International Day of the Book - 2008 #
Also kwown as World Book Day, it is a yearly event on April 23th, organised by UNESCO to promote reading, publishing and copyright. So we thought that maybe you would be interested in one or more of the following books …
Time ago we listed four non-english books published in Europe and focused on the guqin. Now it’s time for english language books, from all-time classics to recently published ones (some had already been mentioned in this website).
The Lore of the Chinese Lute #
An Essay in the Ideology of the Ch’in. An important contribution to both Asian cultural and musicological studies - long out of print and much sought after work by a renowned Sinologist, Robert Hans van Gulik. You may purchase a former edition or the last one at Amazon .
Hsi K’ang and His Poetical Essay on the Lute #
This difficult specimen of Chinese artistic prose, an important source for our knowledge of ancient Chinese music, is once again made available in its first translation into a Western language. Copious notes are added, and thus a significant document is made accessible to all students of China and of Oriental music. Another scholarly work by Robert Hans van Gulik. Available from libraries - we have a copy in perfect condition on sale, write to info@citarachina.org for details.
A Song for One or Two #
Music and the Concept of Art in Early China, by Kenneth DeWoskin. The chapter seven, The Ch’in and Its Way is focused on the guqin.
Available from Amazon
The Chinese Ch’in #
Its History and Music, by Liang Mingyue.
Very scarce and only available at libraries
Music of the Billion #
An Introduction to Chinese Musical Culture, by Liang Mingyue.
Available from Amazon
The Resonance of the Qin in East Asian Art #
One of the qin exhibition catalogues listed time ago in this website. It features essays on the qin in China and Japan by Stephen Addiss, guest curator of the exhibition, an essay on the qin in Korea and Vietnam by Mitchell Clark, as well as an essay on the qin in early China by Kenneth DeWoskin.
Available from Amazon
Tall Mountains and Flowing Waters #
The Arts of Uragami Gyokudō, by Stephen Addiss. Read more about this excellent book in the web page we wrote about Gyokudō music for the qin.
Available from Amazon
A Chinese Zither Tutor #
The Mei-an ch’in-p’u, by Wang Pinlu, translated and annotated by Fredric Lieberman. The first qinpu translated into a western language. Read more about this qinpu
Available at [libraries]biblioteques
Abiding with Antiquity #
Translated into english by James Binkley, it includes sections on guqin construction, silk qin string making, stringing the qin, qin tables, composition and fingering techniques and other qin culture information useful to qin students.
Available from Amazon