances, .
2.	解木蘭舟 木蘭舟，，載不起許多（的）離愁。 人在（你那）西陵，心在東州，心在東州。 吳山高聳水東流；東流，東流，復東流。	Releasing the magnolia boat  Magnolia boat, , one cannot begin to record so many (of) parting miseries. I am at (your that) Xiling, (but my) heart is at Dongzhou, heart at Dongzhou. From the Wu Mountains' lofty heights waters flow east; flow east, flow east, again flow east.
3.	辭黃鶴樓 黃鶴樓，，煙花三月（的那）下揚州。 木蘭舟，木蘭舟，載不起許多（的）離愁。 管送別（那）長亭，依依柳。 吳山高聳水東流；東流，東流，復東流。	Saying farewell (as at) Yellow Crane Tower  Yellow Crane Tower, , the animation of spring in the third month so (of that) going down to Yangzhou. Magnolia boat, magnolia boat, one cannot begin to record so many (of) parting miseries. Controlling farewells at that Station Post would be like waving willows as they waft down. From the Wu Mountains' lofty heights waters flow east; flow east, flow east, again flow east.
4.	迢遙去路 路迢迢，，尊酒（的那）盡沙頭。 （泛起） 傷懷抱，江聲日夜擾暮濤。 （泛止） 鷫鷞裘，到處（的那）重遨遊。 浪花浮，，大江瀉不盡（那）離愁。 輕煙罨（那）畫樓，楊柳溪橋， 夜雨扁舟，明月梁州，梁州。 吳山高聳水東流；東流，東流，復東流。	Going on a distant road   The road is distant, , these goblets of wine (of those) must be finished here on the sandbank. (Harmonics begin)   Distressing emotional embraces, river sounds day and night stir up evening waves. (Harmonics end)   In a turquoise feather garment, everywhere (of that) repeatedly roaming. Foam waters floating, , the great river purges (those) parting miseries. Light haze covers (that) beautiful tower, poplars and willows by the stream's bridge. Evening rain on a boat, but a clear moon over Liangzhou. From the Wu Mountains' lofty heights waters flow east; flow east, flow east, again flow east.
5.	恨逐來潮 （泛起） 月下潮生紅蓼汀，   柳稍風急墮流螢。 長亭短亭，惜別丁寧；   梧桐夜雨，恨不同聽。 （泛止） 為功名，，郵亭驛路飄零，   慢敲金鐙愴離情， 聽唱「陽關」（那）曲四聲，別離輕，。 吳山楚水，蹤跡浮萍，   長安回首人孤零，孤零，。 雲山圍四漠，別路轉孤城。 朝雨過，挹輕塵，唱渭城柳色青。 吳山高聳水東流；東流，東流，復東流。	Sorrow comes and goes like the tide  (Harmonics begin)  Under the moon the tide reveals red smartweed on the sandbank;   willows in a light breeze anxiously settle over drifting fireflies. At long and short distance station posts, regrets at parting come repeatedly;   wutong trees in the night rain: hatred at not hearing this together. (Harmonics end)  For honor, , but courier lodges on the the post road have fallen into ruin;   slowly hit the golden stirrups (having) sad departure emotions. Hearing singing of Yang Guan (that) song's sounds, makes departure seem lighter, . Wu Mountain, Chu River, footsteps are drifting,   to Chang'an turning my head I feel lonely, lonely. Clouded mountains surrounded by desert on four sides, the departure road turns into a lonely city. The morning rain has gone, dampening the light dust; sing of Weicheng willow colors green. From the Wu Mountains' lofty heights waters flow east; flow east, flow east, again flow east.
6.	風吹楊柳 （泛起） 芳草渡頭初雨過，綠楊枝上好風清。 綠楊芳草牽挽離情。。 （泛止）  長短亭，，載酒（的那）送君行。 景晴明，，和風麗日，鬧（那）燕鶯。 雲山（那）萬里，何日歸程，？ 吳山高聳水東流；東流，東流，復東流。	Wind blows in the poplars and willows  (Harmonics begin)  Fragrant grasses by the boat launch as the first rains pass, green poplar branches enjoy clear breezes. Green poplars and fragrant grasses pull out the departing's sadness, . (Harmonics end)  Long and short distance station posts, , recording wine (of that) for seeing off the gentleman traveling. Landscape clear and bright, , peaceful breezes on a beautiful day, noise of (those) swallows and orioles. Clouded mountains for (those) 10,000 li, on what day a return jouney, ? From the Wu Mountains' lofty heights waters flow east; flow east, flow east, again flow east.
