Musical instrument: chi
(篪)
compiled by David Badagnani (rev. 1 October 2023)
In an effort to make this information more accessible, this document contains resources related to the Chinese musical instrument called chí (篪 or 箎, or occasionally 竾, 𥬌, 筂, 𥰽, 䶵, 𪛍, 𪛔, or 𪛌, among other spellings), a transverse bamboo flute, which was used in China since ancient times. The reconstructed Middle Chinese pronunciation is /ɖˠiᴇ/ (Zhengzhang) and the reconstructed Old Chinese pronunciations are /*lre/ (Baxter-Sagart) or /*l'e/ (Zhengzhang).
The chi originated as a folk instrument in ancient China, and, as early as the Zhou Dynasty (c. 1046 BC-256 BC), it was often played together with the xun (埙, globular flute, usually made of baked clay). During the Warring States period, it was used in large court ensembles, playing along with bronze bells, stone chimes, drums, panpipes, mouth organs, zithers, etc. for both banquets and ceremonies. Following the Song Dynasty (960-1279), the chi declined in usage, although it continued to be used mainly in court ritual music and Confucian ceremonies.
A few specimens of chi have been excavated from tombs dating to the Warring States period and Western Han Dynasty.
Two bamboo chi excavated from the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng (曾侯乙, Zeng Hou Yi) in Leigudun
Community (擂鼓墩社区), Nanjiao Subdistrict (南郊街道), Zengdu District (曾都区), Suizhou (随州市),
northern Hubei province, central China, bordering Henan province to the north and east.
The tomb was sealed in 433 BC, during the Warring States period (475 BC-221 BC) of the Eastern Zhou
Dynasty (东周). Collection of the Hubei Provincial Museum (湖北省博物馆), Wuhan, Hubei province,
central China. Note that the finger hole furthest from the blowing hole is located in the same line as
the blowing hole, probably indicating that it was to be covered by the right thumb. These instruments
are supposedly pitched in the keys of F-sharp and G, respectively.
-%E6%9D%90%E8%B4%A8%EF%BC%9A%E7%AB%B9-%E5%B0%BA%E5%AF%B8%EF%BC%9A%E4%B8%80%E6%94%AF%E9%95%BF21.2%E5%8E%98%E7%B1%B3%EF%BC%8C%E4%B8%80%E6%94%AF%E9%95%BF24.5%E5%8E%98%E7%B1%B3.jpeg)
Two bamboo chi excavated from Mawangdui tomb no. 3 (马王堆3号西汉墓), at the hill site
of Mawangdui (马王堆汉墓), Dongtundu Subdistrict (东屯渡街道), Furong District (芙蓉区),
Changsha (长沙市), Hunan province (湖南省), south-central China, near the Liuyang River.
The tomb was sealed in 168 BC, during the Western Han Dynasty, and its owner may
have been Li Xi (利豨), the son of the Marquis of Dai and Chancellor of the Kingdom of
Changsha, Li Cang (利苍, d. 186 BC). The lengths of the two flutes are 9.65 in. (24.5 cm)
and 8.35 in. (21.2 cm).
A wooden figurine (Chinese: mu yong, 木俑) from the late Warring States period tomb no. 6 at Yangjiawan (长沙杨家湾6号墓), located on the west side of Wujialing Subdistrict (伍家岭街道), in the Kaifu District (开福区) of Changsha, Hunan province, south-central China, which was excavated in 1954, appears to show a musician holding a chi with the blowing hole located at the midpoint of the instrument. Musicologist Wang Xidan cautions that, of the more than 50 wooden figurines discovered in this tomb, most of them were decayed, with their hands having fallen off, and it is unknown whether this figurine had a flute in its hands when it was excavated, or whether the flute it is holding may actually have been found among fragments of other figurines and matched with it later. In this way, Wang states, it is impossible to know whether the flute has not been moved, or whether its blowing hole was originally in the middle of the instrument (Wang 2019).
Line drawing of a wooden figurine excavated from the late Warring States period tomb no. 6 at Yangjiawan
(长沙杨家湾6号墓), located on the west side of Wujialing Subdistrict (伍家岭街道), in the Kaifu District (开福区)
of Changsha, Hunan province, south-central China, which supposedly shows a musician
holding a chi with the blowing hole located at the midpoint of the instrument
Wooden figurines excavated from the late Warring States period tomb no. 6 at Yangjiawan
(长沙杨家湾6号墓), located on the west side of Wujialing Subdistrict (伍家岭街道), in the Kaifu District
(开福区) of Changsha, Hunan province, south-central China. The figurine at the top, third from the right,
supposedly shows a musician holding a chi with the blowing hole located at the midpoint of the instrument.
