袁桷作品對琴史的總體貢獻

Yuan Jue (1266-1327), courtesy name Bochang, pseudonym Qing Rong Jushi (Retired Scholar of Refined Demeanor), was one of the most distinguished scholars during Yuan dynasty, his biography record can be found in the 172nd chapter of the official biographies in the History of Yuan Dynasty. To understand Yuan Jue’s knowledge of Qin, is possible to refer to some of his works concerning different aspects of Qin tablatures, schools, masters of the Northern and Southern Song periods. Yuan Jue makes some special remarks on the original source of some melodies played during his own time, pointing out the effective contributions of some of the most relevant Qin masters during Southern Song Dynasty in the formation of the so-called Zhe School, underlining his doubts and believes, especially over master Yang Zuan, the author the Zi Xia Dong tablatures (now lost). According to Yuan Jue, some of the melodies collected in the Zi Xia Dong pu where not made Yang Zuan himself: after some comparisons, he discovered that the Cai Shi wunong (Five melodies by Cai [Yong]) were mostly identical to the same tablature transmitted by Zhang Yan from Southern Song Dynasty. The famous Qin player Guo Chuwang has been a hanger-on of Zhang Yan’s household; after receiving the tablatures collected by Zhang himself, he underwent a further reassembling and passed them down to later generations, till Yuan Jue’s days. Yuan Jue displays deep respect towards Zhang Yan and Guo Chuwang contributions (Yuan Jue also wrote two poems on Qin melodies written by Guo Chuwang), and the main aim of his texts on Qin is evidently to clarify and attest the real importance and influence of his past masters.