Friday, September 29, 2023

物部茂卿的琴廢故事篇 及[幽蘭]翻譯 [The Circumstances Regarding the Abandonment of the Qin ] & Yolan Translation


物部茂卿 (もののべう もけい) Monobe Mokei 即 荻生徂徠 (おぎゅう そらい) Ogyū Sorai (1666–1728) 寫於享保七年壬寅(1722)四月二十八日

試著翻成中文

茂卿,生於東(京),足跡遍及關西及其他地方,卻不知曉堂上音樂家的秘傳。 僅僅學習和聆聽了一兩次的樂曲技巧,所知有限。 品味異國之書,愚者之得,雖然在心中深思熟慮,卻常感到不如意,困擾之情多矣。即使在這個世界中,期望像揚州鶴一樣完美無缺的事物,也是困難重重。精通音樂的人對文字感到陌生,精通文字的人卻不喜好音樂. 即便喜好,亦與學術傳統相悖。在後世的說法中感到困惑,如果不回歸到古老的事物的話,則無法找到解決之道。即便在這太平百年之際,各行各業皆興盛之時,然琴藝之事鮮有人知,感到非常悲傷。 雖然有許多相違背的事情發生,然而留下了文字記錄, 成為有志之人的階梯,思考的指南, 粗淺地加以記載,最終贈予狛氏。


English translation

Mokei, born in the East, left traces in Kansai and other places. However, the secrets within the residence of the music master remain unknown. I, having only acquired a modest proficiency in music skills, derive joy from foreign books and have gained something, albeit as a novice. Despite harboring thoughts within, many things still perplex me. Nevertheless, in this world, achieving perfection is as challenging as the story of the crane in Yangzhou. Those skilled in music are often unfamiliar with characters, and those profound in characters may not appreciate music. Even if they do, they frequently clash with academic traditions. In the current confusion of the world, without returning to ancient ways, there seems to be no alternative. Now, with a century of peace passed, and though various disciplines flourish, there is no one addressing matters of the qin. It is disheartening, and conflicts abound. Nonetheless, recording it in a book may serve as a ladder for those with aspirations. In this spirit, I have dared to expand the record and present it to Mr. Komau.

Quoted from 『琴学大意抄』中的 [琴ノ廃レタル故ノ事 ] 篇 the chapter on[The Circumstances Regarding the Abandonment of the Qin ] from [Kingaku Taiishō]

Peiyou wrote in the mid autumn full moon day of 2023. (9/29/2023)
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On Oct 18, 2023 Peiyou wrote:

I am very happy to receive the Chinese translation of the Japanese [Yolan] study by Mikiko Yamadera's Research on National Treasure [Jieshi Mode Yolan, The Fifth] from Amazon that I ordered two weeks ago. 

Today, I noticed something that requires further examination in relation to the Chinese translation. The Japanese phrase "この時にまさか原本が紛失して ゐたわけでもあるまい" from page 40 of Mikiko's book, should translate as "At this time, it's hardly likely that the original manuscript has been lost." It expresses skepticism or disbelief about the possibility of the original manuscript being lost at the current moment.  In Chinese it will be "此時原譜遺失的可能性幾乎不可能" but not 此時原譜很可能已經遺失 (At this time, it is likely that the original manuscript has been lost.)
* Qin friend Bill Mak says :前面的が表示逆接,然後又有わけ加上あるまい,所以我會理解為“不過原稿不一定是真的遺失了吧“


from page 52 of the Chinese translation book, 中文翻譯 徐樑 陶熠

from page 40 of Mikiko's book

from Wayashi ken 林謙三 [琴書三題] Pate 236-237 https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/toyoongakukenkyu1936/2/4/2_4_235/_pdf/-char/ja

  1. この時に (kono toki ni): "at this time" or "at this moment"
  2. まさか (masaka): "unlikely" or "hardly"
  3. 原本が (genpon ga): "original manuscript"
  4. 紛失して (fusshitsu shite): "lost" or "misplaced"
  5. ゐたわけでもあるまい (ita wake de mo aru mai): This part is an archaic or classical expression. In modern Japanese, it would be written as いたわけでもあるまい. This phrase expresses doubt or skepticism about the occurrence of an action or event.
from Chat GPT

My understanding is that the key point is "樂家好秘藏物也" that musicians like to hide valuable items for themselves, so it's unlikely that it was lost but rather intentionally hidden.



The Nature of Guqin Rhythm 古琴的節韻

 


Presented at the 2nd London International Guqin Conference 2023, organized by London Yolan Qin Society, in Aug 26, 2023.

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

西麓堂琴統 十則

The 45 hui positions on the qin (harmonics 諧波位) 節四十五 同者 十有四 得位者 三十有一


折紙求徽法 folding paper to find hui positions

 西麓堂琴統 卷一 中的

十則

琴有十則 節四十五 同者 十有四 得位者 三十有一

終於搞懂 (就是在講泛音位, 十三徽之外還有的泛音位)

此31個徽位 著實很有用

Footnote:

My WP qin, which is an imitation of the Tang dynasty Qin "Da Sheng Yi Yin," has a string length of 110cm.
According to XLTQT V1 " 十則 十而分之各得四寸五分"
110 divided by 10 is 11 cm, and
If 11cm = 4 cùn and 5 fēn = 4.5 inches, then 1 inch = 2.44cm.

Therefore, this measurement is closer to the units of measurement used during the Jin dynasty and Northern and Southern dynasties.

I have a feeling that the look of the qin we are playing now (with 13 hui dots) might invented not in Han dynasty but after Han and before Northern and Southern dynasties, probably during the Jin Dynasty (265-420). As of now, no 'qin hui' (琴徽), which could serve as harmonic nodal markers, has been found among the archaeological discoveries of musical artifacts from the Han Dynasty, including physical objects and images.

Please see https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/OwhgDEVqn1GCnoPKOo8bpQ , article in Chinese.
Debates on the Issue of Qin Hui (Chapter of New Interpretation) by Wu Yaohua: [New Explanation of the Character "徽 Hui"]

Also, a group of brick paintings depicting the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove" and Rong Qiqi, excavated from the Palace Mountain Grand Tomb in Xishanqiao, Nanjing, Jiangsu, dated around Southern Dynasties (420-589) shows two 5-stringed qin with hui dots.


The 'Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove' refers to seven prominent scholars during the Wei and Jin periods, while Rong Qiqi was a distinguished figure from the Spring and Autumn period. In the painting, Ji Kang is portrayed with a double-knotted hairstyle, gazing at a distance, and playing a five-stringed qin. Rong Qiqi, with flowing hair and long beard, is depicted in a contemplative pose also playing a five-stringed qin.


https://www.njmuseum.com/en/zoomPreview?id=465&n=0


https://www.njmuseum.com/en/collectionDetails?id=465