Guqin Music Collection (Volume 2)

Author: None
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-06-01
Features: The qin (a type of zither) had already become a widely used musical instrument during the time of Confucius. In the oldest collection of folk songs in China, the Classic of Poetry (Shijing) compiled by Confucius, many poems mention the qin alongside other instruments, such as: "Gentle and graceful is the lady, may she be friends with the qin and zither" and "When I have guests, I strike the zither and the qin." etc. Moreover, since then, many beautiful and moving stories about the qin have emerged, some of which are still passed down in folk traditions today. These facts indicate that the qin held an important position in the musical life of ancient people as early as in ancient times. During the Tang Dynasty, the written notation for finger techniques was simplified into the "reduced character notation" that is still in use today. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, a large number of qin scores were published, ensuring the preservation and transmission of many ancient qin pieces. Currently, we not only possess thousands of ancient qin score manuscripts but also some qin pieces that are still performed by contemporary qin players, allowing us to appreciate the achievements of ancient music through qin performances. Due to the profound and long-standing tradition of qin music, it has not only accumulated a vast number of pieces in quantity but also provided us with rich experience in composition, which deserves our attention.