Based on the depiction of an apparent chi player on a stone relief dating to between the Yuanhe (元和, 84-87 AD) and Zhanghe (章和, 87-88 AD) eras of the reign of Emperor Zhang of Han (汉章帝), during the Eastern Han Dynasty, which were excavated from the ancient city of Nan Wuyang (南武阳故城) in modern-day Zhongcun Town (仲村镇), Pingyi County (平邑县), Linyi (临沂市) south-central Shandong province, eastern China, the chi was played with the palms of both hands facing inward, with the fingers pointing upward, sometimes with the finger hole furthest from the blowing hole being covered by the thumb.
.jpg)
Stone relief dating to between the Yuanhe (元和, 84-87 AD) and Zhanghe (章和, 87-88 AD) eras of the reign of
Emperor Zhang of Han (汉章帝), during the Eastern Han Dynasty, which were excavated from the ancient city of
Nan Wuyang (南武阳故城) in modern-day Zhongcun Town (仲村镇), Pingyi County (平邑县), Linyi (临沂市) south-
central Shandong province, eastern China. The depiction of an apparent chi player (just left of center) seems to
indicate that this instrument was played with the palms of both hands facing inward, with the fingers pointing
upward, sometimes with the finger hole furthest from the blowing hole being covered by the thumb.
Contemporary performers who have worked to reconstruct and revive the ancient chi include the following:
● Mr. Chuai Zimo (揣子摩), a Bilibili user from China
● Mr. Fang Jinlong (方锦龙, b. 1963), a professional musician from China
Links to textual sources are highlighted in green.
----------------------------------------------
Chinese historical reference works discussing the chi
● Erya《尔雅》(Warring States, Qin, and Western Han Dynasty)
《爾雅·釋樂》
「大箎謂之沂。」
● Zhou Li《周礼》(The Rites of Zhou) (Western Han Dynasty)
「笙師：掌教吹竽、笙、塤、龠、簫、篪、笛、管，舂牘、應、雅，以教祴樂。凡祭祀、饗、射，共其鐘笙之樂，燕樂亦如之。大喪，廞其樂器；及喪，奉而藏之。」
● Fengsu Tongyi《风俗通义》(Comprehensive Meaning of Customs and Mores or Comprehensive Meaning of Customs and Habits)
Also known as Fengsu Tong《风俗通》, this book was written by the politician, writer, and historian Ying Shao (应劭), who was a long-time close associate of Cao Cao, around 195 AD, during the late Eastern Han Dynasty. The manuscript is similar to an almanac, which describes various strange and exotic matters of interest to the literati of the period, such as folk cultural practices, legends, mystical beliefs, and