Chapter 11 Shi Kuang/Musician who dared to hit the king with his qin

Shi Kuang was a famous musician in the state of Jin during the Spring and Autumn Period. It is said that he was born in 572 BC and died in 532 BC.Shi is not his surname, but a general term for musicians in the pre-Qin period.Musicians in the pre-Qin period were either called "lings", such as Linglun, Lingzhoujiu, etc.; or "teachers", such as Shijuan, Shixiang, Shiwen, Shiyan, etc.The musicians called "shi" are basically blind, and Shi Kuang is also blind, but his musical attainments are very high. It is said that once Duke Ling of Wei was going to the state of Jin, he rested by the Pu River on the way.In the middle of the night, when he heard the sound of drums and zithers, he called for Weiguo's musician, Juan, and asked him to write down the melody.Duke Ling of Wei arrived in the state of Jin and met Duke Ping of Jin. Duke Ping of Jin entertained him with a banquet on the stage of Huishi.Just halfway through the drum, Shi Kuang stopped and said, "This is the sound of a subjugated country, and it shouldn't be played here." Duke Ping of Jin asked Shi Kuang how he knew it was the sound of a subjugated country.Shi Kuang said: "This piece of music is the melody that Shi Yan, the musician of King Zhou of Yin, made for King Zhou. When King Wu of Zhou defeated Zhou, Shi Yan fled eastward, and finally threw himself into Pushui and died. You heard this piece of music , it must be by the Pu River.” However, Jin Pinggong still asked Shi Juan to finish playing the piece.Then he asked Shi Kuang what kind of music it was.Shi Kuang replied that it was Qingshangle, which was not as good as Qingzheng.Shi Kuang played Qing Zheng on the qin, and sixteen white cranes flew into the court to sing and dance.Duke Ping of Jin asked Shi Kuang if there was any more sad music.Shi Kuang said that there is still a clear angle, but Jin Ping's public morality is weak, so he can't understand the clear angle.Jin Pinggong repeatedly asked Shi Kuang to play, but Shi Kuang had no choice but to play Qingjiao.After playing one song, white clouds rose from the northwest, and when the song was played again, the wind and rain came suddenly, blowing down the roof tiles of the verandah, scaring away the people on the left and right, and the state of Jin suffered a severe drought for three years.

Although this story is just a legend, it has been described many times in pre-Qin classics such as "Zuo Zhuan", "Mandarin Mandarin" and "Han Feizi". Shi Kuang's music is simply amazing. Shi Kuang's integrity is admirable.Once, Duke Ping of Jin drank wine with his officials. When the wine was hot, Duke Ping of Jin sighed and said, "It's a joy to be a king. No one dares to disobey what you say." At that time, Shi Kuang was sitting next to Duke Ping. Qin threw it at Jin Pinggong, but unfortunately he was blind, so he missed Jin Pinggong, and Qin hit the temple wall.Ping Gong asked him who he hit.Shi Kuang said: "I heard a villain talking nonsense just now, so I hit him with the qin." Duke Ping said, "That's not a villain, it's me." Shi Kuang pretended to be surprised and said, "No, isn't it?" , That’s not what the king should say.” The people on the left and right please kill Shi Kuang, and Jin Pinggong said: “Let him go, let this matter be my lesson.”