Three Variations on the Plum Blossom
Passed down by Tsar Teh-yun

This was originally a dizi piece associated with Huan Yi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420). It was later arranged for the guqin in the Tang Dynasty, and had become a favourite piece among guqin players ever since. The music describes the loftiness and pureness of plum blossom. The “three variations” in the title refers to the three times the harmonic section played, progressing from tranquility to brightness. These three sections start at 1:16, 2:10 and 3:51 respectively in the video.

Guqin (silk strings): John Yiu Shek-on