T of C 
Home 		My
Work		 Hand-
books		 Qin as
Object		 Qin in
Art		 Poetry
/ Song		 Hear
Qin		 Play
Qin		 Analysis History Ideo-
logy		 Miscel-
lanea		 More
Info		 Personal email me search me
Qin Shi      
Yuan Xian
- Qin Shi #25		 原憲 1
琴史 #25 2

原憲 Yuan Xian (born 525 BCE), style name 子思 Zisi, (also called 原思 Yuan Si) was a disciple of Confucius. He was poor, as is seen in the Qin Shi account,3 where he has a discussion with another student 子貢 Zigong, who was rich.4

The account mentions a melody called Shang Song Cao. Shang Song is the name of the last section of the Shi Jing. This is probably unrelated; Shang Song has no mention of qin.

Yuan Xian, style name Zisi, was tranquil and principled, was poor but loved the Dao. He lived in a bare room with nothing on the walls. One day Zigong, riding on a fat horse and wearing valuable furs, came to see him.... (He asked if Yuan Si was ill. Taking offense, Yuan Si said he may be poor but he was not ill. He then sang a 商頌操 Shang Song Cao).

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1 3028.163 原憲 (Return)

2 (Return)

3 Another version of this story is translated in Van Gulik, Lore, pp. 160-1. (Return)

4 子貢 Zigong
3028.371 says Zigong, the rich student of Confucius, had the surname 端木 Duanmu and given name 賜 Si; Zigong was his style name. References are given there to Lun Yu, Shi Ji, Han Shu and Lun Heng. Zigong is also mentioned in a commentary by Han Ying; see Qinshu Cunmu, Folio 16, #31. See also Liu Xiang's Lienü Zhuan biography of The Maiden of Agu: the linked illustration shows her with Zigong, who is holding a qin. The story mentions a qin with no pegs. (Return)

4 3834.145 (Return)

5 (Return)

 
Return to QSCB, or to the Guqin ToC.