"The Emaciated Immortal, in accordance with Qin Tradition12, says
this is an old tune. Xiao Ya has a section He Ming which says, "Cranes cry in nine (i.e., a row of) marshpools; the sound is heard in the wilderness;" and, "The sound is heard in the heavens." Zhu Xi's (12th c.) commentary says, "A marshpool in the bend of a river is called a gao; the number of marshpools is nine, exemplifying the depth and distance. The crane is a bird with an immortal spirit; its cry is lofty and clear and can be heard for eight or nine li." The meaning of this tune perhaps comes from its comparing the call of the crane and the music of the qin.
Once I raised two cranes in the bamboo grove of my Qin Courtyard. Sometimes they would look at their shadows and dance together; other times they would fly up together and cry back and forth. But it was only at certain appropriate times. As for dancing, when they felt a heavenly breeze they would dance in order to shake their feathers (and clean them in the wind); (as for crying out), when they raise (their heads) and to look at the Milky Way and see the divine,13 then they would cry out. If it wasn't the appropriate time they wouldn't cry out; if it wasn't the appropriate time they wouldn't dance.
People know that cranes are birds with a divine spirit, and thus we have this piece."
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Re: 184. 鶴鳴 - He Ming
Date: 2021-04-07 12:07 am (UTC)this is an old tune. Xiao Ya has a section He Ming which says, "Cranes cry in nine (i.e., a row of) marshpools; the sound is heard in the wilderness;" and, "The sound is heard in the heavens." Zhu Xi's (12th c.) commentary says, "A marshpool in the bend of a river is called a gao; the number of marshpools is nine, exemplifying the depth and distance. The crane is a bird with an immortal spirit; its cry is lofty and clear and can be heard for eight or nine li." The meaning of this tune perhaps comes from its comparing the call of the crane and the music of the qin.
Once I raised two cranes in the bamboo grove of my Qin Courtyard. Sometimes they would look at their shadows and dance together; other times they would fly up together and cry back and forth. But it was only at certain appropriate times. As for dancing, when they felt a heavenly breeze they would dance in order to shake their feathers (and clean them in the wind); (as for crying out), when they raise (their heads) and to look at the Milky Way and see the divine,13 then they would cry out. If it wasn't the appropriate time they wouldn't cry out; if it wasn't the appropriate time they wouldn't dance.
People know that cranes are birds with a divine spirit, and thus we have this piece."
http://www.silkqin.com/02qnpu/07sqmp/sq31hmjg.htm