Many qin melodies have an autumn theme. Their prefaces and/or lyrics often refer to the sad soughing of autumn winds. This is also a common theme in Chinese classical poetry. A number of such lyrics, such as the famous Autumn Wind Lyrics (Qiu Feng Ci³), are included in the Yuefu Shiji.⁴

The present short melody, also with this theme, is something like a modal prelude. Its connection to shang modal preludes can be seen in particular through the lyrics.⁵ The melodies of these shang modal preludes are all somewhat different from that of Gu Qiu Feng as well as from each other. However, as is common with shang mode preludes that have lyrics, the lyrics here also begin by saying that because autumn has arrived, so have the wild geese. Similar lyrics can be found with similar melodies in at least six later handbooks.⁶

Having a related theme but a completely different melody is a setting for qin of the well-known poem Qiu Feng Ci (Autumn Wind Poem), preserved only in Japan. The lyrics are attributed to Han emperor Wudi.⁷

The melody called Qiu Feng Ci in the modern repertoire comes from the Mei'an School. It uses for part of its lyrics yet another poem on this theme, by Li Bai.⁸

Xilutang Qintong has a full-length instrumental melody called Autumn Wind (Qiu Feng). It is also in shang mode, but otherwise seems musically unrelated to the other melodies on this theme.

 
Original preface

None.

 
Music and lyrics: One section⁹
- a largely syllabic setting, with lines of the poem irregular in length (5+4+7+9+3+7+5+6)

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1 Gu Qiu Feng 古秋風 3308.xxx; 25505.323 秋風 qiu feng has nothing apparently relevant. 25505.335 秋風辭 Qiu Feng Ci has lyrics only in the Japanese Qiu Feng Ci. The Zha Guide (14/--/283) lists this title only here. (Return)

2 Standard tuning is also considered as 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 . This title occurs only here. However, comparison with similar melodies on this theme indicates it should be grouped under shang mode. For information about shang mode see Shenpin Shang Yi. For modes in general see Modality in Early Ming Qin Tablature. (Return)

3 25505.235 秋風辭 Qiu Feng Ci: 樂府，雜歌謠辭之名，漢武帝作. See further on this above. (Return)

4 Yuefu Shiji has several poems on autumn wind, such as the one by Han Wudi (see lyrics below) but none has the lyrics found here. Its index includes the following:

5 See Zha Fuxi's Guide:

6 Lyrics for various Shang modal preludes (in addition to those here):

1. Shang Yi (Meaning of Shang), #25 in Xilutang Qintong (1549), subtitled Qiufeng Ci
   秋風秋風秋風生，鴻鴈來也。
   金井梧桐飄，嘆人生能有也幾許光陰。
   誰料想古往今來興亡事。
   想人生能幾何

2. Shang Yi, #27 in Chongxiu Zhenchuan Qinpu (1585)
   秋風秋風清，鴻雁末賓。
   今朝庭皋落一葉，歎人生能有幾許的那光陰。
   古往興亡事，如今都造了一枕長春夢。
   忽然又覺秋風生，嘆人生能有幾何。

   A second Shang Yi, #40 in Chongxiu Zhenchuan Qinpu (1585) has quite different lyrics.

3. Kaizhi Lushang Yi (27/--/--, but lyrics in Wenhuitang Qinpu [1596]).
   秋風秋風生，鴻雁來也。
   今朝庭皋落一葉，嘆人生能有也幾許光陰。
   誰料想古往今來興亡事
   今已成春夢。嘆人生能幾何。

4. Shang Yi in Luqi Xinsheng (1597)
   秋風秋風秋風生，鴻雁來，
   梧桐一葉下皋庭，嘆人生能有幾許光陰....

5. Shang Yi Kao in Yang Lun Taigu Yiyin (1589)
   秋風秋風秋風清，鴻鴈來賓也。
   今井梧桐落一葉，你那嘆人生能有幾許光陰....

6. Gu Shang Yi in Lexian Qinpu (1623)
   秋風秋風秋風清，鴻鴈來也。
   今朝庭皋落一葉，月歲去如流，感嘆人生能有幾許光陰....

   Shang Diao (Shang Mode), in Qinxue Zhengsheng has almost identical lyrics to the second Shang Yi of 1585.
   (Return)

7 Han Wudi lyrics
The Yuefu poem 秋風辭 Qiufeng Ci, attributed to Han Emperor Wudi, is used as lyrics in Japanese handbooks such as Hewen Zhuyin Qinpu. The lyrics are as follows (translation also in Xu Yuanzong, Song of the Immortals, p. 20):

秋風起兮     白雲飛。 草木黃落兮 雁南歸。 蘭有秀兮     菊有芳。 懷佳人兮     不能忘。 汎樓船兮     濟汾河。 橫中流兮     揚素波。 簫鼓鳴兮     發櫂歌。 歡樂極兮     哀情多。 少壯幾時兮 奈老何。 （泛音﹕最後一行再作。）

Autumn winds rise, white clouds fly, Leaves turn yellow, wild geese return south. Orchids flourish, chrysanthemums are fragrant, I long for my lover, I cannot forget. Floating in a grand boat, crossing the Fen River. In midstream, the ripples turn white. Drum and xiao flute resound, putting forth a rowers' song. Pleasure reaches its height, but sad feelings are greater. Youth lasts a few moments, then don't we become old! (Harmonics: Repeat last line but with a new melody.)

(Return)

8 Meian School lyrics
The lyrics included with the 秋風詞 Qiu Feng Ci in Mei An Qinpu are almost the same as those of the Qiu Feng Ci published in 1840; the differences are indicated below. Based on some commentary (I have not seen the 1840 handbook), it seems that the melodies of these two are unrelated. Both arrange the music as one section, but from the standpoint of lyrics there are two verses. The first verse is a famous poem by Li Bai called 三五七言 Three-Five-Seven Characters (see the structure below). The lyrics of the second verse, anonymous and undated, are very similar to some of the lyrics in the qin song Xiang Fei Yuan. 1840 adds a coda in harmonics. (Translation below is from Fred Lieberman, A Chinese Zither Tutor, pp. 70 - 71.)

	秋風清，秋月明。       (1840: 秋風秋風秋風情，秋月明。) 落葉聚還散，寒鴉樓復驚。 相親相見知何日，此時此夜難為情。	Fresh autumn breeze, bright autumn moon. Falling leaves collect and scatter, winter ravens roost then flutter. When, my love, will me meet again? Now, tonight, I feel only sorrow.
	入我相思門，知我相思苦。 長相思兮長相憶。 短相思兮無盡致。 早知如此絆人心。 何如當初莫相識。	Just enter my love's gate, you'll know my lovesickness. Long loves are long in memory, but brief loves go on forever. Had I known hearts thus are fettered, perhaps we never would have met.
	(1840: 想人生能幾何哉。)	(It seems that in life it can be like this.)

(Return) 9 The original lyrics from the above translation of 古秋風 Gu Qiu Feng are:

Return to the annotated handbook list or to the Guqin ToC.