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At a glance
- Condition
- New
- Dimensions
- 8.5 x 0.48 x 11 in
- Weight
- 2.31 lb
- Publisher
- Toronto Guqin Society
- Publication date
- May 12, 2010
- Edition
- Fourth Edition
- Language
- English
Description
Standards of the Guqin is the first original textbook in English for the Chinese seven-stringed zither, traditionally favoured by scholars and clergy past and present. This book provides a holistic curriculum for students without prior knowledge of the Chinese language or culture, covering history, construction, technique, and critique of the musical tradition. The Fifth Edition features a revised and updated curriculum of Chinese music theory (including temperament, modality, tuning, and musical analysis) and history in addition to performance, a chapter on the historical manuscript interpretation process known as dapu. All jianzipu fingering tablature and musical scores are digitally generated in high-resolution for quality legibility. Read more
Specs 10
| Publisher | Toronto Guqin Society |
|---|---|
| Publication date | May 12, 2010 |
| Edition | Fourth Edition |
| Language | English |
| Print length | 226 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0986622508 |
| ISBN-13 | 02 |
| Item Weight | 2.31 pounds |
| Reading age | 1 year and up |
| Dimensions | 8.5 x 0.48 x 11 inches |
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Top Amazon Reviews
From Beginner to Master
Format: Paperback
This book contains essential knowledge for beginners of guqin, namely the Chinese notation system in written music (jianzipu). It also contains very high level music theory information, which might go over the heads of less knowledgeable musicians (myself included). Though I have played multiple instruments, this is the most music theory I have read, so it presents a new challenge, just like the instrument itself. However, this book shows a great opportunity to grow as a musician with guqin. Repertoire songs have a short section after that aids in increasing the lessons you will learn from each piece. It is very unfortunate that my copy has blank musical staffs for Shang Motif (p174), Celestial Air (p176), and Hidden Virtues (p178). Despite that, I still believe this book is fundamental (and more!) to a guqin learner who is not fluent in Mandarin.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2024 by 9oW
A good introduction to the guqin
Format: Paperback
The author claims that it’s written at the high school level, but even then, all the complex and abstract musical theory and mathematics makes it a rather dense read. At best, I think that most of the reading is suited at the college level. I just wish that the author could have included detailed and easy to understand info on how to play it. It goes from score symbols, to complex and dense reading, and then straight to the music scores; also, I wish that the author could have written the accompanying musical scores in jianpu rather than western musical theory. At best, it is better suited for college level reading and academia; and I highly regret saying that because I personally stay away from tedious academic writing. I also wonder why the author chose to use numbers to mark tones in Mandarin (e.x. mo3, gou1, ti1), instead of pinyin? Anyway, it is a good introduction to the guqin that is written in English; this is perhaps the only English written manual for the guqin as it is extremely rare to find anything else in English. Use it as a supplement for your lessons and as a review. I highly suggest that you find a teacher and use this manual to supplement your learning.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2022 by Alex
Good for beginners to start out on
Format: Paperback
As a beginner, this was very helpful in understanding jianzipu notation, and the included western notation was somewhat helpful in understanding what each part did. it is also quite informative as almost the entire first half of the book is about guqin's history, music theory, notation, and maintenance. Almost the rest of the other half are the music sheets and their introductory pages of their context. I don't really have a teacher to assist with my learning so there was a considerable learning curve the first time around when I moved onto the 2nd introductory piece and had to break it down piece by piece slowly. The 1st introductory piece was perfect for a beginner to learn though. It is a given that you study the notation charts although some of the notation won't be relevant until later pieces a few months down the book's recommended curriculum. It would be nice if there was an additional page/section for each piece detailing what jianzipu that is needed to be learnt before attempting the piece instead of having to find the notation in the charts 52+ pages back, but we will have to make do with manually making personal notes on the music sheets and book tabs. I possess the normal 4th Edition book and the ring-binded 5th edition. The ring-binded book sits easier on my music stand and there's no spine that requires excessive stressing to keep the book open. The 5th Edition is a rewrite that corrects the deficiencies and inaccuracies of the 4th Edition. Overall, definitely would recommend this resource to anyone starting out with guqin.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2026 by Vincent Vu
Very detailed, excellent value-for-money! :-)
Format: Paperback
This book describes the guqin so well and in such detail, that although I have not received the instrument in the mail yet I already feel like I I know everything I need to know to start playing the instrument. It has very well illustrated instructions, detailed explanations, and goes very in-depth about everything it needs to. The book even includes various practice pieces in the back, which is not something I was expecting! Absolutely fantastic, I can't wait to start using it when I get the instrument in! :-)
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Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2020 by mokona madoki
Best fingering chart I've found
Format: Paperback
This has the best finding chart I have found and good info. I'm really glad that the book that came with my guqin has simple learning bars though, since this one skips to more advanced music. I will use the charts and explanations in this book to help notate my book that is in Chinese. The pair of books should get me a good base knowledge.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2024 by Ladybug
The Only One Out There
Format: Paperback
Got my new guqin and started looking for resources. Got a nice book in Chinese from the shop, got lots of explanations for the notation online and from the Abiding in Antiquity translation. This book brings it all together in one place, in English. Seems to be the only source for learning guqin in English, so five stars for that.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2022 by W. Caulfield
A Must-Have for lovers of Chinese music!
Format: Paperback
The only book of it's kind in English. Now in it's third edition, "Standards of the Guchin" provides the quintessential introduction to China's most mysterious, celestial music and it's history. Everything is here with references to on line instructional videos and full length performances by the author. Aesthetics, notation, tuning systems, technique and lessons with many pieces serve as a complete beginning curriculum for private and group instruction. This comprehensive volume addresses a world of specific knowledge never before available to English readers and fosters a love and appreciation of the Guchin and it's music,from the most ancient times up until today.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2016 by Dean Poulsen
Cannot teach yourself with this book, translation does work either.
Format: Paperback
too hard of a book to understand, it was written in another language and some is translated but not all, very hard to teach yourself and understand.
Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 2025 by Lechef