Zhang Ziqian (, 1899–1991), a famous seven-string zither qin player, was born in Yangzhou,

Jiangsu Province Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. It is one of the leading provinces in finance, education, technology, and tourism, with its ca ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

, during the late

Qing Dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

. He began studying the

guqin The ''guqin'' (; ) is a plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument. It has been played since ancient times, and has traditionally been favoured by scholars and literati as an instrument of great subtlety and refinement, as highlighted b ...

with a guqin master Sun Shaotao at the age of thirteen. In the 1930s, Zhang moved to

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...

and worked as an accountant at a salt factory. In Shanghai, he met

Zha Fuxi Zha Fuxi (; 1895–1976), also known as Zha Yiping () was a leading player and scholar of the guqin. Born in Jiangxi, he started learning guqin in his childhood. In 1936, he co-founded the Jinyu Qin Society () which later became one of the major ...

and Peng Zhiqing who were active qin players then. They frequently played the guqin together and Zhang's playing skills were greatly influenced by them. In 1936, Zhang, Zha, Peng and other masters founded Jin Yu Qin She (Qin Society of Contemporary Yu Region), a qin society. In 1956, Zhang became a guqin performer by being appointed as a member of the state-run Shanghai Minzu Yuetuan (Shanghai National Music Ensemble); and a guqin teacher at the

Shanghai Conservatory of Music The Shanghai Conservatory of Music () was founded on November 27, 1927, as the first music institution of higher education in China. Its teachers and students have won awards at home and abroad, thus earning the conservatory the name "the crad ...

in 1960. As a professional guqin performer of the Guangling School, one of the qin schools, Zhang skillfully transcribed guqin pieces from ancient manuscripts with the Guangling style and his distinctive interpretations, e.g. rhythmic variations. His famous pieces includes ''Longxiang Cao'' (Soaring Dragon), ''Pingsha Luoyan'' (Geese Descending on the Sandbank), and ''Meihua Sannong'' (Three Variations of Plum Blossom).Gong 1989, p.849 His rendition of Longxiang Cao is considered one of his best interpretations and thus he is also known as ''Zhang Longxiang'' (). Zhang was also devoted to writing articles and essays on guqin. In 1961, he published ''Guqin Chujie'' (A Preliminary Introduction to the Guqin) with Zha Fuxi and Shen Caonong. This publication features guqin history, guqin construction,

guqin playing technique The playing techniques of the guqin, sometimes called fingerings, are more numerous than those of any other Chinese or Western musical instrument. Basic sounds The music of the qin can be categorised as three distinctively different "sounds." Th ...

, guqin notation, and guqin pieces, which is considered a major introductory manual for beginners.

Footnotes

References

# Dai Xiaolian.'In Memory of a Great Guqin Player, Master Zhang Ziqian.' ''CHIME'' 3(1991):76–87. # Gong Yi. “Zhang Ziqian.” In ''Zhongguo dabaike quanshu: yinyue, wudao'' ncyclopedia of China: music, dance edited by Zhongguo dabaike quanshu zongbianji weiyuanhui, and Zhongguo dabaike quanshu chubanshe, 849. Beijing: Zhongguo dabaike quanshu chubanshe, 1989. # Gong Yi and Xu Guohua. ‘Weijun yi huishou, ruting wanhesong: guqinjia Zhang Ziqian’ simple stroke of his hand was like hearing pines in myriad ravines: the qin player Zhang Ziqian In ''Zhongguo jinxiandai yinyuejia zhuan'' iographies of modern Chinese musicians edited by Xiang Yansheng, 361–70. Shenyang: Chunfeng Wenyi Chubanshe, 1994. # Lam, Joseph S.C. “Zhang Ziqian.” In ''Grove Music Online.'' Oxford Music Online, http://0-www.oxfordmusiconline.com.library.simmons.edu/subscriber/article/grove/music/49361 (accessed February 19, 2009). # Zhongguo yi shu yan jiu yuan. “Zhang Ziqian.” In ''Zhongguo yinyue cidian. Xubian.'' ictionary of Chinese Music, Sequel 253. Beijing: Renmin Yinyue Chubanshe, 1992.

External links

Zhang Ziqian qin music
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhang, Ziqian Guqin players 1899 births 1991 deaths People from Yangzhou