This page has basic information about some English and Chinese language reference materials important for traditional Chinese lore but not introduced elsewhere on the site.¹ Some of the English references are translations of Chinese works. On this site many of the qin biographies are more lore than history. Other basic sources of qin lore are included either with melody introductions in the qin handbook section, or with stories themselves, particularly those in the collection in Qinshu Daquan (QSDQ), Folio 17, which includes many more references, but with few translations at yet. Links are being made connect these other pages and the listing below.

English language reference materials, a selected list

1. Anne Birrell, Chinese Mythology, an Introduction; Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University Press, 1993.

2. Robert Ford Campany, To Live as Long as Heaven and Earth, A Translation and Study of Ge Hong's Traditions of Divine Transcendents; Berkeley, 2002.
   神仙傳 Shenxian Zhuan, by 葛洪 Ge Hong (283 - 343), is "a collection of the biographies of 84 Daoist immortals (mostly) extracted from various earlier works." (ICTCL, p.677.)

   Relevant references on this site include comments on the melodies Gu Guan Yu Shen and Yasheng Cao.

3. Robert Ford Campany, Strange Writing, Anomaly Accounts in Early Medieval China; SUNY Press, 1992. (SW)

4. Richard B. Mather, Shih-shuo Hsin-yü, a New Account of Tales of the World, 2nd ed.; Ann Arbor, 2002
   An annotated translation of 世說新語 Shishuo Xinyu, an "anthology of anecdotes, noteworthy conversations or remarks, and brief characterizations of historical persons...." (ICTCL, p.704). Shishuo Xinyu is said to have been compiled by a group of scholars under the direction of Liu Yiqing (see below). It is apparently the earliest source for the story about the origins of the melody Meihua Sannong.

   劉義慶 Liu Yiqing (403 - 444)
   Bio/660 (and 2270.919) say nothing about music or poems, the only literary reference being Shishuo Xinyu (for which he is given credit), 《集林》等 "Ji Lin and so forth". Qinshu Daquan, Folio 17, #8 has a quote from a 幽明錄 You Ming Lu (9411.33xxx), also attributed to him. And he is the featured in a story about the melody Wu Ye Ti.

1. 白虎通 Baihu Tong: Comprehensive Discussions in the White Tiger Hall
   By 班固 Ban Gu (32 - 92 CE). "A record...of discussions on the classics and on Confucian themes held at the court of the Han Emperor Zhang (r.75-88 C.E.) in 29 C.E.)." (Sources of Chinese Tradition, I, p.344.) References include:
   QSDQ, Folio 1, #1 (the famous 琴者禁也。禁止於邪以正人心也。)
   Qin Shi Bu, Fu Xi as one of the San Huang

2. 博物志 Bowu Zhi: Treatise on Curiosities
   By 張華 Zhang Hua (232 - 303; Bio/1206), style name 茂先 Maoxian, was from 方城 Fangcheng in modern Hebei. Poor as a child, when he had to tend sheep, he studied hard, married well, completed his education then gained attention through his writings. He became a successful scholar and statesman under the Jin, living in the milieu of Ruan Ji and Xi Kang. But he was eventually executed for intrigue during a change of power. ICTCL, p.215, says he "is best remembered for his compilation 博物志 Bowu Zhi (Account of Wide Ranging Matters) which, despite its fictional quality and moderate size (in extant editions, 10 folios), provides excellent source materials...."

   Relevant references on this site, in addition to those in QSDQ, Folio 17, #18 and #42, include,

   Yang Chun (quoted)
   Bai Xue (referenced)
   Yang Chun (quoted)
   Biography of Zuo Si (referenced)

   (In QSDQ, Folio 16, #53 Su Dongpo mentions a different Zhang Hua)

3. 洞仙傳 Dongxian Zhuan: Biographies of Grotto-Transcendents
   Originally written in 6th C. CE. (SW; 17777.xxx; .24 is 洞仙歌)
   References include QSDQ, Folio 17, #1.

