Abstract
Qin-zither was introduced into the court as one of the main instruments during the pre-Qin period. After the Han Dynasty, it gained popularity among general populace and scholars, distinguishing itself from others instruments within the Eight Categories of musical instruments. Since its inception, qin-zither has been well-suited for personal use and performance due to its portability and convenience for solo performances. As a result, qin-zither easily became a common musical instrument among scholars, and playing the qin-zither became a refined hobby for them from the Han Dynasty onward. Many famous scholars from the Han to the Song Dynasty were proficient in playing the qin-zither. More importantly, with the awakening of individual consciousness among the scholars of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the qin-zither served as a tool for seeking seclusion, cultivating the minds, and promoting elegance. The privatization of qin-zither ownership and the scholarization of qin-zither practice inevitably infused qin studies with the ideas and tastes of literati, forming an orientation that advocated the beauty of harmony in qin-zither and an appreciation for the clear and distant style of qin music.
Keywords
qin-zither studies, scholar, neutralization and harmony, clear and distant style
First Page
196
Last Page
203
Recommended Citation
Jing, Song. 2024. "Scholarization of Qin-Zither and the Aesthetic Preference of Qin-Zither Studies from the Han to the Song Dynasty." Theoretical Studies in Literature and Art 44, (4): pp.196-203. https://tsla.researchcommons.org/journal/vol44/iss4/20