musical instruments. There were originally a total of 30 chapters, but only 10 remain. These chapters were recompiled by the Northern Song scientist Su Song (苏颂) from the works of Yu Zhongrong (庾仲容) and Ma Zong (马总). Some fragments of the lost chapters exist as quotations in other Chinese texts. The chi is discussed in the《聲音》chapter, as follows:
篪
謹按：《世本》：「蘇成公作篪。」管樂，十孔，長尺一寸。《詩》云：「伯氏吹塤，仲氏吹篪。」
● Shiming《释名》(Explanation of Names)
A dictionary employing phonological glosses, which is believed to date from c. 200 AD, during the Eastern Han Dynasty. There is controversy whether this dictionary's author was Liu Xi (刘熙, fl. c. 200 AD) or the more famous Liu Zhen (刘珍, d. 126 AD). The chi is discussed in the section entitled "Explanation of Musical Instruments" (Shi Yueqi, 释乐器), as follows:
「篪，啼也。聲從孔出，如嬰兒啼聲也。」
https://ctext.org/shi-ming/shi-yue-qi
A dictionary employing phonological glosses, which is believed to date from c. 200 AD, during the Eastern Han Dynasty. There is controversy whether this dictionary's author was Liu Xi (刘熙, fl. c. 200 AD) or the more famous Liu Zhen (刘珍, d. 126 AD). The chi is discussed in the section entitled "Explanation of Musical Instruments" (Shi Yueqi, 释乐器), as follows:
「篪，啼也。聲從孔出，如嬰兒啼聲也。」
https://ctext.org/shi-ming/shi-yue-qi
● Gu Shi Kao《古史考》(Examination of Ancient History) is a work by Qiao Zhou (谯周, c. 199-270), an official and scholar of the state of Shu Han during China's Three Kingdoms period. The chi is mentioned several times:
「古有埙篪尚矣，周幽王时，暴辛公善埙；苏成公善篪，记者因以为作，谬矣。《诗小雅正义》，又《尔雅释乐疏》。」
「篪，暴辛公所造。旧志：“一曰管。”史臣案：非也，虽不知暴辛公何代人，而非舜前人，明矣。舜时西王母献管，则是已有器，辛公安得造。《太平御览‧乐部》。」
● Luoyang Qielan Ji《洛阳伽蓝记》(A Record of Buddhist Monasteries in Luoyang) is a work by Yang Xuanzhi (fl. 547), a writer during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-535). The chi is mentioned in Volume 4:
卷四
Volume 4
當時四海晏清，八荒率職，縹囊紀慶，玉燭調辰。百姓殷阜，年登俗樂。鰥寡不聞犬豕之食，煢獨不見牛馬之衣。於是帝族王侯，外戚公主，擅山海之富，居川林之饒。爭修園宅，互相誇競。崇門豐室，洞戶連房，飛館生風，重樓起霧。高臺芳榭，家家而樂；花林曲池，園園而有。莫不桃李夏綠，竹柏冬青。而河間王琛最為豪首。常與高陽爭衡，造文柏堂，形如徽音殿。置玉井金罐，以五色繢為繩。妓女三百人，盡皆國色。有婢朝雲，善吹篪，能為團扇歌、隴上聲。琛為秦州刺史，諸羌外叛，屢討之不降。琛令朝雲假為貧嫗，吹篪而乞。諸羌聞之，悉皆流涕。迭相謂曰：「何為棄墳井，在山谷為寇也？」即相率歸降。秦民語曰：「快馬健兒，不如老嫗吹篪。」 琛在秦州，多無政績，遣使向西域求名馬，遠至波斯國。得千里馬，號曰追風赤驥。次有七百里者十餘匹，皆有名字。以銀為槽，金為環鎖，諸王服其豪富。琛常語人云：「晉室石崇，乃是庶姓，猶能雉頭狐腋，畫卯雕薪，況我大魏天王，不為華侈？」造迎風館於後園，窗戶之上，列錢青瑣，玉鳳銜鈴，金龍吐佩。素柰朱李，樹條入簷，伎女樓上，坐而摘食。琛常會宗室，陳諸寶器，金瓶銀甕百餘口，甌檠盤盒稱是。自餘酒器，有水晶缽、瑪瑙琉璃碗、赤玉卮數十枚。作工奇妙，中土所無，皆從西域而來。又陳女樂及諸名馬。復引諸王按行府庫，錦罽珠璣，冰羅霧縠，充積其內，繡纈、綢綾、絲彩、越葛、錢絹等不可數計。琛忽謂章武王融曰： 「不恨我不見石崇，恨石崇不見我。」融立性貪暴，志欲無限，見之歎惋，不覺生疾，還家臥三日不起。江陽王繼來省疾，謂曰：「卿之財產，應得抗衡，何為歎羨，以至於此？」融曰：「常謂高陽一人，寶貨多於融，誰知河間，瞻之在前。」繼笑曰：「卿欲作袁術之在淮南，不知世間復有劉備也？」融乃蹶起，置酒作樂。
