Ya Sheng Cao

Yasheng Cao is a chant-like song in honor of Yan Hui, by reputation the favorite student of Confucius. The preface in Taigu Yiyin identifies this as a beginner's piece. Versions of it can be found in at least 25 handbooks from the Ming dynasty and another 10 from the Qing dynasty. The most common title is Si Xian (Cao) ([Melody of] Recalling the Sage), others being Fu Sheng Cao (Melody of the Alternate Sage), Yi Yan Hui (Recalling Yan Hui), and Gu Yan Hui (Old [version of] Yan Hui).⁴

Yan Hui's style name was Yan Ziyuan. He was also known as Ya Sheng (Secondary Sage), and later as Fu Sheng (Alternate Sage). He was considered so important that in Qufu, Confucius' home town, there is a large temple to Yan Hui (see photo). At one time there were also temples to Yan Hui in other places.⁵ 3

According to the Shi Ji (Records of the Grand Historian),⁶

"Yan Hui was only 29 when his hair turned white. He died young. Confucius wailed bitterly, saying, "Ever since I have had Hui, my disciples have grown closer to me."

The many references to Yan Hui in the Analects of Confucius (Lun Yu) depict Yan Hui as someone who does not present himself in a clever way, but who is very contemplative and an ascetic. He is also mentioned often in Kongzi Jiayu.⁷

The version in Taigu Yiyin has seven unnumbered verses in praise of Yan Hui, each beginning "Da zai Yan Hui!"; each ends with a refrain. The lyrics are not in Yuefu Shiji. Some expressions, such as da zai (awesome) and xian zai (noble), can be found in Lun Yu, while two of the verses are quoted almost directly from it (see #3 and #5 below). Verse 7 quotes a song found in several other melodies.⁸ I have not yet traced the source of the rest.>⁹

Original preface¹⁰

As for this song, it is traditionally said that Confucius wrote it lamenting Yan Hui. Yan Hui had been a disciple of Confucius only a short period when he unfortunately died early at the age of 32. Confucius' lament grieved that there was no one left to carry on his methods. Its sounds called out sadly with heavy sobs, clearly cut off. Beginning study of qin should be from here. And for those at the beginning level, if they skip this and search for something else, the more their skills increase, the more distant it is from their understanding. As for this composition, it is like these sounds and is an allegory.

Music and Lyrics: Seven verses ¹¹
A largely syllabic setting of the lyrics, which have irregular meter

(1.)
Awesome Yan Hui; awesome Yan Hui.
Think of Yan Hui, think and recall Yan Hui.
Heaven mourns Yan Hui, mourn Yan Hui, Yan Hui.

(Refrain)
Worthy Yan Hui, worthy Yan Hui.
Worthy and approved, Heaven has destroyed me, Yan Hui.
Mourn Yan Hui, Yan Hui; Heaven has destroyed me, Yan Hui.
Mourn Heaven's destroying Yan Hui, 3000 students none his equal.
Study of the Way is destroyed, Yan Hui.
Recall Yan Hui, Yan Hui; Yan Hui, how can the Way survive?
Mourn that later generations don't have my Yan Hui,
Heaven destroyed Yan Hui, how can the Way survive?

(2.)
Awesome Yan Hui; awesome Yan Hui.
Yan Hui, Yan Hui, hear my song.
The sounds are only for Yan Hui mourning.
Heaven mourns Yan Hui, study of the Way is destroyed.
Painfully grieve Yan Hui, how urgent was Fate.
Pain, Yan Hui; pain, pain Yan Hui
Repeat Refrain

(3.) (quotes Lun Yu 6-3)
Awesome Yan Hui; awesome Yan Hui.
Doesn't vent anger, Yan Hui; won't repeat mistakes, Yan Hui.
Sadly a short fate and death; now I have no one,
I haven't heard of anyone eager to learn.
Repeat Refrain

(4.) (see Lun Yu 15-2)
Awesome Yan Hui; awesome Yan Hui.
Recall the past, in Chen (state) without food, Yan Hui.
recall the past in Chen without food, Yan Hui.
Painfully recall the past in Chen without food, Yan Hui;
Painfully recall the past in Chen without food, Yan Hui.
Repeat Refrain (see above)

(5.) (quotes Lun Yu 6-11)
Awesome Yan Hui; awesome Yan Hui.
One bowl for food, Yan Hui; one gourd for drink, Yan Hui.
On such mean streets others couldn't bear the grief;
But (Yan) Hui didn't turn from his joy.
Repeat Refrain

