Xiao Xiang Shue Yun(Misty River Xiao and Xiang)

Category: 中国古典乐曲介绍/Introduction to Chinese Classical Music
Subtitle: 瀟湘水雲(Misty River Xiao and Xiang) is a representative work of the famous qin master Guo Chuwang (Guo Mian). The capitulators of the Southern Song dynasty's rulling class planned to destroy the famous general Yue Fei(岳飞） who opposed the Jin dynasty. Related to this they also assassinated Han Tuozhou, who had insisted on the (disastrous) northern campaign, as a result of which Guo Chuwang's patron Zhang Yan was forced out of office, and Shi Miyuan's hidden clique of plotters stole the great strength of the entire Song dynasty army. As national power became precarious, the nationalities were in imminent danger, the situation became more serious with each passing day, and it was as though the Jiuyi Mountains were blocked by layers of cloud and fog, and one could not see the sun in the sky. The Shen Qi Mi Pu（神奇秘譜） preface says of the author that,

"Whenever he wanted to look at the Jiuyi mountains they were blocked by clouds above the Xiao and Xiang rivers, so he used (writing music about) this to express his loyalty to his country."

Here the "making one's own enjoyment" refers to the composer acquiring stimulation and enjoyment from observing natural scenery. As for with "wind and rain falling on the head" while "using a boat on the Five Lakes", according to the historical conditions of those days this was the only method a qin master could select for escaping, and it was also when he could no longer find another way out.

The composer utilized exquisite finger techniques for artistic display, splendidly portraying the eccentric fluctuations of the clouds reflecting in the glossy surface of the water， revealing his transforming love for the landscape of his motherland. Ming dynasty qin tablature section titles are (almost all) as follows,

1. Mist and rain over Dongting Lake(洞庭煙雨)
2. The Jiang and Han river scenery is broad and clear(江漢舒晴)
3. Cloud images cast down by a brilliant sky(天光雲影)
4. The sky and water join on the horizon(水接天隅)
5. Waves roll and clouds fly(浪捲雲飛)
6. A wind comes up and stirs the water(風起水涌)
7. Water and sky have the same azure color(水天一碧)
8. Cold river and cool moon(寒江月冷)
9. Limpid waves extend 10,000 miles(萬里澄波)
10. (Night) scenery reflects all aspects of nature (影涵萬象)

By the Qing dynasty this version had expanded to 18 sections. In the afterword to the the version in Dahuan'ge Qinpu (which had 12 sections) there is a paragraph that is very worthy of study.

Chinese Music World: 中国古典音乐世界: World of Chinese Classical Music :: Article

Xiao Xiang Shue Yun(Misty River Xiao and Xiang)