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Autumn Moon at Jishan
Also called Autumn Moon over Streams and Mountains2
Jiao mode 5 6 1 2 3 5 63
箕山秋月 1
Jishan Qiu Yue
亦名谿山秋月
Jishan Qiu Yue illustration, from Kuian Qinpu 4
This melody, after its first publication in
1589, became quite popular, surviving in at least 27 handbooks through 1878, 17 using the present title and a further ten from 1602 to 1812 calling it Xi Shan Qiu Yue.5 It generally has 24 sections, and was thus sometimes said to be one of the "five great melodies".6

Regarding the source of the melody, the preface here originally attributed it to someone named Mao from Kuaiji,7 in 1609 changing this to say it was revised by Zhou Tong'an of Nanjing.8 The earliest version called Xi Shan Qiu Yue says it was created by (Shen) Taishao.9 The difference between the 1589 and 1609 attributions is puzzling. Versions in later handbooks do not seem to mention any of these names. I have not yet seen the title on any of the ancient melody lists.

As for the subject matter, the preface here and many of the later commentaries connect the melody to two ancient stories concerning Mount Ji (most likely near the Songshan range in Henan, but various other locations have also been suggested).

The first story tells of Emperor Yao visiting Xu You at Mount Ji. Noting Xu You's virtue Yao offers him his throne. This, however, this causes Xu You such offense that he goes to the nearby stream to wash out his ears. The same story is connected to the melody Dunshi Cao, sometimes called Jishan Cao, but these melodies seem to be completely unrelated.

The related story adds that another recluse at that time, Chao Fu,10 was also so worthy that Yao tried to offer the throne to him as well. Declining this Chao Fu not only also washed out his ears but also, hearing that Xu You had washed out his own ears for the same reason upstream, refused to water his cattle in the stream.

The theme of the present melody, in particular as expressed through the alternate title, Autumn Evening by Streams and Mountains, as well as through the illustration above, seems to suggest two contemporary scholar recluses discussing such matters.11

In particular, note that the illustration above shows two scholars engaged in what is likely such a discussion. However, the melody is called Jishan Qiu Yue, and the prefatory essay by Hu Yaozuo12 mentions the old stories.

 
Original Preface13

Regarding this melody, it is my understanding that it was created by an heir of the retired gentleman Mao from Kuaiji imitating the noble and unsullied nature of Chao Fu and Xu You....

Translation incomplete. Note that the 1609 edition has exactly the same tablature but changes the opening of its preface to say that it was revised by the retired gentleman Zhou Tong'an from Jinling (Nanjing).

 
Melody
24 Sections
14

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Autumn Moon at Mount Ji (箕山秋月 Jishan Qiu Yue)
QQJC, VII/157. The alternate title 谿山秋月 Xi Shan Qiu Yue (Autumn Moon over Rivers and Mountains; see next) is not mentioned in 1589, nor is there any mention of 沈太韶 Shen Taishao.
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2. Autumn Moon over Rivers and Mountains (谿山秋夜 Xi Shan Qiu Yue; also written 溪山秋夜)
The earliest version with this title attributes it to Shen Taishao
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3. 角音 Jiao Yin
Same as 角調 jiao diao. For further information on jiao mode see Shenpin Jiao Yi and Modality in Early Ming Qin Tablature.
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4. Kuian Qinpu illustration (1660; QQJC XI/25).
The illustration shows two scholars contemplating nature. Much of the inscription (expanded here at right) is unclear. Here is a preliminary attempt to figure it out (with special thanks to 孫小青 Sun Xiaoqing):

庚子秋夜於_ _ 先生雅操回作箕山秋月圖以呈大教_ _無_ _ _ _ _ _梅溪周鼐。
In the year gengzi (1660), on an autumn night, with Mr. _ _ there was some elegant playing (of qin). Upon returning, I drew this illustration of Autumn Moon at Jishan in order to present it to a great teacher..... By Zhou Nai of Meixi.