● Jiu Tang Shu《旧唐书》(The Old Book of Tang), also known simply as Tang Shu《唐书》(The Book of Tang)
This historical work in 200 volumes was completed in 945, actually during the Later Jin (后晋) Dynasty, one of the Five Dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (五代十国) period following the fall of the Tang Dynasty. It is one of the Twenty-Four Histories (二十四史). The chi is discussed several times in Volume 29:
卷二十九
Volume 29
音樂二
「当江南之时，《巾舞》、《白纻》、《巴渝》等衣服各异。梁以前舞人并二八，梁舞省之，咸用八人而巳。令工人平巾帻，绯袴褶。舞四人，碧轻纱衣，裙襦大袖，画云凤之状。漆鬟髻，饰以金铜杂花，状如雀钗；锦履。舞容闲婉，曲有姿态。沈约《宋书》志江左诸曲哇淫，至今其声调犹然。观其政已乱，其俗已淫，既怨且思矣。而从容雅缓，犹有古士君子之遗风。他乐则莫与为比。乐用钟一架，磬一架，琴一，三弦琴一，击琴一，瑟一，秦琵琶一，卧箜篌一，筑一，筝一，节鼓一，笙二，笛二，箫二，篪二，叶二，歌二。」
「管三孔曰龠，春分之音，万物振跃而动也。箫，舜所造也。《尔雅》谓之茭。音交大曰絪，二十三管，修尺四寸。笛，汉武帝工丘仲所造也。其元出于羌中。短笛，修尺有咫。长笛、短笛之间，谓之中管。篪，吹孔有觜如酸枣。横笛，小篪也。汉灵帝好胡笛。五胡乱华，石遵玩之不绝音。《宋书》云：有胡篪出于胡吹，则谓此。梁胡吹歌云："快马不须鞭，反插杨柳枝。下马吹横笛，愁杀路傍儿。"此歌辞元出北国。之横笛皆去觜，其加觜者谓之义觜笛。筚篥，本名悲篥，出于胡中，其声悲。亦云：胡人吹之以惊中国马云。柷，众也。立夏之音，万物众皆成也。方面各二尺馀，旁开员孔，内手于中，击之以举乐。敔，如伏虎，背皆有鬛二十七，碎竹以击其首而逆刮之，以止乐也。舂牍，虚中如桶，无底，举以顿地如舂杵，亦谓之顿相。相，助也，以节乐也。或谓梁孝王筑睢阳城，击鼓为下杵之节。《睢阳操》用舂牍，后世因之。拍板，长阔如手，厚寸馀，以韦连之，击以代抃。」
「金、石、丝、竹、匏、土、革、木，谓之八音。金木之音，击而成乐。今东夷有管木者，桃皮是也。西戎有吹金者，铜角是也。长二尺，形如牛角。贝，蠡也，容可数升，并吹之以节乐，亦出南蛮。桃皮，卷之以为筚篥。啸叶，衔叶而啸，其声清震，橘柚尤善。四夷丝竹之量，国异其制，不可详尽。《尔雅》：琴二十弦曰离，瑟二十七弦曰洒。汉世有洞箫，又有管，长尺围寸而并漆之。宋世有绕梁，似卧箜篌。今并亡矣。今世又有篪，其长盈寻，曰七星，如筝稍小，曰云和，乐府所不用。」
● Xin Tang Shu《新唐书》(The New Book of Tang; generally translated as "New History of the Tang" or "New Tang History")
This historical work covering the Tang Dynasty, comprising ten volumes and 225 chapters, was compiled by a team of scholars led by Ouyang Xiu and Song Qi, a process that took 17 years. It was completed in 1060, during the Northern Song Dynasty. It is one of the Twenty-Four Histories (二十四史). The chi is mentioned several times in volumes 21 and 22:
卷二十一
Volume 21
Volume 21
禮樂十一
Ritual Music 11
「樂縣之制。宮縣四面，天子用之。若祭祀，則前祀二日，太樂令設縣於壇南內壝之外，北嚮。東方、西方，磬虡起北，鍾虡次之；南方、北方，磬虡起西，鍾虡次之。鎛鍾十有二，在十二辰之位。樹雷鼓於北縣之內、道之左右，植建鼓於四隅。置柷、敔於縣內，柷在右，敔在左。設歌鍾、歌磬於壇上，南方北向。磬虡在西，鍾虡在東。琴、瑟、箏、筑皆一，當磬虡之次，匏、竹在下。凡天神之類，皆以雷鼓；地祇之類，皆以靈鼓；人鬼之類，皆以路鼓。其設於庭，則在南，而登歌者在堂。若朝會，則加鍾磬十二虡，設鼓吹十二案於建鼓之外。案設羽葆鼓一，大鼓一，金錞一，歌、簫、笳皆二。登歌，鍾、磬各一虡，節鼓一，歌者四人，琴、瑟、箏、筑皆一，在堂上；笙、和、簫、篪、塤皆一，在堂下。若皇后享先蠶，則設十二大磬，以當辰位，而無路鼓。軒縣三面，皇太子用之。若釋奠于文宣王、武成王，亦用之。其制，去宮縣之南面。判縣二面，唐之舊禮，祭風伯、雨師、五嶽、四瀆用之。其制，去軒縣之北面。皆植建鼓於東北、西北二隅。特縣，去判縣之西面，或陳於階間，有其制而無所用。」
