1
聲無形而樂有器。 古之作樂者，知夫器之必有弊，而聲不可以言傳，懼夫器失而聲遂亡也，乃多為之法以著之。 故始求聲者以律，而造律者以黍。 自一黍之廣，積而為分、寸； 一黍之多，積而為龠、合； 一黍之重，積而為銖、兩。 此造律之本也。 故為之長短之法，而著之於度； 為之多少之法，而著之於量； 為之輕重之法，而著之於權衡。 是三物者，亦必有時而弊，則又總其法而著之於數。 使其分寸、龠合、銖兩皆起於黃鍾，然後律、度、量、衡相用為表裏，使得律者可以制度、量、衡，因度、量、衡亦可以制律。 不幸而皆亡，則推其法數而制之，用其長短、多少、輕重以相參考。 四者既同，而聲必至，聲至后樂可作矣。 夫物用於有形而必弊，聲藏於無形而不竭，以有數之法求無形之聲，其法具存。 無作則已，苟有作者，雖去聖人於千萬歲後，無不得焉。 此古之君子知物之終始，而憂世之慮深，其多為之法而丁寧纖悉，可謂至矣。
Sound is formless, yet music requires instruments. Ancient composers knew instruments wear out and sound cannot be passed on in speech; lest instruments vanish and sound with them, they devised many ways to fix it in writing. Those who first pursued tone turned to pitch pipes; those who forged pitch pipes took millet as their measure. From the width of a single millet grain, one accumulates fen and cun. From the capacity of one millet grain, one accumulates yue and he. From the weight of one millet grain, one accumulates zhu and liang. Such is the foundation of pitch-pipe manufacture. They codified rules of length and fixed them in the standard of length. They codified rules of quantity and fixed them in the standard of capacity. They codified rules of weight and fixed them in balances and steelyards. These three standards too must eventually fail; they therefore summed their rules and committed them to number. Fen, cun, yue, he, zhu, and liang all derived from the Yellow Bell; pitch pipes, length, capacity, and weight then served as mutual inner and outer measures—whoever held the pipes could derive the rest, and from length, capacity, and weight one could likewise derive the pipes. Should all be lost, one could still reconstruct them from their numerical rules, cross-checking length, capacity, and weight. Once the four agreed, tone would surely be recovered; with tone restored, music could be composed. Material things in visible form wear out; sound dwelling in the invisible does not exhaust itself—seek the formless through numbered rules, and the rules endure entire. If none undertakes the task, so be it; yet whoever does, though ten thousand years from the sages, need miss nothing. The ancients, knowing how things begin and end and anxious for posterity, multiplied methods with painstaking detail—nothing could exceed it.
2
三代既亡，禮樂失其本，至其聲器、有司之守，亦以散亡。 自漢以來，歷代莫不有樂，作者各因其所學，雖清濁高下時有不同，然不能出於法數。 至其所以用於郊廟、朝廷，以接人神之歡，其金石之響，歌舞之容，則各因其功業治亂之所起，而本其風俗之所由。
When the Three Dynasties ended, rites and music lost their foundation; even instruments and the officials charged with them dispersed and vanished. Since Han every dynasty had music; each maker drew on his own training; pitch might vary, yet none escaped the numerical system. For music at suburban rites and court, where men and spirits meet in joy, the clang of metal and stone and the form of dance reflected each dynasty's rise or fall and the customs from which they sprang.
3
自漢、魏之亂，晉遷江南，中國遂沒於夷狄。 至隋滅陳，始得其樂器，稍欲因而有作，而時君褊迫，不足以堪其事也。 是時鄭譯、牛弘、辛彥之、何妥、蔡子元、于普明之徒，皆名知樂，相與譔定。 依京房六十律，因而六之，為三百六十律，以當一歲之日，又以一律為七音，音為一調，凡十二律為八十四調，其說甚詳。 而終隋之世，所用者黃鍾一宮，五夏、二舞、登歌、房中等十四調而已。
After the chaos of Han and Wei, Jin retreated to the south; the heartland fell to northern peoples. Sui's conquest of Chen recovered Chen instruments and stirred hopes of renewal, but the reigning emperor was too cramped in means to finish the work. Zheng Yi, Niu Hong, Xin Yanzhi, He Tuo, Cai Ziyuan, Yu Puming, and others—all celebrated masters—jointly drafted the regulations. They took Jing Fang's sixty pipes, multiplied by six for three hundred sixty to match the year's days, assigned seven tones per pipe and one mode per tone, yielding eighty-four modes from twelve pipes—a treatise of great detail. Yet Sui in practice used only Yellow Bell in the palace mode—Five Summers, the two dances, ascent song, chamber pieces—fourteen modes altogether.
