October 5, 2025 at the New York Qin Society Mid-Autumn guqin yaji, I shared this ancient piece, Autumn Moon Shines on the Reed Pavilion, from 1425 SQMP . Wishing everyone a joyful Mid-Autumn Festival!
此曲的調弦是緊五絃, 鬆一絃, 出於神奇秘譜, 譜中說: 這首曲子據說是蔡邕(大約132-192 是個大儒學家與大書法家), 或著左思(大約250-307 自幼其貌不扬却才华出众, 會彈琴, 他寫的[三都賦]造成"洛陽紙貴")所作. 此曲的意趣在於"寫天宇之一碧, 萬籟之咸寂, 有孤月之明秋, 影涵萬象, 當斯之時，良夜寂寥，迢迢未央，孤坐茅亭，抱琴於膝，鼓弦而歌，以訴心中之志。但見明月窺人，入於茅亭之內，便使心與道融，意與妙合，不知琴之於手，手之於琴，皆神會也。其趣也如此"。
The tuning of this piece is achieved by tightening the fifth string and loosening the first string. It comes from the Shenqi Mipu. According to the score, the piece is attributed either to Tsai Yong ( circa 132–192, a renowned Confucian scholar and master calligrapher) or to Zuo Si (c. 250–307, who, though unremarkable in appearance from childhood, possessed extraordinary talent, was skilled in qin playing, and authored the Rhapsody on the Three Capitals—a work so celebrated that paper in Luoyang became scarce as everyone rushed to copy it).
The essence of the piece is described as follows: “It portrays the clear expanse of the heavens, the silence of all things, and the solitary radiance of the autumn moon, whose light embraces all creation. In such a moment—when the night is tranquil and boundless—one sits alone in a thatched pavilion, the qin resting on the lap, playing and singing to give voice to the heart’s aspirations.
The bright moon peers in, shining into the pavilion. This vision causes the heart to merge with the Dao and the thoughts to unite with mystery. Unaware of the qin in the hands or the hands upon the qin, spirit and music become one. Such is the charm of this piece.
