The Chinese zither （古琴英文介绍）.note¶

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The Chinese zither （古琴英文介绍）

2014-05-21 11:30:11

The Chinese zither, which represented the zenith of cultivated learning in ancient times, followed by go, calligraphy and

painting.As the most ancient instrument in China, the zither has long been a favorite of the literati. The Chinese zither was

more of an individual instrument for solace and personal appreciation.

古琴，作为中国传统文化中 “ 琴棋书画 ” 的首位，代表了中国古代道德教养的顶峰水平。它是中国最古老的乐器，并且长久以来

是文人学士的相伴之物。古琴给予人的，更多的是个人精神的慰藉。

Ancient Chinese literati considered the zither a prerequisite for their cultivation. Its beautiful melodies helped to maintain

peace and balance of the mind.

彼及

古代的文人学士将古琴作为有教养的必备条件，它美妙的旋律让心宁静，营造一种平和的心境。

Ambiance was an important aspect in playing the Chinese zither.Zong Bing(375-443),a painter and musician of the late

Eastern Jin Dynasty(317-420)and early Southern Dynasties(420-589),enjoyed playing the zither by a stream in the

mountains. As he plucked the strings gently, he would gradually forget where he was. The sounds of the zither mixed with

the echoes from the mountains, until the musician found himself at one with nature.

气氛环境是弹琴时很重要的一个方面。宗炳，一个生活在东晋和南朝宋早期的画家和琴师，喜欢在山涧中抚琴。当他轻抚琴

弦，勾踢抹挑间，遗忘了自我。琴声回荡在群山中，直到天人合一，与自然同在。

Playing the Chinese zither in snow was also a favorite pastime for ancient artists, who regarded the instrument as the purest

of its kind in the world. What could be more fitting than playing it midst white snow?Dai jin, a famed painter of Ming Dynasty,

described the following scene in the masterpiece Looking for Plum Blossoms in Snow. A man with a walking stick is crossing

a snow-flows covered bridge. A page follows him, holding a zither in his arm. Melting snow flows under the bridge, revealing

the rugged rocks of the riverbed. This painting represented a dreamland for ancient Chinese artists and scholars.

在冰天雪地中抚琴更是一番别样的乐趣，琴声与雪一样纯净至极而存于天地间，又有什么比在雪中弹琴更和谐融洽的？戴进，

明朝著名的画家，就有一幅描绘此番情景的画作《踏雪寻梅图》：文人拄着竹杖在落满雪的桥上走过，侍童抱着琴跟随；融化

的雪从桥上滴落，砸在河床中凹凸不平的石块上。这副场景就是古代文人墨客向往的梦中之地。

A moonlit night was also considered ideal for playing the zither. Wang wei(701-761), a highly accomplished poet of the Tang

Dynasty, liked playing the zither in a bamboo forest on moonlit nights. His poem “In a Bamboo Forest” has these lines:

“Leaning alone in the close bamboos ， /I am playing my zither and humming a song. /Too softly for anyone to hear,/ Except

my comrade—— the bright moon.”

皎皎明月的夜晚也是弹琴的理想情境。王维，唐朝著名的诗人，就喜欢在月色下的竹林里弹琴。为此，他曾赋诗《竹里

馆》： “ 独做幽篁里 , 弹琴复长啸。深林人不知 , 明月来相照。 ”

The Chinese zither tends to create a tranquil air. The composition Wild Geese Landing on the Shallow Shore is such an

example. With a relaxed rhythm ,the first part of the piece depicts a calm Yangtze River under a clear autumn sky. The

second part progresses into livelier rhythms to imitate the chirping of many birds. The third part presents a thematic scene of

wild geese leisurely landing on the shallow shores of the Yangtze, as a gentle breeze makes the water ripple. To Chinese

musicians and music lovers, the contentment of the wild geese represents the human heart.

古琴力求营造一个宁静的氛围。琴曲《平沙落雁》：第一部分，伴随着悠扬的旋律，一幅秋日长江图浮现眼帘；紧接着，旋律

转为明快，以模仿大雁的啁啾之声；最后，大雁从容落到江畔，激起层层涟漪。古人借鸿鹄之远志，抒发逸士之心胸。

The zither was also instrumental in communication between ancient scholars and artists. The famous zither composition

,Three Stanzas of Plum Blossoms, was based on an Eastern Jin Dynasty story of the poet Wang Ziyou(338-386) and the

flute player Huan Yi(?-383). One day the poet was taking a boat trip when he overheard someone on the riverbank say Huan

Yi was passing by. Although the two had never met before ,they admired each other as poet and flute player. Despite his

lower rank of office, Ziyou sent a family member to request Huan Yi to play the flute. Without hesitation ,Huan Yi dismounted

from his carriage and played Three Stanzas of Plum Blossoms, while Ziyou listened from boat. After finishing ,Huan Yi

mounted his carriage and drove on. Ziyou , too, continued with his boat journey. The two of them exchanged not a single

word, yet both were content with the communication of their hearts through the music. The flute’s three stanzas were later

converted into a composition for the Chinese zither, which has become one of the best-known musical works——as an

expression of otherworldly feelings through its eulogy of the plum flowers’ purity, fragrance and resistance to the cold.

古琴同样是文人学士之间交流的桥梁。著名的琴曲《梅花三弄》，就有一段脍炙人口，引人入胜的典故。它发生在东晋时期诗

人王子猷与笛师桓伊之间。子猷一日乘船赏景时听到岸上有人说桓伊经过，虽然他们两人从未见过面，但均有所耳闻而互相敬

重。子猷派一名随从上岸邀请桓伊吹奏一曲，桓伊毫不犹豫地从他的马车中下来，吹奏起了《梅花三弄》。吹奏结束后，桓伊

就离去了，而子猷也乘船远去。他们两人之间没有说一句话，仅仅使用笛声在心间交流。后来，这首笛曲被改成古琴曲目，歌

颂梅花的纯洁，芳香，以及不畏严寒的高洁品质。

注：《梅花三弄》的典故在《神奇秘谱》中的原文如下：

“ 是曲也，昔桓伊与王子猷闻其名而未识，一日遇诸途，倾盖下车共论。子猷曰 :‘ 闻君善于笛 ?’ 桓伊出笛为梅花三弄之调，后人

以琴为三弄焉。 ”