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Chongxiu Zhenchuan Qinpu
Yang Biaozheng2 Revised Qin Handbook in the Orthodox Tradition		 重修真傳琴譜 1
楊表正, 1585
Two images of Yang Biaozheng
This website generally treats as one handbook the several editions of handbooks transmitting the repertoire of Yang Biaozheng. This is because Zha Fuxi's Guide includes only the one with 105 melodies published in 1585; it is also the only one Zha included in his index. In addition, it is the only one to have been re-printed, and it also seems to be the most complete edition.

In fact, though, the handbook of Yang Biaozheng went through numerous editions, often published under different titles, beginning at least as early as 1573.3 Not only are the contents not identical, the melodies themselves are often different from edition to edition. Whether the differences represent different stages in the development of Yang's repertoire, different interpretations by transcribers of what he was actually playing, or something else entirely, a careful analysis of the differing versions could shed significant light on the performance of and attitude towards qin songs in the latter half of the 16th century.4

All melodies in the various editions have lyrics, making it just the second surviving qin handbook to focus on qin songs, after Taigu Yiyin (1511).5 And, as noted in the QQJC Preface, it has been a popular handbook since its first publication.6 This, plus the fact that often the lyrics take on some of the qualities of popular music, suggests it as a good example showing the potential for qin music to have an appeal outside the milieau of philosophers and recluses.7

At present I am not aware of anyone else playing melodies directly from this handbook.8 My personal examination has found what seem to me many errors and/or non-idiomatic pasages.9 This, plus the fact that I do not have a singer with whom to work, has so far discouraged me from doing many of my own reconstructions from this book.10

For further information see,

  1. The QQJC Preface to Chongxiu Zhenchuan Qinpu
  2. The original Table of Contents

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1 In Qinqu Jicheng, Vol. 4; Beijing, Zhonghua Shuju Chuban Faxing, 1982.
(Return)

2 楊表正 Yang Biaozheng (top image 1573, bottom 1585)
Yang Biaozheng (15488.270), style name 西峰 Xifeng, was from 永安 Yong'an, in the 延平 Yanping district of central Fujian province). He is not in Xu Jian's Outline History, Van Gulik, p. 185, has sketchy information, and Bio/873 is brief, without other information. Since the handbook is printed in Nanjing, one can speculate that at some stage Yang moved there from Fujian. This leaves open the question of whether he brought a Fujian style of qin songs to Nanjing, or developed his style after the move. It would be interesting to compare his music with that of Yang Lun as found in Zhenchuan Zhengzong Qinpu, printed only a few years later, also in Nanjing. There seems in fact to be more connection than what is suggested by Van Gulik.
(Return)

3 The two editions I have seen of Yang Biaozheng's handbook are the following:

  1. 新刊正文對音捷要琴譜真傳 Xinkan Zhengwen Duiyin Jieyao Qinpu Zhenchuan (3 + 65 melodies; 1573)
    In the National Library, Taiwan
  2. 重修真傳琴譜 Chongxiu Zhenchuan Qinpu (105 melodies; 1585)
    Reprinted in Qinqu Jicheng

I have also seen it mentioned under these other titles:

  1. 琴譜合璧大全 Qinpu Hebi Daquan
    See Van Gulik, Lore of the Chinese Lute, p. 185
  2. 重修正文對音捷要真傳琴譜大全 Chongxiu Zhengwen Duiyin Jieyao Zhenchuan Qinpu Daquan
    See the Preface in QQJC, Vol. IV.
  3. 西峰重訂琴譜十卷 Xifeng Chongding Qinpu.
    See Qinshu Cunmu, #183 (which also mentions other titles)

R.H. Van Gulik, Lore of the Chinese Lute, p. 185, describes Yang Biaozheng's 琴譜合璧大全 Qinpu Hebi Daquan (a "bi" is a piece of jade, but here the suggestion is paired music and lyrics) as follows:

"(N)ot divided into chs., compiler Yang Piao-chung; first preface anonymous, and undated; second preface by Liu Yü, dated 1503 (sic). Imperial Catalogue, ch. 114, leaf 7 verso....(P)ublished by a literatus of very low scholarly standing. The tunes are given in a kind of simplified version, and all -- as indicated by ho-pi in the title -- are accompanied by words. This text of the songs must be of the editor's own making, for it is written in a queer mixture of literary language and colloquial. The text is interspersed with refrains like ya-ya, ai-ya, such as are used only in Chinese popular music. Yet this handbook seems to have been very popular; it was printed in an extraordinarily great number of copies, so that even now it can esily be bought. It saw a second edition, which can be distinguished from the first by the fact that in the second one the picture after the prefaces (representing the author playing the [qin]) is missing." See also Van Gulik's comments on Yang Lun Taigu Yiyin. It is somewhat odd that Van Gulik apparently failed to note that many of Yang Biaozheng's melodies use for lyrics famous old poems, and some of Yang Lun's melodies use refrains from popular music. Perhaps this says something about the editions he used. His confusion on the date is similarly puzzling.
(Return)

4 My preliminary observation, from having in 2006 seen a partial copy of the 1573 edition, is that the amount of variety between editions might reflect on the popularity of the particular melody. This suggests that the short song Xiangsi Qu was quite popular: the versions I have seen in the two editions, though they have few if any mistakes, are quite different. Longer melodies that are not so clearly songs may not have as much variation between editions. (Return)

5 Taigu Yiyin also includes some longer melodies that are not so clearly qin songs, as opposed to melodies to which lyrics have been added. This is an issue which has been studied very little. (Return)

6 The earliest date of publication is unclear. The earliest known edition is dated 1573. The editions mentioned in Qinshu Cunmu have no dates ascribed. Van Gulik's date of ca. 1503 for Qinpu Hebi Daquan is clearly a mistake.
(Return)

7 People that conservatives like Zhu Quan might call "the wrong sort of people." Zhu Quan in his Preface to Shen Qi Mi Pu wrote insultingly of riffraff playing the qin. He does not mention members of the merchant class, but the qin certainly had appeal to people of this class who wished to be connected to literati culture. For more on this see The Qin in Novels and Opera. (Return)

8 Wang Di, Qin Ge has transcriptions of the following five melodies from "Chongxiu Zhenchuan Qinpu":

  1. 漁歌調         Yu Ge Diao
  2. 陽關三疊     Yangguan Sandie
  3. 客至             Ke Zhi (I cannot find it or the Du Fu lyrics through the Table of Contents for either 1585 or 1573)
  4. 伯牙弔子期 Boya Diao Ziqi
  5. 清江吟         Qing Jiang Yin
    (Return)

9 The differences between editions could also be related to errors, both obvious (unplayable) and apparent (seemingly inappropriate notes). My work with this handbook has mostly consisted not of reconstructing the melodies, but of comparing the basics of its versions with the same melodies in earlier handbooks. Almost invariably the versions here are very different. Note that the lyrics are often the same as those found in Zheyin Shizi Qinpu. (Return)

10 For a long time the only melodies I learned from Chongxiu Zhenchuan Qinpu were the three preludes at the beginning of the melody section. Then, in early 2006 I did a reconstruction of #38, Xiang Si Qu, the earliest known version of the melody which developed later into Gu Qin Yin. This proved to be quite straight-forward, with few problems. I followed this by transcribing the version in the 1573 edition, noticing that there were differences and, of course, raising more questions. (Return)

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