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Autumn Water (秋水, Qiu Shui, Guqin, 古琴)

Autumn Water (秋水, Qiu Shui , Guqin, 古琴) is also known as  Shenhua Yin 《神化引》 (“Becoming an Immortal” or “Metamorphosis”).  The melody is based on Zhuang Zi’s story of dreaming he was a butterfly and questioning whether he was dreaming of the butterfly, or was the butterfly dreaming of him. This piece has a feeling of emptiness and transcendance of emotion. It is what is called ‘dan’ or tasteless, plain, pure, without embelishment and captures the moment when one becomes a celestial being, removed from worldly pleasures and desires.
古琴曲《秋水》, 取《庄子》篇名,又叫《神化引》,借庄周迷梦蝴蝶的典故,表现道家天人合一的哲学思想。飘逸虚渺的音韵,给人以洒脱尘滓之感。

Length: 8’09”

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Autumn Water (秋水, Qiu Shui, Guqin, 古琴) MP3 download link (right click, save link as):Autumn Water (秋水, Qiu Shui, Guqin, 古琴) MP3

《庄子.秋水》 秋水时至,百川灌河;泾流之大,两涘渚崖之间不辩牛马。于是焉河伯欣然自喜,以天下之美为尽在己。顺流而东行,至于北海,东面而视,不见水端。于是焉河伯始旋其面目,望洋向若而叹曰:“野语有之曰,‘闻道百,以为莫己若’者,我之谓也。且夫我尝闻少仲尼之闻而轻伯夷之义者,始吾弗信;今我睹子之难穷也,吾非至于子之门则殆矣,吾长见笑于大方之家。”  北海若曰:“井鼃不可以语于海者,拘于虚也;夏虫不可以语于冰者,笃于时也;曲士不可以语于道者,束于教也。今尔出于崖涘,观于大海,乃知尔丑,尔将可与语大理矣。天下之水,莫大于海,万川归之,不知何时止而不盈;尾闾泄之,不知何时已而不虚;春秋不变,水旱不知。此其过江河之流,不可为量数。而吾未尝以此自多者,自以比形于天地而受气于阴阳,吾在于天地之间,犹小石小木之在大山也。方存乎见少,又奚以自多!计四海之在天地之间也,不似礨空之在大泽乎?计中国之在海内,不似稊米之在大仓乎?号物之数谓之万,人处一焉;人卒九州,谷食之所生,舟车之所通,人处一焉;此其比万物也,不似豪末之在于马体乎?五帝之所连,三王之所争,仁人之所忧,任士之所劳,尽此矣!伯夷辞之以为名,仲尼语之以为博,此其自多也;不似尔向之自多于水乎?”

 

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