丹东市中国古琴史记（四）：东汉 西汉

在秦汉时期，古琴艺术迎来了重要的发展。当时的统治者在收集民歌的同时，还从各地挑选了一些技艺精湛的民间艺人，让他们进入宫廷担任鼓琴待诏。师中、赵定、龙德便是西汉中叶宫廷中的鼓琴待诏。师中是汉武帝时期的东海下邳（今江苏宿迁）的著名琴家，他的影响力使得当地形成了崇尚古琴的风气。据刘向《别录》记载：“至今邳俗犹多好琴。”赵定是渤海人，龙德是梁国人。汉宣帝时期，皇帝希望推动音乐的和谐发展，于是由丞相将他们从民间选拔到宫廷中担任待诏。赵定性格沉静，然而当他弹奏古琴时，却能让人感动得涕泪纵横。据《汉书·艺文志》记载，他们各自留下了关于古琴的著作：赵定的《雅琴赵氏》七篇，师中的《雅琴师氏》八篇，龙德的《雅琴龙氏》九十九篇，可惜这些著作如今都已失传。刘向曾说：“雅琴之意，皆出龙德《诸琴杂事》中。”《诸琴杂事》很可能是当时一部集大成的巨著，但原书也早已不存。

除了宫廷中的专业琴家，汉代文人对古琴的喜爱和理解也蔚然成风，始终未曾衰减。著名的文人琴家有司马相如、蔡邕及其女儿，还有哲学家扬雄、刘向、桓谭等。这一时期，古琴的演奏指法也有了显著的发展。

到了汉代，七弦琴的形制基本已经定型，但当时古琴上是否有音位标志——徽，仍存在争议。汉代枚乘（？～前140）在《七发》中提到，用龙门之桐木制琴，用野蚕丝制弦，并用“九寡之珥为约”。珥制成的约（或弓勺、的），本指箭靶的中心，有学者推测这可能是指琴徽。除了湖南马王堆3号墓出土的西汉七弦琴实物外，许多墓葬中也常有抚琴陶俑出土，这些陶俑通常将琴置于膝上，双手做出拨弦的姿态。此外，在大量的汉代画像石中，也常常出现抚琴的画面。1936年，在河南南阳市草店的一座大型西汉墓中，出土了3方乐舞画像石，上面共刻有乐伎、侍者及主人等25人，这是南阳汉画像石中人数最多、场面最大的一幅，其右门楣石上就刻有鼓琴的场景。

在琴论领域，汉代的琴家和文人也留下了许多著述。除了前面提到的刘向的《说苑·琴录》、扬雄的《琴清英》、桓谭的《新论·琴道》等，还有一部重要的琴学文献——《琴操》。这是现存介绍早期琴曲最为丰富而详尽的专著，具有很高的史料价值。此书据传为蔡邕所撰。

During the Qin and Han dynasties, the art of the guqin underwent significant development. At that time, while the rulers were collecting folk songs, they also selected some outstanding folk artists from various regions to serve as court musicians specializing in the guqin. Shi Zhong, Zhao Ding, and Long De were all court musicians during the mid-Western Han Dynasty. Shi Zhong was a renowned guqin master from Xiapi in the Donghai region (present-day Suqian, Jiangsu) during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han. His influence led to a local trend of appreciating the guqin. According to Liu Xiang's Bielu (Miscellaneous Records): “To this day, the people of Xiapi still have a strong fondness for the guqin.” Zhao Ding was from Bohai, and Long De was from the State of Liang. During the reign of Emperor Xuan of Han, as the emperor sought to promote the harmony of music, these artists were selected from the common people by the prime minister to serve as court musicians. Zhao Ding was known for his quiet demeanor, yet his guqin playing was so moving that it could bring listeners to tears. According to the Yiwen Zhi (Treatise on Arts and Literature) in the Book of Han, they each left behind works on the guqin: Zhao Ding's Ya Qin Zhao Shi (Elegant Qin by Zhao) in seven volumes, Shi Zhong's Ya Qin Shi Shi (Elegant Qin by Shi) in eight volumes, and Long De's Ya Qin Long Shi (Elegant Qin by Long) in ninety-nine volumes. Unfortunately, all these works have been lost. Liu Xiang also said: “The essence of elegant qin music all originates from Long De's Zhu Qin Za Shi (Miscellaneous Matters of the Qin).” Zhu Qin Za Shi was likely a comprehensive masterpiece of its time, but the original book has also been lost.

In addition to the professional qin players in the court, the love and understanding of the guqin among Han Dynasty literati remained strong and never waned. Famous literati qin players included Sima Xiangru, Cai Yong and his daughter, as well as philosophers such as Yang Xiong, Liu Xiang, and Huan Tan. During this period, the playing techniques of the guqin also saw considerable development.

By the Han Dynasty, the form of the seven-stringed guqin had essentially been standardized. However, whether the qin of that time had position markers—known as hui—is still a matter of debate. In Qi Fa (Seven Stimuli) by Mei Cheng (?–140 BCE), it was mentioned that the qin was made from the wood of the Dongmen (a type of paulownia), the strings were made from the silk of wild silkworms, and “the nine-widow earrings were used as yue (approximations or bow-shaped markers).” The yue made from earrings, originally referring to the center of an archery target, has led some scholars to speculate that it might refer to the qin markers. In addition to the physical evidence of a Western Han Dynasty seven-stringed guqin unearthed from Tomb No. 3 at Mawangdui in Hunan, many tombs have also yielded figurines of musicians playing the qin, often with the qin placed on their knees and their hands in a position as if plucking the strings. Moreover, in numerous Han Dynasty stone carvings, scenes of playing the qin frequently appear. In 1936, three stone carvings of music and dance were unearthed from a large Western Han Dynasty tomb in Caodian, Nanyang, Henan. These carvings depict a total of 25 musicians, attendants, and hosts, making it the most populous and grandest scene among Nanyang's Han stone carvings. The right lintel of the tomb depicts a scene of playing the guqin.

In the field of qin theory, Han Dynasty qin players and literati also produced many writings. In addition to the previously mentioned works such as Liu Xiang's Shuo Yuan: Qin Lu (Gardens of Discourse: Records of the Qin), Yang Xiong's Qin Qing Ying (The Pure and Bright Qin), and Huan Tan's Xin Lun: Qin Dao (New Treatise: The Way of the Qin), there is another important qin-related document—Qin Cao. This is the most comprehensive and detailed existing work introducing early qin pieces and holds great historical value. It is traditionally attributed to Cai Yong.