(6.)
Awesome Yan Hui; awesome Yan Hui.
Painful, painful, fate killed young Yan Hui;
Bitter, bitter, fate killed young Yan Hui.
Three thousand students, none that equals Yan Hui;
Three thousand students, none that equals Yan Hui;
Repeat Refrain

(7.)
Awesome Yan Hui; awesome Yan Hui.
Heaven and earth move along, waxing and waning.
Four seasons go round again and again.
Oft again oceans change to mulberry groves; ¹²
Oft it is that mulberry groves change to hills and valleys.
Summer goes, winter comes, spring turns to fall.
Sun and stars westward set, rivers flow east.
Generals fighting on horseback, where are they now?
Weeds block out flowers, filling the earth with gloom.
Repeat Refrain

(Harmonics)
Mourn that man's life still is rough.

Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1 276.132 only has Ya Sheng, nothing about music. (Return)

2 Taigu Yiyin does not directly indicate mode. (Return)

3 Photograph copied from an old tourist brochure. (Return)

4 See Zha Fuxi's index 13/140/243 (Ya Sheng, eight titles), 15/155/310 (思賢操 Si Xian Cao, 23 titles), 19/181/370 (憶顏回 Yi Yan Hui, one title) and 29/226/431 (復聖操 Fusheng Cao, six titles). 古顏回 Gu Yan Hui is in the edition of Faming Qinpu surviving in Taiwan. Jinyu Qinkan (1937) also had an unrelated Lament Yan Hui (Qi Yan Hui, 44/281/1, no lyrics; see Tong Kin-Woon, Qin Fu, p.1377. (Return)

5 ??? (Return)

6 See the translation by W.H. Nienhauser, et.al., The Grand Scribe's Records, Vol.VII, p.65. In The Analects, Book XI, Section 7, Confucius says that Yan Hui was eager to learn, but that unfortunately he had died young, and now there was no one. (Return)

7 The Song Gaozong emperor (1127-1163) composed a eulogy for Yan Hui. I have not seen this, or the passages in Kongzi Jiayu. (Return)

8 See, for example, Xing Tan in Xilutang Qintong and the predecessor of Xianweng Cao (see footnote 4) in Chongxiu Zhenchuan Qinpu (1585). (Return)

9 Some passages, such as "in Chen with no food" (Verse 4), and "oceans change to mulberry groves" (Verse 7), have no apparent connection with Yan Hui. (Return)

10 Chinese original not yet online. (Return)

11 The original lyrics begin as follows:

1
大哉顏回，大哉顏回；
思憶顏回，思思憶憶顏回，
天喪顏回，慟顏回顏回。
（復歌）
賢哉顏回，賢哉顏回，賢哉若哉，天喪予顏回。
慟顏回顏回，天喪予顏回。
慟天喪顏回，弟子三千盡不如，
道學喪也顏回。
思憶顏回顏回，顏回道何存？
嘆後世無也，予顏回，
天喪顏回，道何存？

2
大哉顏回，大哉顏回；
顏回，顏回，聽吾歌。
聲聲只為顏回喪。
天喪顏回，道學喪。
痛惜顏回，命何促。
痛哉顏回，痛哉痛哉顏回。
（復歌）

3 (論語 6-3)
大哉顏回，大哉顏回。
不遷怒，顏回；不貳過，顏回。
不幸短命死矣；今也，則忘。
未聞好學顏回。
（復歌）

4 (見論語 15-2)
大哉顏回，大哉顏回。
憶昔當初，在陳絕糧顏回。
憶昔當初，在陳絕糧顏回。
痛念憶昔當初，在陳絕糧顏回。
痛念憶昔當初，在陳絕糧顏回。
（復歌）

5 (見論語 6-11)
大哉顏回，大哉顏回。
一簞食，顏回；一瓢飲，顏回。
在陋巷人不堪其憂。
回也，不改其樂。
（復歌）

6
大哉顏回，大哉顏回。
傷哉，傷哉，命夭顏回。　BR>W哉，苦哉，命夭顏回。
弟子三千盡不如顏回；
弟子三千盡不如顏回；
（復歌）

7
大哉顏回，大哉顏回。
天地推遷有榮辱，
四序循環多反復。
幾迴滄海變桑田，
幾度桑田變陵谷。
暑往寒來春復秋，
夕陽西下水東流。
將軍戰馬今何在？
野草閑花滿地愁。
（復歌） (Return)

12 18460.32 滄海桑田 refers to 神仙傳 Shenxian Zhuan by 葛洪 Ge Hong (283-343): affairs of the world constantly change (Return)

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