4. 風俗通 Fengsu Tong: Penetrating Popular Ways
   By 應劭 Ying Shao (3rd c. CE; Bio/1119); full title: Fengsu Tongyi (44734.218 風俗通義)
   Taiyin Daquanji, Folio 4 quotes it
   Qinshu Daquan, Folio 1, #6 has an extended passage on the qin (translated in its entirety in Van Gulik, Lore, pp.72-3)
   Qin Shi Bu, Fu Xi quotes it saying the Three Majesties were Fu Xi, Nü Wa and Shen Nong
   The Yuefu Shiji Preface quotes it
   It is the source of a story about Baili Xi and the melody Yan Yi Ge

5. 古今注 Gujin Zhu: Note Old and New
   3308.55; by 崔豹 Cui Bao, ca. 300 CE; ICTCL, p.485/6). Several references in Yuefu Shiji
   TKW, Qin Fu, p.1686, has a 中華古今注 revised version by 馬縞 Ma Gao (d.936; Bio/67)

6. 山海經 Shanhai Jing: Classic of Mountains and Seas
   There are also some non-specific citations to its first known editor 郭璞 Guo Pu
   Guo Pu (276 - 322; 40338.365, Strange Writing, ICTCL, Giles) was a 方士 master of esoteric skills connected to several works on anomalies: Shanhai Jing and 穆天子傳 (An Account of Emperor Mu; edited and perhaps augmented); 玄中記 Xuanzhong Ji (Records from Within the Recondite; author). He also wrote glosses for 爾雅 Er Ya.

   Shanhai Jing is translated by Anne Birrell, Classic of Mountains and Seas, Penguin, 1999. It refers to people mainly by translated names (e.g., Shun is "Hibiscus"), there are no Chinese characters, no index, no Chinese to English glossary, and the translation of musical instrument names makes it difficult to know their actual identity without looking at the original. Here are four examples from the Penguin edition:

   1. p.159: "Fond Care threw away his five-stringed lute and his twenty-five-stringed lute."
      Original is 顓頊棄其琴瑟 Zhuanxu threw away his qin se (a common pairing in early sources).
   2. p.195: "Mild dragon was the one who invented the lute and the zither."
      Original is 晏龍是為琴瑟 Yanlong was the one who invented the qin se.
   3. p. 87: "Mount Lutedrum". Original is 琴鼓之山 Mount Qin Drum
   4. pp.174, 226: "Longlute". Original is 長琴 Long Qin

   Guo Pu and Shanhai Jing references on this site include,

   YFSJ, Xiang Fei (both)
   QSCM 18, #30 (Guo Pu)

7. 神仙感遇傳 Shenxian Ganyu Zhuan: Encounters with Divine Transcendents
   By 杜光庭 Du Guangting (850 - 933; ICTCL). References include QSDQ, Folio 17, #2.

8. 神仙傳 Shenxian Zhuan, by 葛洪 Ge Hong (283 - 343)
   See Campany above

9. 世說新語 Shishuo Xinyu by Liu Yiqing (403 - 444)
   See Mather above

10. 拾遺記 Shi Yi Ji: Researching Lost Records
    12365.33: originally by 符秦方士王嘉 Wang Jia (4th c.; Bio/148), also called 王子年 Wang Zinian. The original is lost; a new edition from fragments was compiled in the 6th c. by 蕭綺 Xiao Qi. References include QSDQ, Folio 17, #17 and Huaxu Yin.

1. 蓴湖漫錄 Chunhu Manlu: Casual Notes from Chun Lake
   32430xxx; 32500.7 (Chun Lake, in 溧陽 Liyang district, between Taihu and Maoshan). Qin Shi Xu #353, Jiang Chunhu has the same "Chunhu", both having the chun written 艸/純, but there seems to be no connection: there later references, the last one being Zhang Chupu in the late 19th century.
   Chunhu Manlu is given as the partial or sole source for about 17 entries in Qin Shi Bu (17) and an as yet uncounted number in Qinshi Xu, The Qin Shi Bu biographies are of Su Nü, Duke Huan of Qi, He Xun, Wang Zhongxiong, Li Bai, Lü Wei, Cui Chaocang, Wang Jing'ao, Jiang Xuan, Wei Xian, Yan Hua, Wang Wei, Yang Xiong, Shen Zun, Lei Wei, Li Jingxian and Zhao Bi. The credited Qin Shi Xu articles begin with Zhu Changwen, Zhang Sun and Wen Tianxiang.

