Performers › Musicians
Zuo Yannian
Court musician of Cao Wei known for skill in the 'Zheng' popular style, mentioned beside Du Kui in the Sanguo Zhi.
On a flat rock above a waterfall, a seven-string zither and a bamboo flute lie on a spread of blue-green cloth; beyond, a waterfall pours into a churning teal pool among misty peaks, with pine branches arching at the top left.
Also known as Zuo Yannian, musician of Wei
- Roles
- Musicians
Zuo Yannian was a court musician of Cao Wei. The Sanguo Zhi, in the biography of Du Kui, says that Zuo Yannian and others, though skilled in music, were all adept at the popular 'Zheng' style and could not match Du Kui in loving the ancient and preserving orthodoxy, which shows that he was known for new and popular tunes. He has no separate biography in the standard histories; a Yuefu poem 'Joining the Army' under his name, about the hardships of the campaigning soldier, survives. His dates are unknown beyond service under the Wei.
Life and times
Dates Dates unknown; active under Cao Wei (220–265 CE)