Discourse on the Qin
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Summary
Traditional Chinese thought has a long history, marked by a high degree of originality, inventiveness and literary quality. Its early forms are highly distinctive, encompassing religious theology, classical Chinese medical texts, ancient military strategy, Confucian, Daoist, Buddhist and Hundred Schools thought, feng shui and metaphysical learning, the Twenty-Four Histories, and local customs and geography—all vast and profound. This series, Classic Chinese Studies: Essential Cultural Texts, preserves the original appearance of the source texts and is devoted to preserving and transmitting traditional Chinese thought and culture. By reading the literary essence left by ancient sages, readers can cultivate their character and be subtly shaped by the classics of Chinese studies.
Editor's review
Qin Shuo (On the Qin) is included in the series Classic Chinese Studies: Essential Cultural Texts. Its value lies not in offering some novel viewpoint but in presenting old sayings related to the guqin and materials on traditional culture in their original textual form. Through this book, readers can come into contact with the remarks, ideas and modes of discourse of ancient literati around the qin, and sense the connections among music, self-cultivation and the nurturing of temperament in traditional thought. As an edited edition, it emphasizes preserving the original appearance and transmitting traditional thought and culture, and is suited to readers willing to read slowly and experience the flavor of the classics in the context of classical Chinese. If you are doing introductory reading in Chinese studies, or wish to find an approach to guqin culture that leans toward primary texts and traditional ideas, this book can serve as extension material; but it is not a modern qin-studies tutorial, nor is it mainly devoted to popularizing textual criticism. It should be read with the mindset of "understanding how the ancients talked about the qin," rather than expecting technical guidance or light stories.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in guqin culture who wish to understand qin discourse from the perspective of traditional texts.
- Introductory readers currently reading classics of Chinese studies who are willing to engage with original textual form.
- General readers who enjoy reading classical Chinese slowly and experiencing traditional thought and the nurturing of temperament.
- Book-club members or self-learners who need traditional cultural material related to the guqin.
Not a good fit for
- Readers who want to systematically learn guqin performance technique, fingering and etudes.
- Beginners expecting modern vernacular explanation and light, story-like narration.
- Professional researchers who need strict scholarly collation or in-depth textual-critical edition information.
Reading tips
- First read the table of contents and preface to confirm the scope of the material, then select passages related to the qin for close reading.
- Keep a pen for marginal notes; record unfamiliar ancient terms and figures in order of appearance and look them up together.
- Read only a small section at a time and restate the gist in your own words afterward, avoiding a focus on speed that loses comprehension.
- You may read alongside guqin pieces or background material on traditional culture to help establish context, but do not substitute this book for a modern technique manual.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 琴说
- 正文
FAQ
Is this book suitable for someone learning the guqin from scratch?
It is not really suitable as an introductory guqin textbook. It belongs to a series of edited original texts on traditional culture, with a focus on preserving and transmitting traditional thought and culture, and does not systematically teach performance technique, fingering or practice steps. Beginners who want to learn the instrument should first choose a modern qin-studies tutorial; this book is better as extended reading on cultural background and classical qin theory.
Does reading On the Qin require a strong foundation in classical Chinese?
Professional-level classical Chinese is not necessarily required, but a willingness to read slowly and check references is. The book preserves the original textual appearance, and its language and ideas are far from modern readers; beginners can start with the table of contents and more accessible passages, and consult references promptly when encountering terms. If you are completely unwilling to engage with classical Chinese, the reading experience will be rather demanding.
Can this book help in understanding guqin culture?
Yes, but from an angle that leans toward traditional texts and ideas. It lets readers see the remarks and modes of discourse the ancients left around the qin, helping to understand the instrument's place in traditional culture. If you also want to learn about the instrument's construction, performance schools and modern qin studies, you will need to pair it with other specialized readings.
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About the author
陈伯葵
Author
Chen Bokui is an author about whom very little public information is currently available; details of his life, nationality, and dates of birth and death have not been clearly recorded. On the basis of the existing material, only one work can be confirmed, Qinshuo (On the Qin), which is classified as a classic work. Judging from the title, Qinshuo most likely concerns the qin, the traditional Chinese musical instrument, and deals with qin scholarship, performance, or related cultural discussion, placing it within a fairly specialized area of traditional culture. Because further background information is lacking, it is difficult to judge the full range of Chen Bokui's writing style or to know of any other writings. For an author with so few surviving works and such an obscure life, readers may take Qinshuo as an entry point and focus on the qin knowledge and cultural meaning carried by the text itself, rather than pursuing excessive detail about the author's personal experience.
