Guqin has profound, simple and introverted voice. The literati in the past dynasty not only “doesn’t remove for no reason”, but also pays great attention to the educational role of Guqin.
Playing Guqin is not only a way of self-cultivation, but also a sustenance of their heart and voice. Wang Fuzhi, Zuo Zongtang, and Tan Zong are equally harmonious with Huqin sages and Guqin. They are lifelong companions, adding a strong touch to Guqin culture in Hunan.
琴器 Structure of Guqin
The standard length of Guqin is three feet, six inches and five minutes, corresponding to 365 degrees on Sundays and 365 days in a year. The thirteen emblems on the body are imitated by twelve months a year and a leap month, and the flat shape below the circle above it represents the universe view of the ancestors' round circle. Although Guqin is small, it has all the internal organs and contains Heaven, earth, man and time are very much in harmony with the aesthetic view of the unity of heaven and man.
形制 Shape of Guqin
There is a saying in the field of Guqin: "The shape of Guqin in the Tang Dynasty is more round, and the shape of Guqin in the Song Dynasty is flatter." Guqin has a beautiful shape.There’re more than 50 styles of Guqin records over the years. The difference between the same styles is slight, but the neck and waist of Guqin are concavely curved, reflecting the constantly developing cultural concepts of each era.
湖南地区古琴琴式一览 List of Guqin Styles in Hunan
Data from Hunan Museum "Arrangement and Study of Collection of Guqin"
琴音 Sound of Guqin
Five strings, the first string is Gong, followed by Shang, Jue, Zhi, and Yu. King Wen added a string for Shao Gong, and King Wu added a string for Shao Jue. Of the eight types of musical instruments, silk is the densest, so Guqin is the first.
1
一 弦
宫 Gong
2
二 弦
商 Shang
3
三 弦
角 Jue
4
四 弦
徵 Zhi
5
五 弦
羽 Yu
6
六 弦
少 宫 Shao Gong
7
七 弦
少 商 Shao Shang
Among the three basic tones of Guqin, the sound of the empty string is strong, symbolizing the earth; the "overtone" touching the emblem is clear, symbolizing the sky; the "pressing sound" issued by pressing the string and plucking is similar to the human voice, representing people.
泛音
Overtone
空弦
Empty string
按音
Sound
Wood
Fire
Water
Earth
Metal
Click the strings to listen
琴艺 Skills of Guqin
·Jianzi Notation·
Chinese Guqin often uses a notation method that records the position of fingers and the performance of left and right hands. This method combines the radicals of Chinese characters into some kind of symbol. It only records fingerings and pitches, and does not record sound names and rhythms. Jianzi notation is an ancient notation that has been used for thousands of years without being replaced.
·8 Methods of the Right Hand·
The "8 methods of the right hand" is the most basic eight fingerings of Guqin. They are tight, slow, more or less. The other fingerings on the right hand are made up of eight variations.
抹
Wipe
挑
Raise
勾
Hook
剔
Pick
擘
Lift
托
Hold
打
Beat
摘
Flick
Click the buttons to explore
适宜弹琴的场合 Occasions Suitable for Playing Guqin
According to records, there are fourteen occasions suitable for playing guqin. Meet confidantes, meet beauties, treat priests, be an official in the dynasty, live in a pavilion, sit in a palace, sit on a stone, climb a port, rest in the valley, swim in the water, take a boat, in the shade, refreshing, quiet, etc.
九大琴派 9 Schools of Guqin
Guqin culture itself is a very personalized art, and the styles of performers in different regions and different teachers are different. The styles of performers in the same region and under the same teachers also have their own characteristics. Different performers have different understandings of the same track, forming different styles. Therefore, in the field of Guqin, many martial arts have emerged.