「凡樂八音，自漢以來，惟金以鍾定律呂，故其制度最詳，其餘七者，史官不記。至唐，獨宮縣與登歌、鼓吹十二案樂器有數，其餘皆略而不著，而其物名具在。八音：一曰金，為鎛鍾，為編鍾，為歌鍾，為錞，為鐃，為鐲，為鐸。二曰石，為大磬，為編磬，為歌磬。三曰土，為壎，為嘂，嘂，大壎也。四曰革，為雷鼓，為靈鼓，為路鼓，皆有鼗；為建鼓，為鼗鼓，為縣鼓，為節鼓，為拊，為相。五曰絲，為琴，為瑟，為頌瑟，頌瑟，箏也；為阮咸，為筑。六曰木，為柷，為敔，為雅，為應。七曰匏，為笙，為竽，為巢，巢，大笙也；為和，和，小笙也。八曰竹，為簫，為管，為篪，為笛，為舂牘。此其樂器也。」
「燕樂。高祖即位，仍隋制設九部樂：燕樂伎，樂工舞人無變者。清商伎者，隋清樂也。有編鍾、編磬、獨絃琴、擊琴、瑟、秦琵琶、卧箜篌、筑、箏、節鼓，皆一；笙、笛、簫、篪、方響、跋膝，皆二。歌二人，吹葉一人，舞者四人，并習巴渝舞。西涼伎，有編鍾、編磬，皆一；彈箏、搊箏、卧箜篌、豎箜篌、琵琶、五絃、笙、簫、觱篥、小觱篥、笛、橫笛、腰鼓、齊鼓、檐鼓，皆一；銅鈸二，貝一。白舞一人，方舞四人。天竺伎，有銅鼓、羯鼓、都曇鼓、毛員鼓、觱篥、橫笛、鳳首箜篌、琵琶、五絃、貝，皆一；銅鈸二，舞者二人。高麗伎，有彈箏、搊箏、鳳首箜篌、卧箜篌、豎箜篌、琵琶，以蛇皮為槽，厚寸餘，有鱗甲，楸木為面，象牙為捍撥，畫國王形。又有五絃、義觜笛、笙、葫蘆笙、簫、小觱篥、桃皮觱篥、腰鼓、齊鼓、檐鼓、龜頭鼓、鐵版、貝、大觱篥。胡旋舞，舞者立毬上，旋轉如風。龜茲伎，有彈箏、豎箜篌、琵琶、五絃、橫笛、笙、簫、觱篥、荅臘鼓、毛員鼓、都曇鼓、侯提鼓、雞婁鼓、腰鼓、齊鼓、檐鼓、貝，皆一；銅鈸二。舞者四人。設五方師子，高丈餘，飾以方色。每師子有十二人，畫衣，執紅拂，首加紅果，謂之師子郎。安國伎，有豎箜篌、琵琶、五絃、橫笛、簫、觱篥、正鼓、和鼓、銅鈸，皆一；舞者二人。疏勒伎，有豎箜篌、琵琶、五絃、簫、橫笛、觱篥、荅臘鼓、羯鼓、侯提鼓、腰鼓、雞婁鼓，皆一；舞者二人。康國伎，有正鼓、和鼓，皆一；笛、銅鈸，皆二。舞者二人。工人之服皆從其國。」
卷二十二
Volume 22
禮樂十二
Ritual Music 12
「文宗好雅樂，詔太常卿馮定采開元雅樂製雲韶法曲及霓裳羽衣舞曲。雲韶樂有玉磬四虡，琴、瑟、筑、簫、篪、籥、跋膝、笙、竽皆一，登歌四人，分立堂上下，童子五人，繡衣執金蓮花以導，舞者三百人，階下設錦筵，遇內宴乃奏。謂大臣曰：「笙磬同音，沈吟忘味，不圖為樂至於斯也。」自是臣下功高者，輒賜之。樂成，改法曲為仙韶曲。會昌初，宰相李德裕命樂工製萬斯年曲以獻。」
---------------------------------------------
Chinese poems mentioning the chi
《诗经·大雅·板》
(Ban)
from the "Da Ya" (大雅, Major Court Hymns) section of the Shi Jing (Classic of Poetry)
(Zhou Dynasty, c. 10th-9th century BC)
translated by James Legge
上帝板板、下民卒癉。
出話不然、為猶不遠 。
靡聖管管、不實於亶。
猶之未遠、是用大諫 。
God has reversed [His usual course of procedure],
And the lower people are full of distress.
The words which you utter are not right;
The plans which you form are not far-reaching.
As there are not sages, you think you have no guidance;
You have no reality in your sincerity.
[Thus] your plans do not reach far,
And I therefore strongly admonish you.
天之方難、無然憲憲。
天之方蹶、無然泄泄。
辭之輯矣、民之洽矣。
辭之懌矣、民之莫矣 。
Heaven is now sending down calamities; -
Do not be so complacent.
Heaven is now producing such movements; -
Do not be so indifferent.
If your words were harmonious,
The people would become united.
If your words were gentle and kind,
The people would be settled.
我雖異事、及爾同僚。
我即而謀、聽我囂囂。
我言維服、勿以為笑。
先民有言、詢于芻蕘 。
Though my duties are different from yours,
I am your fellow-servant.