Perhaps the two people in the illustration are those mentioned in the inscription. Unfortunately the names are particularly difficult to read. There is mention of a 大教 great teacher. Could this refer to the qin master Wang Zhimin (王治民 Bio/xxx) of Suzhou, credited elsewhere in the handbook (e.g., XI/8, 38)? The name 周鼐 Zhou Nai at the end is a guess based on that name being mentioned by 吳鉊 Wu Zhao in his commentary to QQJC XI. 周鼐 Zhou Nai (Bio/1531), 字公調 style name Gongdiao, was a Qing dynasty landscape painter from 上元 Shangyuan (now part of Nanjing). There is a small river called 梅溪 Meixi in Jiangsu, but it is about 150km south of Nanjing.
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5. For 箕山秋月 Jishan Qiu Yue Guide 29/230/441: first of 17 to 1878
    For 谿山秋月 Xi Shan Qiu Yue 28/224/-- : 10 additional entries from 1602 to 1812.
The only version with lyrics is the one called 箕山月 Jishan Yue published in the late Ming handbook Taoshi Qinpu (IX/447); it seems to have some melodic relationship to the above but is much shorter.

The first 10 surviving versions are:

  1. 1589 and 1609: 楊掄伯牙心法 Yang Lun Boya Xinfa (Zhenchuan Zhengzong Qinpu)
    VII/157; 24 Sections; 箕山 Jishan
  2. 1602: 藏春塢琴譜 Zangchunwu Qinpu
    VI/354; 18 Sections; 谿山 Xishan; quite similar to previous, but combines sections
  3. 1611: 太古正音 Taigu Zhengyin (Yangchun Tang Qinpu)
    VII/379; 18 sections, titled; Xishan
  4. 1614: 松絃館琴譜 Songxian Guan Qinpu
    VIII/100; 13 sections but similar to 1602: combines sections; Xishan
  5. 1623: 樂仙琴譜 Lexian Qinpu
    VIII/384; 24 sections; Jishan; very similar to 1589
  6. 1647: 徽言秘旨 Huiyan Mizhi
    X/100; 18 sections; 溪山 Xishan
  7. 1660: 愧庵琴譜 Kuian Qinpu
    XI/24; 24 sections; Jishan; has illustration
  8. 1663: 臣奔堂琴譜 Chenbentang Qinpu
    Two versions: XI/78 (溪山秋月; 18 sections) and XI/92 (谿山 Xishan; 21 sections)
  9. 1670: 琴苑新傳全編 Qinyuan Xinchuan Quanbian
    XI/356; 22 sections; 溪山秋月 Xishan Qiuyue

Related titles with vaguely related or unrelated melodies include:

  1. Late Ming 箕山月 Jishan Yue in 陶氏琴譜 Taoshi Qinpu
    IX/447; 宮音 gong mode; 5 sections; lyrics; may have vague melodic relation
  2. 1876, 谿山夜月 Xishan Yeyua, Tianlaige Qinpu
    角音 jiao mode; 13 sections (unexamined)
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6. Five Great Melodies 五大曲
1722 calls Jishan Qiu Yue one of Five Great (i.e., big) Melodies. The five are:

  1. Jishan Qiu Yue (see above)
  2. Dongtian (Chunxiao),
  3. Yuhua (Deng Xian,
  4. Qiu Hong and
  5. Hujia.

Compare Four Great Melodies.
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7. Mao Jizu 毛繼祖
17141.xxx; the 1589 edition says it was 會稽處士毛繼祖...而作也 created by someone whose name perhaps means "Heir (or heirs) of the retired scholar Mao of Kuaiji.
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8. Zhou Tong'an 周桐菴
The 1609 edition says it was 金陵處士周桐菴...而校也.... revised by Zhou Tong'an of Nanjing. Compare this name with Zhou Donggang.
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9. 沈太韶 Shen Taishao
Shen Taishao
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10. Chao Fu 巢父
Chao Fu 8893.3 陶唐高士,山居不出,年老以樹為巢...no reference given. A gentleman at the time of Emperor Yao (堯, here called 陶唐 Yaotang) who became a recluse, when old nesting in a tree.
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11. Example to be added.
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12. 胡堯佐 Hu Yaozuo; see XI/24ff.
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13. Chinese original not yet online.
The 1589 edition begins: 按是曲,乃我明會稽處士毛繼祖,擬巢(父)、(許)由之高潔而作也....
The 1609 edition begins: 按是曲,乃我明金陵處士周僮菴,擬巢(父)、(許)由之高潔而作也....
For the 1609 edition see facsimile Folio 4 and Zha Guide 230.
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14. No section titles
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Return to the Zhenchuan Zhengzong Qinpu intro, to the annotated handbook list or to the Guqin ToC.