Perhaps the oddest aspect of this version is the way it treats the famous Meihua theme ("do so so so, do so so so....", always played in harmonics) that characterizes almost all other versions and is almost always played in three places, hence the "Three Repetitions" in the title. This is how it is treated in Meihua Qu (see lyrics):⁵

1. Its first appearance is just as expected, and is paired to appropriate lyrics, "Meihua lin shui" (Plum blossoms by the water). In the second version with lyrics (1585) these lyrics begin a passage that forms the lyrics for all three occurrences.
2. In its second appearance this opening motif is completely missing, the melody jumping to the following phrase. This suggests a copy error (someone wrote in "Play as before" but this was lost?) If so, then perhaps one should insert it together with the lyrics "Meihua lin shui". However, the treatment of the third appearance may argue against this.
3. The third appearance seems to begin: do so so so, la so so so...., with new lyrics for both phrases; at first this seems to suggest that the three appearances are intended to be different. On the other hand, if the first do so so so were to be repeated, and the following la so so so played in connection with the phrase after it, then all three harmonic passages would have the same form. In this case perhaps the first phrase of the third appearance should be sung with "Meihua lin shui" on the first playing, then the existing lyrics, Bai yi cang gou (White raiment turning into old dogs [alluding to how quickly things pass]), on the second.

The lyrics for this melody are not in Yuefu Shiji, and I have not been able yet to trace their origin.⁶ The poetry meter is irregular. In several parts of the melody they don't seem to align very well with the music, so adjustments had to be made for my transcription. These are usually in places where the right hand does a glissando, or where there is a repeat indicated in the fingering.

 
Preface ⁷

Translation incomplete.

 
Music⁸
Ten titled section (originally unnumbered), with lyrics throughout
- The setting follows the irregular syllabic structure of the lyrics

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Mei Hua Qu >梅花曲
See Meihua Sannong and Zha Guide 4/37/50
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2. Tuning and mode
Taigu Yiyin does not group pieces by mode.
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3. Image
Appropriate image not yet selected.
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4. Addition of the lyrics
It is possible that the lyrics were originally attached to a different version of this melody; there is probably no way to verify this.
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5. Meihua theme
The use of "plum blossoms by the river edge" (梅花臨水 meihua lin shui) is repeated in all three refrains in 1629 as well as 1585. Other versions do not seem to use this phrase at all. (15223.77ff does not have 梅花臨水 as a set expression but it can be found in some other poems/songs.)
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6. Source of the lyrics
Could not find them through an internet search or otherwise.
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7. Original preface
Original Chinese not yet online. It begins:

The whole preface can be seen at the beginning of this .pdf file (copied from Zha Guide [281] 37]).
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8. Original lyrics
The lyrics for the "Meihua theme" (comment) are the four indented lines in each of the first three sections:

The rest is not yet online, but they can be found after the preface in this .pdf file (copied from Zha Guide [281] 37]).
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