I come to advise with you,
And you hear me with contemptuous indifference.
My words are about the [present urgent] affairs; -
Do not think them matter for laughter.
The ancients had a saying:
'Consult the grass and firewood-gatherers. '
天之方虐、無然謔謔。
老夫灌灌、小子蹻蹻。
匪我言耄、爾用憂謔。
多將熇熇、不可救藥 。
Heaven is now exercising oppression; -
Do not in such a way make a mock of things.
An old man, [I speak] with entire sincerity;
But you, my juniors, are full of pride.
It is not that my words are those of age,
But you make a joke of what is sad.
But the troubles will multiply like flames,
Till they are beyond help or remedy.
天之方懠、無為夸毗。
威儀卒迷、善人載尸。
民之方殿屎、則莫我敢葵。
喪亂蔑資、曾莫惠我師 。
Heaven is now displaying its anger; -
Do not be either boastful or flattering,.
Utterly departing from all propriety of demeanour,
Till good men are reduced to personators of the dead.
The people now sigh and groan,
And we dare not examine [into the causes of their trouble].
The ruin and disorder are exhausting all their means of living,
And we show no kindness to our multitudes.
天之牖民、如壎如篪。
如璋如圭、如取如攜。
攜無日益、牖民孔易。
民之多辟、無自立辟 。
Heaven enlightens the people,
As the bamboo flute responds to the porcelain whistle;
As two half maces form a whole one;
As you take a thing, and bring it away in your hand,
Bringing it away without any more ado.
The enlightenment of the people is very easy.
They have [now] many perversities; -
Do not you set up your perversity [before them].
价人維藩、大師維垣、大邦維屏、大宗維翰、懷德維寧、宗子維城。
無俾城壞、無獨斯畏。
Good men are a fence;
The multitudes of the people are a wall;
Great States are screens;
Great Families are buttresses;
The cherishing of virtue secures repose;
The circle of [the king's] Relatives is a fortified wall.
We must not let the fortified wall get destroyed;
We must not let him solitary be consumed with terrors.
敬天之怒、無敢戲豫。
敬天之渝、無敢馳驅。
昊天曰明、及爾出王。
昊天曰旦、及爾游衍。
Revere the anger of Heaven,
And presume not to make sport or be idle.
Revere the changing moods of Heaven,
And presume not to drive about [at your pleasure].
Great Heaven is intelligent,
And is with you in all your goings.
Great Heaven is clear-seeing,
And is with you in your wandering and indulgences.
* * * * * * * * *
《诗经·小雅·何人斯》
(He Ren Si)
from the "Xiao Ya" (小雅, Lesser Court Hymns) section of the Shi Jing (Classic of Poetry)
(Zhou Dynasty, c. 9th-8th century BC)
translated by James Legge
彼何人斯、其心孔艰。
胡逝我梁、不入我门。
伊谁云从、维暴之云。
What man was that?
His mind is full of dangerous devices.
Why did he approach my dam,
Without entering my gate?
Of whom is he a follower?
I venture to say, - of Bao.
二人从行、谁为此祸。
胡逝我梁、不入唁我。
始者不如今、云不我可。
Those two follow each other in their goings; -
Which of them wrought me this calamity?
Why came he to my dam,
Without entering to condole with me?
Our former relations were different from the present,
When he will have nothing to do with me.
彼何人斯、胡逝我陈。
我闻其声、不见其身。
不愧于人、不畏于天。
What man was it?
Why came he to the path inside my gate?
I heard his voice,
But did not see his person.
He is not ashamed before men;
He does not stand in awe of Heaven.
彼何人斯、其为飘风。
胡不自北、胡不自南。
胡逝我梁、祇搅我心。
He Ren Si:
What man was it?
He is like a violent wind.
Why came he not from the north?
Or why not from the south?
Why did he approach my dam,
Doing nothing but perturb my mind?
尔之安行、亦不遑舍。
尔之亟行、遑脂尔车。
壹者之来、云何其盱。
You go along slowly,
And yet you have not leisure to stop!
You go along rapidly,
And yet you have leisure to grease your wheels!
If you would come to me but once! -
Why am I kept in a state of expectation?
尔还而入、我心易也。
还而不入、否难知也。
壹者之来、俾我祇也。
If on your return you entered my house,
My heart would be relieved.
When on your return you do not enter it,
It is hard to understand your denial.
If you would come to me but once,
It would set me at rest.