7.	月照汀洲 月明明，，漏曉（的那）立沙汀。 送君別，，無限離情，握手都門。 回首（你那）金陵，（那）金陵。 吳山高聳水東流；東流，東流，復東流。	The moon shines on the sandbank  The moon is very bright, , at dawn (of that) on an emerging sandbank. Seeing off the gentleman departing, , limitless departing feelings, grasping hands at the capital gate. Turning head to (your that) Jinling (Nanjing!), (that) Jinling. From the Wu Mountains' lofty heights waters flow east; flow east, flow east, again flow east.
8.	叮嚀會合 再叮嚀，故人情，丱角論交松柏，   誓盟，誓盟，離東君。 桃李侯門，楊柳彭城，一葉身，。 酒舡掉月，詩擔挑雲，   冷冷清清，（那）冷清，冷清，。 西山列畫屏，鞍馬秋風冷。   (功名事苦飄零，何日兮，歸三徑？    吳山高聳水東流；東流，東流，復東流。	Repeatedly urging (the parting friend) to return  Again repeatedly urging, because of human emotions, youth making friends with their seniors,   promises, promises, parting from the master. Disciples at a grand gateway; poplars and willows at Pengcheng; an insignificant person, . A wine boat rowed in the moon, poetry shouldered while leaping the clouds,   Cold and clear (i.e., quiet and still), (that) cold clear, cold clear, cold clear. Western mountains arrayed as a painted screen, a saddled horse in a cold autumn wind.   (Affairs of honor bitterly fallen to ruin; when, ah, will I return to my hermit's abode [sanjing]?    From the Wu Mountains' lofty heights waters flow east; flow east, flow east, again flow east.
	尾聲、泛音    他鄉故國，看明月，淒淒切切，    會少離多，花殘月缺。)	Coda: Harmonics     In another countryside old country, see the bright moon, in great pain and urgency,    together seldom, apart often, flowers spoiled, moon waned.

N.B.: The last page of Zheyin Shizi Qinpu is missing, so the last two lines of Section 8 and the lyrics of the Coda have been completed by comparing the version published in 1623. See comment above.
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Appendix: Chart Tracing 陽關三疊 Yang Guan Sandie
  Based mainly on Zha Fuxi's Guide, 12/124/222 Yangguan Sandie and 14/149/258 陽關曲 Yangguan Qu,
  but also see 31/241/457 Chunjiang Songbie and 26/217/416 秋江送別 Qiujiang Songbie.

琴譜   (year; QQJC Vol/page)	# of Sections	調 Tuning	Further information (QQJC = 琴曲集成 Qinqu Jicheng; QF = 琴府 Qin Fu)
1. 浙音釋字琴譜       (<1491; I/251)	8+1	RB	陽關三疊 Yang Guan Sandie; grouped under QL (淒涼 qiliang)     but tuning is RB (蕤賓 ruibin); see lyrics and compare 1530 below
2. 謝琳太古遺音       (1511; I/293)	1	RB	陽關曲 Yangguan Qu; lyrics are Wang Wei's poem repeated 13 times.   tuning not indicated, but must be ruibin
3. 發明琴譜       (1530; I/357)	8	RB !	陽關 Yang Guan; tuning is called "qiliang...raise the 2nd and 5th strings",   but 2nd string is stopped at 10th hui, not 11th. Lyrics like <1491 except refrain.
-. 發明琴譜       (1530; I/369)	3	QL !	陽關三疊 Yang Guan Sandie; like modern version, except the tuning:  raise 2nd and 5th string; stop 2nd string at 11th hui (shorter lyrics)
4. 風宣玄品       (1539; II/326)	9	RB	陽關 Yang Guan; quite different from earlier long versions
5. 龍湖琴譜       (1571; 琴府/275)	9	RB	陽關 Yang Guan; lyrics like 1585 except coda
6. 新刊正文對音捷要       (1573; ??)	9	RB	春江送別 Chunjiang Songbie  compare 1585 Qiujiang Songbie
-. 新刊正文對音捷要       (1573; ??)	3	RB	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie  identical to 1585?
