The Art of the Guqin
10 worksMasterpieces of the seven-string qin, such as Guangling San, Flowing Water and Three Variations on Plum Blossom.
Guangling SanJi Kang played it before his execution and lamented that Guangling San would now be lost for everGuan PinghuSE10001
Solitary Orchid in Jieshi ModeThe oldest surviving qin score, written out entirely in words rather than tablature signsHanded down, its preface says, from Qiu Ming of the late LiangSE10009
Flowing WaterGuan Pinghu's recording of Flowing Water left Earth in 1977 on the Voyager Golden RecordHanded down by generations of qin players; traditionally traced to BoyaSE10002
Three Variations on the Plum BlossomIts harmonic theme is played three times, in the upper, middle and lower registers, hence the nameLu ChunlingSE10004
Wine MadnessThe version played today is Yao Bingyan's 1957 reconstruction, whose triple rhythm sways like a drunkardRuan Ji · Yao BingyanSE10008
Clouds over the Xiao and XiangGuo Mian is said to have written it when clouds over the Xiao and Xiang rivers hid Mount Jiuyi from his view.Guo MianSE10051
Three Refrains at Yang PassA setting of Wang Wei's farewell poem whose lines are sung three times over, hence the nameZhang HeSE10007
Dialogue between the Fisherman and the WoodcutterFirst printed in 1559, it appears in more than thirty Ming and Qing qin handbooksHanded down by qin players since the MingSE10005
Eighteen Songs of a Nomad FluteTraditionally credited to Cai Wenji, it survives as a qin song and as an instrumental piece, both in eighteen sectionsCai WenjiSE10006
Wild Geese Landing on the SandbankFirst printed in 1634 by the Ming Prince of Lu, it survives in more than sixty later qin handbooksHanded down by qin players; authorship variously attributedSE10003