The melody Chun Si survives only in Xilutang Qintong (1549).⁴ The title suggests both thoughts that come in spring, and imagining the nature of spring. The section titles indicate that the melody generally focuses on the beauty of spring; in this way the theme is rather similar to that of the more famous melody Yang Chun.

Quite a few qin melodies have the theme of spring. And a great many Chinese poems either have the title Spring Thoughts, or include that phrase (see some examples). These poems often seem to be written from the point of view of a woman separated from her lover, and thus have a mood that is different from that of the present qin melody.

Chen Changlin in Beijing has also done a reconstruction of this melody.⁵

 
Original Preface⁶

Knowledgeable men of elevated stature cherish living in solitude, feeling the harmony of a fragrant springtime. The stimulating scenery formed a song, and so here it is expressed on the qin, thereby displaying its effervescence. There are also the lingering sounds of living in harmony.

 
Music
12 sections⁷

1. Flitting butterflies settle on a cluster of flowers
2. Flying off to a hidden valley
3. Dappled carp splash in the fragrant pond
4. Mandarin ducks bathe in the warm water
5. Willow blossoms fly across bamboo
6. Weeping willows hang down into the green waters
7. Coming out of the forest a pair of cranes dance
8. Wind and duckweed move in the middle of the pond
9. Bees suck honey from flower blossoms, then return
10. A red sun revolves across the sky
11. In a bamboo grove partridges call out
12. Swallows return to the decorated beams (of wealthy homes)

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. References for Spring Thoughts (春思 Chun Si)
There are many poems called Spring Thoughts. Here are my translations of two of the most famous, included in the collection 300 Poems of the Tang Dynasty:

1. Spring Thoughts by Li Bai
   See also the page designed by Merel Mirage (with unattributed translation); there have been many other translations.
   燕草如碧絲，     In Yan the grass is like blue-green silk,
   秦桑低綠枝。     in Qin the mulberry tree branches hang down green,
   當君懷歸日，     So soon your thoughts will turn to home,
   是妾斷腸時。     and that will be when my heart breaks.
   春風不相識，     Of spring winds I have no knowledge,
   何事入羅幃。     so what causes them to come through my bed curtain?

2. Spring Thoughts by 皇甫冉 Huangfu Ran (715 - 768):
   Online there is a very good translation at Asiawind; again there have been a number of other translations.
   鶯啼燕語報新年，     Oriole calls and swallow cries announce a new year,
   馬邑龍堆路幾千。     and (the frontier towns) Mayi and Longdui are several thousand li away by road.
   家住層城鄰漢苑，     My home is in Cengcheng, (in the Kunlun mountains) near the Han (Palace) Garden,
   心隨明月到胡天。     (so) my heart follows the bright moon into the nomad skies.
   機中錦字論長恨，     Taking this chance to write flowery words I express my everlasting grief,
   樓上花枝笑獨眠。     but here upstairs the flowers laugh at my lonely sleep.
   為問元戎竇車騎，     I wish to ask Marshall Dou (Wiki) as his chariots ride off,
   何時反旆勒燕然。     when he returns with pennants flying (whose names will be) engraved at Yanran.

14146.217 春思 says "猶言春情 refers in particular to feelings of spring", to which 5/645 adds "春日的思緒 thoughts of a spring day". Altogether these two entries have four poetic references, none given a musical connection:

1. 沈佺期，送陸侍御餘慶北使詩
   Shen Quanqi: Seeing off Attendant Censor Lu Yuqing sent north
   古人貴將命，之子出輶軒。
   受委當不辱，隨時敢贈言。
   朔途際遼海，春思繞轘轅。 (chun si)
   安得回白日，留歡盡綠樽。

2. 元稹 Yuan Zhen, 上楊白真人詩
   天寶年中花鳥使，撩花狎鳥含春思。 (chun si)
   滿怀墨詔求嬪御，走上高樓半酣醉。
   醉酣直入卿士家，閨闈不得偷回避。
   良人顧妾心死別，小女呼爺血垂淚。 (The whole poem is [7+7] x 16)

3. 曹唐 Cao Tang (9th c.; Bio/2127)， 小游仙詩九十八首 #59
   The whole poem consists of 98 sets of 7x4. Below is #59
   風動閒天清桂陰，水精簾箔冷沈沈。
   西妃少女多春思，斜倚彤雲盡日吟。

4. 歐陽修 Ouyang Xiu， 病中代書奉寄聖俞二十五兄
   Whole poem is 21 couplets of 7+7 each; this is the 7th couplet
   昔在洛陽年少時，春思每先花亂發。

A net search will turn up many more poems entitled Spring Thoughts. As yet I have not found one that would give it a particular connection to the the present melody, or to the qin in general.
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2. Yu mode (羽調 yu diao)
See Shenpin Yu Yi.
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3. Image
Not yet selected
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4. Tracing Chun Si
Zha Guide 21/190/-- has only this one entry. The melody Pear Cloud Spring Thoughts (梨雲春思 Li Yun Chun Si) is not related.
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5. Other recordings
The online video version skips sections 3 and 4 and most of 11 and 12. Perhaps the presentation limited the amount of time Chen could use. The metal strings, close miking and recording levels combine to give the qin a rather odd sound.
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6. Original preface
The preface in Chinese is:
達人高士懷寶幽棲。感芳春之和，觸景成曲，故被之徽絃，以宣其沖暢。亦考盤("drumming and dancing"; "enjoying virtue"? See 詩經 #56)之餘音也夫。
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7. Original section titles
The section titles in Chinese are:

1. 飛蝶下花叢
2. 遷鶯出幽谷
3. 錦鯉躍芳池
4. 水暖浴鴛鴦
5. 柳花飛度竹
6. 垂楊蘸綠水
7. 出林雙鶴舞
8. 風約半池萍
9. 蜂蜜採花歸
10. 紅日轉闌干
11. 竹林鷓鴣啼
12. 燕子歸畫梁
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Return to the annotated handbook list or to the Guqin ToC.