![Boya](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Boya.JPG)
Bo Ya (
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
: 伯牙;
pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally writte ...
: ''Bó Yá'') was a Chinese ''
qin Qin may refer to:
Dynasties and states
* Qin (state) (秦), a major state during the Zhou Dynasty of ancient China
* Qin dynasty (秦), founded by the Qin state in 221 BC and ended in 206 BC
* Daqin (大秦), ancient Chinese name for the Roman Emp ...
'' player from the state of
Chu (楚), which is roughly equivalent to modern-day
Jingzhou
Jingzhou () is a prefecture-level city in southern Hubei province, China, located on the banks of the Yangtze River. Its total residential population was 5,231,180 based on the 2020 census, 1,068,291 of whom resided in the built-up (''or metro' ...
,
Hubei
Hubei (; ; alternately Hupeh) is a landlocked province of the People's Republic of China, and is part of the Central China region. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Dongting Lake. The ...
, who lived during the
Spring and Autumn period or
Warring States period
The Warring States period () was an era in ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded with the Qin wars of conquest ...
. His complete name is often incorrectly given as Yu Boya (俞伯牙) in ''
Stories to Caution the World (警世通言)'', so he is sometimes referred to with the name of Yu Boya in modern literature creation. However, Bo Ya is the correct name, which is clarified in ''
Lüshi Chunqiu
The ''Lüshi Chunqiu'', also known in English as ''Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals'', is an encyclopedic Chinese classic text compiled around 239 BC under the patronage of the Qin Dynasty Chancellor Lü Buwei. In the evaluation of Micha ...
'' (吕氏春秋).
Life
Learning Guqin
![ZhongNiShi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/ZhongNiShi.jpg)
Bo Ya is well known in the
Spring and Autumn period and the
Warring States period
The Warring States period () was an era in ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded with the Qin wars of conquest ...
for his Guqin skill. According to ''Qincao (琴操)''written by
Cai Yong
Cai Yong (Chinese: ; 132–192), courtesy name Bojie, was Chinese astronomer, calligrapher, historian, mathematician, musician, politician, and writer of the Eastern Han dynasty. He was well-versed in calligraphy, music, mathematics and astrono ...
, He learned his Guqin skill from Chenglian, another famous Guqin player. When he was studying Guqin, his teacher brought him to
Mount Penglai
Penglai () is a legendary land of Chinese mythology. It is known in Japanese mythology as Hōrai. McCullough, Helen. ''Classical Japanese Prose'', p. 570. Stanford Univ. Press, 1990. .
Location
According to the ''Classic of Mountains and Seas ...
and left Bo Ya. Bo Ya was immersed in the natural sound of the waves and the mountain forest, and wrote down a piece of music called Shuixiancao (水仙操). After this experience, he becomes one of the best Guqin players in his times.
The story about Zhiyin
Bo Ya was good at playing the ''qin''. Zhong Ziqi (锺子期) was good at listening to the ''qin''. When Bo Ya's will was towards high mountains in his playing, Zhong Ziqi would say, "How towering like
Mount Tai
Mount Tai () is a mountain of historical and cultural significance located north of the city of Tai'an. It is the highest point in Shandong province, China. The tallest peak is the '' Jade Emperor Peak'' (), which is commonly reported as being ...
!" When Bo Ya's will was towards flowing water in his playing, Zhong Ziqi would say, "How vast are the rivers and oceans!" Whatever Bo Ya thought of Ziqi would never fail to understand. Bo Ya said, "Amazing! Your heart and mine are the same!" After Zhong Ziqi died, Bo Ya broke his Guqin because he thought that no one else can understand his music.
Bo Ya's story with Zhong Ziqi generates the term Zhiyin (Chinese: 知音, original meaning: someone who knows music well), which from then on means close friends that can completely understand each other.
Musical work
High Mountain and Flowing Stream
''High Mountain'' (Chinese: Gao Shan, 高山) and ''Flowing Stream'' (Chinese: Liu Shui, 流水) were originally sections of the same piece of music, with the first four sections recognized as "High Mountain" and the last eight sections recognized as "Flowing Stream." It is also said to be the music that Bo Ya played to Zhong Ziqi as it contains both elements of "towering like Mount Tai" and "vast rivers and oceans."
Shuixiancao
Shuixiancao(水仙操) was composed by Bo Ya when he was brought to Mount Penglai and stayed alone, inspired by the sound in the nature. It is Bo Ya's first famous Guqin music piece.
Huailingcao
Huailingcao(怀陵操) was composed by Bo Ya, which contains intense and passionate sound.
