The art of playing the qin is also known as
“the way of qin” [琴道,
qin dao] or “the Zen of qin” [琴禪,
qin chan]. One of the four classical Chinese
arts alongside playing go, calligraphy and
painting, its distinct aesthetic criteria have been
shaped by a refined philosophical approach to
interpretation and artistic creation. The qin transcended
the field of music to become an expression of
intellectual culture while also expressing the
ideological influences of the three traditional
philosophical schools, namely Confucianism, Taoism and
Buddhism. As a result, it has enriched Chinese
cultural life in a very unique way for over three
millennia.
In 2003, UNESCO (United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization) proclaimed the guqin
[古琴]
(or qin) as a masterpiece of “the Oral and
Intangible Heritage of Humanity”. The guqin is
renowned the world as the oldest string instrument in
China with a history dating back over three thousand
years.
2004 has been designated “Macao Cultural
Heritage Preservation Year” and in the 15th Macao
Arts Festival (MAF) the Cultural Institute is
committed to divulging the art of the qin, in
addition to endeavouring to conserve Macao’s
cultural heritage. This year’s MAF exhibition
“Echoes of Antiquity: the Guqin” offers a
unique insight into this classical Chinese cultural
treasure. On display are precious examples of the
instrument, musical scores and inscriptions, among
other objects, dating from the Northern Song dynasty
up to the Republic of China. The magnitude of Chinese
civilization is conveyed through this exhibition,
leading to an enhanced knowledge and appreciation of
China’s cultural heritage.
I wish the greatest success for this exhibition!
President of the Cultural Institute of the Macao S.A.R. Government
Heidi Ho
The Chinese Academy of Arts in Beijing applied
to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to have the guqin [古琴]
(or qin) listed as “the Oral and
Intangible Heritage of Humanity” and last year it
became the second Chinese masterpiece to be
proclaimed. To celebrate its success, the Chinese
Academy of Arts and other cities in China launched a
series of qin performances and exhibitions. The
Exhibition “Echoes of Antiquity: the Guqin” has
been organized by the Cultural Institute of the Macao
S.A.R. Government to introduce and promote the art of
the qin and I would like to take this opportunity to
convey my admiration and gratitude to both the
Cultural Institute and the Hong Kong Deyin Qin Society
for this event.
The qin has been played for over three
thousand years and is inseparable from the history of
Chinese intellectuals. It was considered one of the
“Four Arts” –
along with Chinese chess, calligraphy and painting.
Over its long history, the qin with its unique
melodies, fine craftsmanship and notation (including
over three thousand qin scores), theories and
different schools, has created a significant
contribution to Qin Musicology.
After the 1950s, the first generation of the
Music Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of
Arts launched a comprehensive appraisal of the qin
throughout China.
As a result, a large amount of extant qins and
a significant set of scores were collected and saved.
During that time, the Guqin Research
Association of Beijing was also established. This
association organized several dapu [打譜]
to reconstruct old melodies in accordance with modern
practice, conferences and published a compilation of qin
scores and music records for developing and
studying the art of the qin. It is our great privilege to possess this precious
historical information and we have an enormous
responsibility to preserve and develop this rich
cultural heritage.
Last year, the Chinese Academy of Arts
organized an exhibition entitled “Enchanting Music
– Chinese Musical Instruments and Music Forms” in
Macao. This
year we return once more to participate in the
exhibition “Echoes of Antiquity: the Guqin”.
We appreciate the fact that the Cultural
Institute of the M.S.A.R. Government has been making
significant efforts to develop and promote Chinese
traditional culture following the Handover. There is a
sense of the ardent love that the Macao people have
for Chinese traditional music.
Throughout the exhibition, the public will be
able to appreciate the different types of qin dating
from the Northern Song dynasty as well as the
collection of musical notation and qin inscriptions in
an atmosphere that conveys the idealistic spirit of
the classical literati. Though these exhibits are only
a small segment of qin culture, it is a starting point
for everyone to come to understand the art of the qin.
Finally, I would like to express once more
my sincere gratitude to the Cultural Institute of the
Macao Special Administrative Region in providing this
space to increase an awareness of qin culture.
Wang
Wen Zhang
Executive
Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Arts
