Tiao Xian Pin

Fengxuan Xuanpin (1539) has almost this same melody as its seventh piece but with the title Yi Sa Jin (First Scatter Gold), and with lyrics. Pieces in Fengxuan Xuanpin have no explanations, nor does this is one in Xilutang Qintong, so its origins remain obscure. Zha Fuxi in his Guide says Tiao Xianpin came from a Ming dynasty folk melody while he said Yi Sa Jin was "pre-Ming". No evidence is given for either assertion. Moreover, the structure of this melody suggests it has more to do with mode (調 diao) than with actual tuning.

On the other hand, Xilutang Qintong³ places Tiao Xian Pin before all other pieces, before even the gong modal prelude. This perhaps suggests it was intended as a warming up piece, thus somewhat comparable to versions of the pieces called Caoman Yin (Strum Silk Prelude), which also tend to occur before the "proper" melodies, eventually developing into Melody of the Transcendent Venerable One.

On the other hand, this could simply reflect the fact that Sections One and Two actually have different modes: whereas Section One uses only the fourth to seventh strings, Section Two uses only the first to fourth strings and is pitched a fifth lower than Section One. Because otherwise the two sections are identical, this means they have different modality.⁴

Perhaps notably, several pages earlier in Xilutang Qintong there is a section called String Tuning Method (調絃法 Tiao Xian Fa) which discusses the open string/stopped string unisons in a manner similar to that discussed in this footnote to the tuning/warmup melody Caoman Yin (Strum Silk Prelude), which also tend to occur before the "proper" melodies in early handbooks, then led to the melody 仙翁操 Xianweng Cao (Melody of the Transcendant Immortal). However, this essay does not mention the words 仙 xian or 翁 weng.

Original afterword

None

Music of Tiao Xian Pin
Two sections (untitled); see my transcription; timings follow my recording 聽錄音

00.00 1.
00.45 2.
01.40 End (no closing harmonics)

Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. String Tuning Melody (調絃品 Tiao Xian Pin)
36488.92 tiao xian says "tune the melody of qin and se."
(Return)

2. Modes
For more on modes see Modality in Early Ming Qin Tablature
(Return)

3. Xilutang Qintong (1525) was compiled by Wang Zhi, who lived on the southeast side of Huang Shan mountain in Anhui province. Wang in his introduction says he spent 30 years collecting the tunes.
(Return)

4. Although the differences between Tiao Xianpin and Yi Sa Jin look small, my understanding of tablatures suggest that the rhythms they imply are quite different.
(Return)

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Appendix:
Chart Tracing 調絃品 Tiao Xianpin

This chart combines two entries in Zha Fuxi's Guide:
Tiao Xianpin 18/--/-- (only 1525)
Yi Sa Jin 15/160/348 (only 1539)
A cursory examination is sufficient to show these are two versions of the same melody

琴譜
(year; QQJC Vol/page) Further information
(QQJC = 琴曲集成 Qinqu Jicheng; QF = 琴府 Qin Fu)

12. 西麓堂琴統
(1525; III/62 [details]) 2; Section 1 uses strings 4-7; Section 2 transposes melody to strings 1-4;
No commentary or lyrics

14. 風宣玄品
(1539; II/83 [details]) 2TL; melody very similar to 1525 (repeat 1st phrase of S1 & S2; add 3 word coda);
No commentary; the lyrics begin, "初臨寶藏啓開鑰...."

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

琴譜 (year; QQJC Vol/page)	Further information (QQJC = 琴曲集成 Qinqu Jicheng; QF = 琴府 Qin Fu)
12. 西麓堂琴統 (1525; III/62 [details])	2; Section 1 uses strings 4-7; Section 2 transposes melody to strings 1-4; No commentary or lyrics
14. 風宣玄品 (1539; II/83 [details])	2TL; melody very similar to 1525 (repeat 1st phrase of S1 & S2; add 3 word coda); No commentary; the lyrics begin, "初臨寶藏啓開鑰...."