伯氏吹埙、仲氏吹篪。
及尔如贯、谅不我知。
出此三物、以诅尔斯。
The elder of us blew the porcelain whistle,
And the younger blew the bamboo flute;
I was as if strung on the same string with you.
If indeed you do not understand me,
Here are the three creatures [for sacrifice],
And I will take an oath to you.
为鬼为蜮、则不可得。
有靦面目、视人罔极。
作此好歌、以极反侧。
If you were an imp or a water-bow,
You could not be got at.
But when one with face and eyes stands opposite to another,
The man can be seen through and through.
I have made this good song,
To probe to the utmost your veerings and turnings.
More information:
* * * * * * * * *
《晋四厢乐歌》三首 其三 食举东西厢歌
作者：无名氏（晋）Anonymous (Jin Dynasty, 265-420)
天命大晋，载育群生。
于穆上德，随时化成。
自祖配命，皇皇后辟。
继天创业，宣文之绩。
不显宣文，先知稼穑。
克恭克俭，足教足食。
既教食之，弘济艰难。
上帝是佑，下民所安。
天佑圣皇，万邦来贺。
虽安勿安，乾乾匪暇。
乃正丘郊，乃定冢社。
廙廙作宗，光宅天下。
惟敬朝飨，爰奏食举。
尽礼供御，嘉乐有序。
树羽设业，笙镛以间。
琴瑟齐列，亦有篪埙。
喤喤鼓钟，枪枪磬管。
八音克谐，载夷载简。
既夷既简，共大不御。
风化潜兴，如云如雨。
如云之覆，如雨之润。
声教所暨，无思不顺。
教以化之，乐以和之。
和而养之，时惟邕熙。
礼慎其仪，乐节其声。
于铄皇繇，既和且平。
More information:
https://sou-yun.cn/Query.aspx?type=poem1&id=488832
https://sou-yun.cn/Query.aspx?type=poem1&id=488832
* * * * * * * * *
《咏篪诗》
Poem in Praise of the Chi (Yong Chi Shi)
作者：沈约（南朝 – 刘宋、南齐、梁）
by Shen Yue (Southern Dynasties: Liu Song, Southern Qi, Liang, 441-513)
江南箫管地，妙响发孙枝。
South of the [Yangtze] River is the land of flutes and pipes;
Their wonderful sound causes [plants] to issue new shoots.
殷勤寄玉指，含情举复垂。
The deep affection [of this music] is conveyed by means of jade-like fingers,
Which, in emotion-filled manner, are alternately raised and lowered.
雕梁再三绕，轻尘四五移。
[The melody] winds thrice around the carved roof beams,
And stirs the light dust four or five times.
曲中有深意，丹诚君讵知。
The piece holds within it a profound meaning,
Which a gentleman of sincere heart can't fail to comprehend.
Notes:
题注：《诗纪》云。古文苑云。沈右率座赋二物为咏。
The chi (篪) is a transverse bamboo flute that has been used in China since ancient times, although by the Northern and Southern Dynasties period its use was generally restricted to Confucian ritual music. Although the literal meaning of "再三" (zaisan) is "three times," the figurative meaning of this idiom is "again and again" or "repeatedly." The Middle Chinese pronunciation of "绕" was ȵiᴇu (in high tone). With this poem, Shen Yue may be combining a reference to the Shiji《史记》(Records [of the Grand] Historian, the official history of China's pre-Han period) with a description of the exquisite heng di (transverse bamboo flute) and bili (double reed pipe) playing heard in the yanyue (banquet music) of the Southern Dynasties period.