2. 廣博物志 Guangbowu Zhi: Treatise on Many Curiosities
   A book by 董斯張 Dong Sizhang (Ming dynasty; Bio/2262) in 50 folios and 22 categories (9693.215 references 司庫提要，子，類書類). Often quoted in Qin Shi Bu. Compare Bowu Zhi above.

3. 路史 Lu Shi: Road Histories (?) Lun Qin (V.26)
   38394.12 By 羅泌 Luo Mi (or Bi; prob. 13th c.; Bio/1486). A book in 47 folios, it has a Qin Lun in QSDQ, Folio 1, #16, and a section with biographies from pre-history. It is the partial source for several early entries in Qin Shi Bu, including those for Zhu Song, Shen Nong, Huang Di, Mou Gou and Wu Guang.

4. 然脂餘韻 Ranzhi Yuyun:
   19581.31 has only ranzhi: burn fat. It is the partial or sole source for many of the entries in Qin Shi Xu that concern Qing dynasty women qin players, including those for Zhang Foxiu, Huang Wanqiong, Ruan Enluo, Ding Yuelin, Hu Xiangduan, Ms. Cai, Jiang Jinqiu, Wang Yunmei, Jiang Hongzhen, and Li Wenhui.

5. 剪燈餘話 Jiandeng Yuhua (More Stories while Trimming the Wick)
   by 李禎 Li Zhen (original name of 李昌祺 Li Changqi, 1376-1452). Bio/920 says Li Zhen was from 廬陵 Luling, part of 吉安 Ji'an district of western Jiangxi province). He became a local magistrate. His collection of 傳奇 Chuan Qi (romances or romance dramas) followed on the popularity of 剪燈新話 Jiandeng Xinhua by 瞿佑 Qu You (1341 - 1433), reviving a type of story that been popular during the Tang dynasty, but declined during the Song and Yuan periods. (ICTCL, p.275)

   Five of its 22 stories are translated in Wolfgang Bauer and Herbert Franke (ed), The Golden Casket (New York, Harcourt, Brace and World, 1964. Li Zhen has women playing the qin in two of these five. A man plays in at least one other.

   1. 連理樹記 The Trees at the Graveside (pp. 264 - 269)
      上官守愚 Shangguan Shouyu of Jiangtu (in Yangzhou) has a friend, 賈虛中 Jia Xuzhong, who has three daughters named after three qins in his possession, 瓊瑤 Jasper, 環珮 Jewel and 蓬萊 Paradise. The heroine of the story, Paradise, after various trials and tribulations including moving to Fujian, marries her childhood sweetheart Shangguan Sui. During their happy period she is described playing the qin, but then in 1362 her husband is murdered by bandits and she commits suicide by his grave.

   2. 鸞鸞記 Phoenix (pp. 277 - 284
      Phoenix, daughter of 趙舉 Zhao Ju of Dongping in Shandong, expresses unhappiness in her marriage by writing a volume of verse called 破琴 Broken Zither (presumably evoking the famous Gao Shan Liu Shui story). She also mentions the qin in a poem. And she also commits suicide after her husband is murdered by bandits.

   3. 月夜彈琴記 Playing the Qin on a Moonlit Night
      The third story (information here is from Anne Gerritsen, whose translation is not yet published) concerns a man named 烏斯 Wu Si. One evening when Wu Si is playing the qin he encounters the ghost of a servant. The servant first gives him a set of poems composed by his mistress, then passes to him the qin melody Guangling San, a melody whose transmission has long been connected to ghosts (see comment).

6. xxxx :
   ²

1. For example, Liexian Zhuan and Lienü Zhuan are introduced with the author, Liu Xiang.
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2.
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