Legacy
Music
The ''qin'' pieces composed by Bo Ya were widely spread and recognized in China and enjoyed a high reputation, especially the most famous piece called ''High Mountains'' and ''Flowing Water(Gao Shan Liu Shui)''. This ''qin'' piece is broadly accepted in China as one of the top ten famous traditional Chinese music pieces, as it describes the majesty, depth, solemnity and nobility of mountains, and the harmony between flowing water and mountains. It has a high aesthetic and musical value which reminds people of a spring of fresh water merrily flowing down a mountain, and the waves playfully rising. In 1977,
Guan Pinghu
Guan Pinghu (4 March 1897 – 28 March 1967), was a leading player of the ''guqin'' (), a Chinese 7-string bridgeless zither. Born in Suzhou, Jiangsu, Guan came from an artistic family, and started to learn the ''guqin'' from his father, Guan Ni ...
's performance of "Flowing Water" was recommended by composer
Chou Wen-chung
Chou Wen-chung (; July 28, 1923 – October 25, 2019) was a Chinese American composer of contemporary classical music. He emigrated in 1946 to the United States and received his music training at the New England Conservatory and Columbia Univer ...
to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration(NASA) and included in the
Voyager Golden Record
The Voyager Golden Records are two phonograph records that were included aboard both Voyager spacecraft launched in 1977. The records contain sounds and images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth, and are intended for ...
by NASA as a representative of Chinese music works.
The story of Bo Ya also reflects the meaning and significance of traditional ''qin'' music in ancient China. China's ''qin'' music is historically associated with the literati, and the general purpose of the literati playing ''qin'' pieces is not for the audience, but for themselves. They think music is an expressive art, and the priority is to serve themselves rather than the audience. Therefore, the criteria to judge and assess their music should meet the musician's personal aesthetic standards, and show obvious differences from the generally accepted ones, which thus indicates the unique personal taste of the musician. This is reflected by the story of Bo Ya finding his ''Zhiyin,'' who really understands his music and knows his mind. In this story, Bo Ya consider Ziqi as his ''Zhiyin'', putting him in such a high status, for he is only one who understands his works of art and meets his criteria. This story of Bo Ya shows the general attitude of ''qin players'' toward playing in ancient China: the pursuit of aesthetic and the realization of personal musical standards.
Bo Ya's playing style is also unique and superb, which could provoke a connection with literature. As Francesca points out in his work, "Bo Ya's performance on the ''qin'' is not actually heard or imitated in the telling of the story, but is instead simulated synesthetically through the poetry of the narrative." He thinks that It provides a bridge between the natural world and the music.
Morality and Philosophy
In Chinese culture, the word ''Zhiyin'' has become a special cultural mark. On the one hand, the word ''Zhiyin'' could be understood as a person who is proficient in music, on the other hand, it is regarded as the most intelligent critic and appreciator of all arts, including music.
''Zhiyin'' has now been extended to a broader meaning of a close friend who understands one's mind. When talking about ''Zhiyin'', it would be generally accepted by people this word could be used to describe a soul mate or an intimate friend. This word is also frequently used by Chinese people to express their sadness for finding it hard to find a friend that knows about them. The story of Bo Ya and Ziqi has been considered as one important part the philosophy of inter-person relationship in Chinese culture, reflecting the Chinese ideal of friendship.
The story of ''Zhiyin'' also can show philosophical value through the lens of Confucian thoughts. In the story, Ziqi's understanding was not a matter of knowledge of melody. Obviously, he had a deep understanding of Boya's personality and was himself a man who pursues freedom and ideal, so he could arouse a "resonance" in Bo Ya's music. "Resonance" refers to the discovery of "oneself" in the object of appreciation. Ziqi knew that Boya was committed to high mountains and flowing water through his music, because he himself was committed to the mountains and water in the natural world as well. Ziqi found himself in Bo Ya's music, thus making himself empathize and sympathize with Bo Ya. Sympathy and empathy in the resonance could be heading to the realm of the integration of heart and object, subject and object, which is an important content in Confucianism.
Presence in literary and artistic works
* ''Bo Ya Jue Xian''(2021) – A stage play created by Hunan Grand Theatre and Changsha Song and Dance Theater. The play Is an artistic re-creation of the well-known story of "High mountains and flowing water, meeting an intimate friend(''Gao Shan Liu Shui Yu Zhi Yin'')"
* ''Bo Ya Qin''(2016) – A song composed by songwriter Wu Xiaoping with lyrics written by lyricist Liu Pengchun, and sung by singer Wang Zhe.
* ''Bo Ya Jue Xian''(2010) – A song sung and composed by
Wang Leehom
Wang Leehom (; born May 17, 1976), sometimes credited as Leehom Wang, is an American singer-songwriter, actor, producer, and film director. Formally trained at Eastman School of Music, Williams College and Berklee College of Music, his music ...
with lyrics written by Chen Xinhong and A Pu.
References
Further reading
*
Guqin players
Zhou dynasty musicians
4th-century BC Chinese musicians
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