Zhang Wenshou (張文收)

Overview

Zhang Wenshou was an official and Musician.

PeriodSui and Tang

IdentityHistorical · Male

Roles

Found in

Life and dates

Death

AD 670 咸亨元年
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 85, passage 143

Attested activity

AD 627 to AD 705 AD 627-705
Strongly inferred · New Book of Tang 113, passage 5
AD 637 十一年
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passage 58
AD 670 咸亨元年
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 85, passage 143
AD 626 to AD 649 唐太宗
Dated from the passage context · Old History of the Five Dynasties 145, passages 54, 112
AD 640 to AD 660 孝孫已卒
Dated from the passage context · New Book of Tang 21, passage 133
AD 626 武德九年
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passage 31

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AD 637 貞觀十一年
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 85, passage 138
AD 640 貞觀十四年
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 85, passage 142
AD 649 高宗即位
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passage 290

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Kin of Zhang Wenzong (張文琮)
paternal cousin 從父弟 · paternal line · Through Zhang Qianwei (張虔威), Father of Zhang Wenjun
paternal cousin (younger) 從父弟 · paternal line · Through Father of Zhang Wenshou, Father of Zhang Wencong
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 85, passage 132; New Book of Tang 113, passage 137
Child of Father of Zhang Wenshou
father 父
Strongly inferred · New Book of Tang 113, passage 137
Child of Zhang Qianwei (張虔威)
son 子
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 85, passage 132

Key source chapters

Career and standing

music composer 樂官
Strongly inferred · New Book of Tang 21, passage 290
music official correcting pitch pipes 考正律呂
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passage 133
Harmonizing Officer 協律郎
Appointed
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 85, passage 137
Harmony-Regulating Gentleman 協律郎
AD 626 武德九年 · Held
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passage 31

Places and affiliations

Polity Tang 唐 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 145, passage 54; New Book of Tang 21, passages 31, 133, 290

Learning and skills

Skill pitch-pipe manufacture 律 · Level practiced
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passage 31
Skill music theory and pitch pipes 音律 · Level renowned
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 85, passages 133, 136

Works and attributed material

Auspicious Clouds and Clear River / Yan Music 景雲河清樂
AD 640 貞觀十四年 · Relation Composer
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 85, passage 142
New Music Book 新樂書
Relation Author
Directly stated · Old Book of Tang 85, passage 144
New Music Writings 新樂書
Relation Author
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 113, passage 138
Jingyun River Clear song 景雲河清歌
Relation Composer
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passage 290
Yan Music 燕樂
Relation Composer
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passage 290
the twelve harmonies system was incomplete 十二和之制未備
Judgment · Speaker
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passage 133

Events and relationships

Composed jingyun river clear song
AD 649 高宗即位 · Scholarly · Composer
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passage 290
Corrected court music with zu xiaosun
Music reform · Reviser · With Zu Xiaosun (祖孝孫)
Directly stated · Old History of the Five Dynasties 145, passages 54, 112
Cut bamboo twelve pitch pipes
AD 626 武德九年 · Scholarly · Maker
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passage 31
Judged twelve harmonies incomplete and corrected pitch pipes
Ritual · Reformer · Outcome Musical pieces completed
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passage 133
Requested to restandardize remaining music
AD 637 十一年 · Scholarly · Petitioner
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passage 58
Tuned five mute bells
AD 626 武德九年 · Scholarly · Participant · With Zu Xiaosun (祖孝孫)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passage 31

Show 1 more source-backed claim

Relation Collaborated with · Person Lü Cai (呂才)
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passage 133

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · New Book of Tang 21, passages 31, 133

References in the histories

Search passages

History

14 passages

Old Book of Tang, Chapter 85Volume 81 Biographies 31: Cui Dunli, Lu Chengqin, Liu Xiangdao, Li Jingxuan, Li Yiyan, Sun Chuyue, Le Yanwei, Zhao Renben · 5 passages

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文琮從父弟文收，隋內史舍人虔威子也。 Wenzong's cousin Wenshou was the son of the Sui interior secretary Qianwei.

時太宗將創製禮樂，召文收於太常，令與少卿祖孝孫參定雅樂。 When Taizong was creating court music, Wenshou was called to the Imperial Sacrifices office to work with Zu Xiaosun.

文收吹律調之，聲皆響徹，時人咸服其妙。 Wenshou tuned them with his pipes until all rang clear, to general admiration.

十一年，文收表請厘正太樂，上謂侍臣曰：“樂本緣人，人和則樂和。 In year eleven he asked to reform court music; the emperor told his ministers, "Music follows the people—when people are at peace, music is in harmony.

十四年，景雲見，河水清，文收采《朱雁天馬》之義，製《景雲河清》樂，名曰“燕樂”，奏之管弦，為樂之首，今元會第一奏者是也， In year fourteen, when auspicious clouds and a clear Yellow River appeared, he composed "Auspicious Clouds and Clear River," called Yan Music—the piece still opened the New Year court.

Old History of the Five Dynasties, Chapter 145Volume 145: Treatises 7 Music 2 · 3 passages

Open chapter

唐太宗復古道，乃用祖孝孫、張文收考正雅樂，而旋宮八十四調復見於時，在懸之器，方無啞者，安、史之亂，京都為墟，器之與工，十不存一，所用歌奏，漸多紕繆。 Emperor Taizong of Tang restored the ancient tradition and had Zu Xiaosun and Zhang Wenshou revise the court music, so that the eighty-four circulatory modes reappeared and no instrument in the bell-chime ensemble remained mute. The An and Shi rebellion left the capital in ruins; scarcely one instrument or craftsman in ten survived, and the music performed grew ever more corrupt.

唐太宗爰命舊工祖孝孫、張文收整比鄭譯、萬寶常所均七音八十四調，方得絲管並施，鐘石俱奏，七始之音復振，四廂之韻皆調。 Emperor Taizong of Tang ordered veteran masters Zu Xiaosun and Zhang Wenshou to reconcile the seven-note, eighty-four-mode system of Zheng Yi and Wan Baochang; only then could strings and pipes sound together with bells and stones, the seven foundational tones revive, and harmony return to all four sides of the ensemble.

樞密使王樸，采京房之準法，練梁武之通音，考鄭譯、寶常之七均，校孝孫、文收之九變，積黍累以審其度，聽聲詩以測其情，依權衡嘉量之前文，得備數和聲之大旨，施於鐘虡，足洽《簫韶》。 Privy Council Commissioner Wang Pu drew on Jing Fang's pitch standard, mastered Emperor Wu of Liang's universal tones, studied the seven keys of Zheng Yi and Wan Baochang and the nine transformations of Zu Xiaosun and Zhang Wenshou, calibrated measures with millet grains, tested pitches against the Sound Poems, followed ancient standards of weight and measure, recovered the principle of numbered harmony, and applied it to bells and stands until it matched the legendary Xiao-Shao music.

New Book of Tang, Chapter 21Volume 21 Treatises 11: Rites and Music 11 · 4 passages