More information:
https://sou-yun.cn/Query.aspx?type=poem1&id=1962
https://sou-yun.cn/Query.aspx?type=poem1&id=1962
* * * * * * * * *
《行路难五首 其一》
作者：吴均（南朝 – 梁）
by Wu Jun (Southern Dynasties: Liang, 469-520)
洞庭水上一株桐，经霜触浪困严风。
昔时抽心曜白日，今旦卧死黄沙中。
洛阳名工见咨嗟，一剪一刻作琵琶。
白璧规心学明月，珊瑚映面作风花。
帝王见赏不见忘，提携把握登建章。
掩抑摧藏张女弹，殷勤促柱楚明光。
年年月月对君子，遥遥夜夜宿未央。
未央彩女弃鸣篪，争先拂拭生光仪。
茱萸锦衣玉作匣，安念昔日枯树枝。
不学衡山南岭桂，至今千载犹未知。
More information:
* * * * * * * * *
《咏箫诗》
(Yong Xiao Shi)
作者：刘孝仪（南朝 – 梁）
by Liu Xiaoyi (Southern Dynasties: Liang, 484-550)
危声合鼓吹，绝弄混笙篪。
管饶知气促，钗动觉唇移。
箫史安为贵，能令秦女随。
Notes:
题注：《诗纪》云。英华作孝绰。今从艺文作孝仪
* * * * * * * * *
《冬夜咏妓诗》
作者：萧放（北朝 – 北齐)
by Xiao Fang (Northern Dynasties: Northern Qi, c. 550-577)
佳丽尽时年，合瞑不成眠。
银龙衔烛烬，金凤起炉烟。
吹篪先弄曲，调筝更撮弦。
歌还团扇后，舞出妓行前。
绝代终难及，谁复数神仙。
Notes:
《初学记》十五。文苑英华二百十三。万花谷后三十二作萧放诗。《诗纪》百十。
《初学记》十五。文苑英华二百十三。万花谷后三十二作萧放诗。《诗纪》百十。
More information:
https://sou-yun.cn/Query.aspx?type=poem1&id=492446
https://sou-yun.cn/Query.aspx?type=poem1&id=492446
---------------------------------------------
Chinese idioms mentioning the chi
● 伯埙仲篪 (bó xūn zhòng chí)
Notes:
From《诗经·小雅·何人斯》：「伯氏吹埙，仲氏吹篪。」
More information:
* * * * * * * * *
● 吹篪乞食 (chuī chí qǐ shí) - (literal meaning): blowing the chi (transverse bamboo flute) and begging for food; refers to Wu Zixu (伍子胥, 559 BC-484 BC), a general and politician of the Wu kingdom in the Spring and Autumn period who, as a destitute refugee from the state of Chu in approximately 520 BC, played the chi on the street in the city of Wu (modern-day Suzhou)
Notes:
From Shiji (Western Han)《史记·范睢蔡泽列传》：「伍子胥橐載而出昭關，夜行晝伏，至於陵水，無以糊其口，厀行蒲伏，稽首肉袒，鼓腹吹篪，乞食於吳市，卒興吳國，闔閭為伯。」
Wu Zixu hid in a sack to get through the Zhao Pass [in modern-day Hanshan County, Ma'anshan, east-century Anhui], traveling at night and hiding during the day until he arrived at Lingshui [modern-day Liyang, Changzhou, southern Jiangsu]. With no way to sate his hunger, he crawled about on his knees, bowed his head on the ground while half naked, puffed up his stomach and played the chi, begging for food in the markets of Wu [modern-day Suzhou]; finally, he rejuvenated the state of Wu and made Helü [r. 514 BC-496 BC] [its] hegemon.
More information:
* * * * * * * * *
● 如埙如篪 (rú xūn rú chí)
Notes:
From《诗·大雅·板》：「天之牖民，如埙如篪。”毛传：“如埙如篪，言相和也。」
More information:
* * * * * * * * *
● 埙唱篪应 (xūn chàng chí yìng)
Notes:
From 宋·叶适《国子祭酒赠宝谟阁待制李公墓志铭》：「公义顺而理和，埙唱篪应，璋判圭合，得于自然。」
More information:
* * * * * * * * *
● 埙篪相和 (xūn chí xiāng hè) - (literal meaning): xun (ocarina) and chi [playing] together in harmony (figurative meaning): refers to a good relationship between brothers
Notes:
From the Shi Jing《诗经·小雅·何人斯》: 「伯氏吹埙，仲氏吹篪。」
More information:
* * * * * * * * *
● 埙篪相合 (xūn chí xiāng hé) - see 埙篪相和 (xūn chí xiāng hè)
---------------------------------------------
Bibliography
● Wang Xidan 王希丹. 《集安高句丽墓壁画的音乐考古学研究》[Musical Archeology Research on the Murals of the Goguryeo Tombs in Ji'an]. Beijing: Beijing Book Co. Inc., 2019.
● Wu Zhao 吴钊. 《篪笛辨》(article). In《古乐寻幽——吴钊音乐学文集》(book).
---------------------------------------------
Additional Web resources
● Video demonstration of a replica of a chi excavated from the tomb of Zeng Hou Yi, played by a member of the Henan Museum's Huaxia Ancient Music Ensemble (河南博物院华夏古乐团), which was established in 2000; this video, which was probably filmed at the Henan Museum (河南博物院) in Zhengzhou, Henan province, central China, was produced by the Henan Museum, c. May 24, 2022.
● Chi (篪) YouTube playlist (maintained by David Badagnani)
---------------------------------------------
Thanks to Lin Chiang-san for assistance with this page.
---------------------------------------------
Site index:
No comments:
Post a Comment