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Confucius
- Qin Shi #11

The following 12 qin melodies have commonly been attributed to Confucius: 3

孔子 1
琴史 #11 2
above: "A true image of Confucius"  
below:   Confucius playing the qin 4 

  1. Huan Le Cao
  2. Jiang Gui Cao (YFSJ p.841)
  3. Guishan Cao (YFSJ p.842)
  4. Yi Lan Cao (YFSJ p.839)
  5. Huo Lin Cao (compare Huo Lin)
  6. Wei Kuang Cao
  7. E Chen Cao (or E Yu Chen, or Kongzi E [#17])
  8. Xian Ju Cao (or Xian Ju Le)
  9. Dongwu Taishan Cao (or Dongwu Taishan)
  10. Hui Feng Cao (or Feng Cao)
  11. Bei Feng Cao (or Bei Feng)
  12. Yi Yan Hui

The rather long entry in Qin Shi about Confucius mentions at least three of these melodies (Yi Lan Cao, Jiang Gui Cao5 and Guishan Cao), plus You Lan (YFSJ p.840) and Wen Wang Cao (which Seng ascribes to Shi Xiang).

The story of Confucius studying qin with Shi Xiangzi is not told here, but with the biography of the latter (#32). Qin illustration 6 in Taiyin Daquanji claims to be a depiction of his Confucian Style [仲尼 Zhongni] qin.)

The Qin Shi biography of Confucius begins,

Confucius was born during the period of the Zhou (dynasty). Experiencing disorder in Lu he got in his cart and traveled everywhere, but he was not living in the proper generation. In (Lu) he remained with the duke for 14 years. When he was 56 years old....

(Translation incomplete.)

 
Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. 孔子 (Return)

2. 43 lines (Return)

3. The listing here comes from the Song dynasty list of qin melodies compiled by Seng Juyue. The 12 melodies attributed to Confucius are #24 - #35). The Chinese titles are:

  1. 歡樂操 Huan Le Cao (not in 16602.88 歡樂 etc.)
  2. 將歸操 Jiang Gui Cao
  3. 龜山操 Guishan Cao
  4. 猗蘭操 Yi Lan Cao
  5. 獲麟操 Huo Lin Cao
  6. 畏匡操 Wei Kuang Cao (22284.xxx)
  7. 厄陳操 E Chen Cao (or E Yu Chen; 2942.xxx)
  8. 閑居操 Xian Ju Cao (or Xian Ju Le; 42162.33 閑居賦xxx Xian Ju Fu)
  9. 東武泰山操 Dongwu Taishan Cao (or Dongwu Taishan; Dongwu and Taishan?)
  10. 回風操 Hui Feng Cao (or 風操 Feng Cao)
  11. 悲風操 Bei Feng Cao (or 悲風 Bei Feng)
  12. 憶顏回 Yi Yan Hui
    (Return)

4. The illustrations are "孔子真影 True image of Confucius" and an extract from "晝息鼓琴 Daytime leisure playing the qin" (full image shows 閩子 Minzi and 曾子 Zengzi listening) from, 孔子聖蹟圖，河北美術出版社，1996.
(Return)

5. Jiang Gui Cao: also called 陬操 Zou Cao 42622.10 (Return)

6. (Return)

7. (Return)

 
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