7. 五音琴譜       (1579; IV/246)	8	RB	陽關 Yang Guan; no lyrics!  ToC: "大陽關 Da Yangguan"
8. 重修真傳琴譜       (1585; IV/496)	9	RB	秋江送別 Qiujiang Songbie  compare 1573 Chunjiang Songbie! Grouped under QL
-. 重修真傳琴譜       (1585; IV/499)	3	RB	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie  compare 1573; grouped under QL
9. 真傳正宗琴譜       (1589/1609; VII/141)	9+1	QL	陽關操 Yangguan Cao  lyrics like #1, but another different refrain
-. 真傳正宗琴譜       (1589/1609; VII/144)	3+1	QL	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie
10. 文會堂琴譜       (1596; VI/257)	3	RB	陽關 Yang Guan
11. 陽春堂琴譜       (1611; VII/459)	3+1	QL	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie  lyrics like 1589
12. 理性元雅       (1618; VIII/288)	3	QL	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie
-. 理性元雅       (1618; VIII/289)	9	QL	春江送別 Chunjiang Songbie  lyrics like 1585
14. 樂仙琴譜       (1623; VIII/376)	8	RB	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie  lyrics like <1491
13. 太音希聲       (1625; IX/237)	10	RB	春江送別 Chunjiang Songbie  tablature says tuning is QL; lyrics like 1585
15. 古音正宗       (1634; IX/311)	3	RB	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie
16. 和文注音琴譜       (<1676; XII/252)	1	QL?	陽關曲 Yangguan Qu  very short: Wang Wei poem just once
17. 立雪齋琴譜       (1730; XV?)	13+1	QL	陽關 Yang Guan  lyrics like <1491 for first 8 sections, then 1, 2 and 3 die
18. 琴書千古       (1738; ?)	3+1	?	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie
-. 琴書千古       (1738; ?)	5	?	春江送別 Chunjiang Songbie
19. 裛露軒琴譜       (>1802; ?)	3	QL	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie
20. 琴學軔端       (1828; ?)	10+1	?	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie  lyrics like <1491 but breaks up sections
21. 張鞠田琴譜       (1844; ?)	5	宮調 gong	陽關 Yang Guan  melody from 昆曲 Kunqu? has 工尺譜 gongche notation
22. 琴學入門       (1864; 琴府/615)	3	RB ("商音")	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie; "無射均商音 Wuyi Jun Shang Yin" (see comments)  The common version today, though usually without its lyrics, which are placed at the end ("清和節當春，渭城朝雨....噫，從今一別，兩地相思入夢頻，聞鴈來賓")
23. 希韶閣琴譜       (1878; ?)	7	角 (?)	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie  lyrics like <1491 but skips sections 6 & 7
24. 雙琴書屋琴譜集成       (1884; ?)	3+1	RB	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie  "also called Chunjiang Songbie; "lyrics like 1589"
25. 綠綺清韻       (1884; ?)	3	RB	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie
26. 希韶閣琴瑟合譜       (1890; ?)	3+1	?	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie  begins with Wang Wei lyrics, then quite different
27. 琴學初津       (1894; ?)	4	RB "商"	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie
28. 琴學叢書       (1910; 琴府/1021)	3	RB "商"	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie  "from 1864", with rhythmic indication
29. 山西育才館雅樂講義       (1922; ?)	3	RB	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie  "like 1864"
30. 夏一峰傳譜       (1957/p.93)	3	RB	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie
31. 研易習琴齋琴譜       (1961/I-2)	3+1	standard !	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie; tuning is called 中呂均商音 zhonglü yun shang yin  very different from the common melody; source is not given
- 研易習琴齋琴譜       (1961/II-2)	3	RB	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie  tuning is called 無射均商音 Wuyi Jun Shang Yin, "tighten 5th string"
32. 愔愔室琴譜       (2000/99)	3+1	RB	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie
33. 虞山吳氏琴譜       (2001/188)	3	RB	陽關三疊 Yangguan Sandie

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