4
記曰：「功成作樂。」 蓋王者未作樂之時，必因其舊而用之。 唐興即用隋樂。 武德九年，始詔太常少卿祖孝孫、協律郎竇璡等定樂。 初，隋用黃鍾一宮，惟擊七鍾，其五鍾設而不擊，謂之啞鍾。 唐協律郎張文收乃依古斷竹為十二律，高祖命與孝孫吹調五鍾，叩之而應，由是十二鍾皆用。 孝孫又以十二月旋相為六十聲、八十四調。 其法，因五音生二變，因變徵為正徵，因變宮為清宮。 七音起黃鍾，終南呂，迭為綱紀。 黃鍾之律，管長九寸，王於中宮土。 半之，四寸五分，與清宮合，五音之首也。 加以二變，循環無間。 故一宮、二商、三角、四變徵、五徵、六羽、七變宮，其聲繇濁至清為一均。 凡十二宮調，皆正宮也。 正宮聲之下，無復濁音，故五音以宮為尊。 十二商調，調有下聲一，謂宮也。 十二角調，調有下聲二，宮、商也。 十二徵調，調有下聲三，宮、商、角也。 十二羽調，調有下聲四，宮、商、角、徵也。 十二變徵調，居角音之後，正徵之前。 十二變宮調，在羽音之後，清宮之前。 雅樂成調，無出七聲，本宮遞相用。 唯樂章則隨律定均，合以笙、磬，節以鍾、鼓。 樂既成，奏之。
The Record states: "When achievement is complete, music is composed. Before a sovereign fashions new music, he necessarily continues the former repertoire. Tang at its founding adopted Sui music outright. In Wude year 9 the throne ordered Vice Director Zu Xiaosun, Harmony-Regulating Gentleman Dou Jin, and colleagues to standardize the music. Initially Sui kept to Yellow Bell palace mode and struck only seven bells; five bells stood silent—"mute bells." Zhang Wenshou, Harmony-Regulating Gentleman, cut bamboo into twelve pipes by ancient rule; Gaozu had him and Xiaosun tune the five mute bells—they answered when struck, and all twelve bells came into use. Xiaosun further derived sixty sounds and eighty-four modes by cyclically permuting the twelve months. The method generated two "altered" tones from the five; altered zhi became proper zhi, altered gong became clear gong. Seven tones ran from Yellow Bell to Nanlü, alternating as structural threads. The Yellow Bell pipe measures nine cun and rules as earth at the central palace. Halved to four cun five fen, it aligns with clear gong—the leading tone of the five. With the two alterations added, the cycle closes without break. Thus: gong, shang, jue, altered zhi, zhi, yu, altered gong—pitch ascending from muddy to clear within one jun. All twelve gong modes count as proper gong. Proper gong admits no tone below it in pitch; hence gong ranks first among the five. Each of the twelve shang modes carries one underpinning tone—gong. Each jue mode carries two underpinning tones—gong and shang. Each zhi mode carries three underpinning tones—gong, shang, and jue. Each yu mode carries four underpinning tones—gong through zhi. Twelve altered-zhi modes sit after jue and before proper zhi. Twelve altered-gong modes sit after yu and before clear gong. Court music forms its modes within seven tones, the home gong passing from one to the next. For actual pieces the jun follows the pipes, joined with mouth-organ and stone chimes, paced by bells and drums. Once the music stood complete, it was performed.
5
太宗謂侍臣曰：「古者聖人沿情以作樂，國之興衰，未必由此。」 御史大夫杜淹曰：「陳將亡也，有玉樹後庭花，齊將亡也，有伴侶曲，聞者悲泣，所謂亡國之音哀以思。 以是觀之，亦樂之所起。」 帝曰：「夫聲之所感，各因人之哀樂。 將亡之政，其民苦，故聞以悲。 今玉樹、伴侶之曲尚存，為公奏之，知必不悲。」 尚書右丞魏徵進曰：「孔子稱：『樂云樂云，鍾鼓云乎哉。』 樂在人和，不在音也。」 十一年，張文收復請重正餘樂，帝不許，曰：「朕聞人和則樂和，隋末喪亂，雖改音律而樂不和。 若百姓安樂，金石自諧矣。」
Taizong told his ministers: "Sages of old shaped music from human feeling; a dynasty's fortune need not hinge on it. Censor-in-Chief Du Yan replied: "Chen on the brink had Jade Tree in the Rear Courtyard; Qi had the Companion Piece—listeners wept. Such is the 'music of a dying realm,' grief within longing. Seen this way, music too can herald ruin." The emperor said: "Sound moves each listener according to his own sorrow or joy. Where rule is failing the people are wretched; hearing such songs, they grieve. Those tunes survive; play them for you now and you will not weep." Wei Zheng, Right Vice Director, said: "Confucius asked: 'Music, music—is it only bells and drums? Music rests in concord among people, not in notes." In year 11 Zhang Wenshou again asked to retune the remaining repertoire; the emperor refused: "When the people are at peace, music harmonizes; Sui's final chaos left pipes retuned yet music discordant. Let the common people live in ease, and metal and stone will accord without further effort."
6
文收既定樂，復鑄銅律三百六十、銅斛二、銅秤二、銅甌十四、秤尺一。 斛左右耳與臀皆方，積十而登，以至於斛，與古玉尺、玉斗同。 皆藏於太樂署。 武后時，太常卿武延秀以為奇玩，乃獻之。 及將考中宗廟樂，有司奏請出之，而秤尺已亡，其跡猶存，以常用度量校之，尺當六之五，量、衡皆三之一。 至肅宗時，山東人魏延陵得律一，因中官李輔國獻之，云：「太常諸樂調皆下，不合黃鍾，請悉更制諸鍾磬。」 帝以為然，乃悉取太常諸樂器入于禁中，更加磨剡，凡二十五日而成。 御三殿觀之，以還太常，然以漢律考之，黃鍾乃太簇也，當時議者以為非是。
Once Wenshou had settled the music, he cast three hundred sixty copper pitch pipes, two copper hu, two steelyards, fourteen copper ou, and one measuring rod for the steelyard. The hu's ears and base were square; capacities stacked by tens to the hu, matching ancient jade measure and dipper. All were kept in the Office of Great Music. Under Empress Wu, Director Wu Yanxiu treated them as marvels and presented them to the throne. For Zhongzong's temple music the offices requested them; the measuring rod was gone though its marks remained—against present measures the foot was five-sixths, capacity and weight one-third each. Under Suzong, Wei Yanling of Shandong found a pipe and presented it through Li Fuguo, claiming Court tunes all ran low against Yellow Bell and all bells and stones should be remade. The emperor agreed, brought every Court instrument within the palace, filed and polished them, and finished in twenty-five days. He inspected them in the Three Halls and returned them; tested against Han standards, Yellow Bell matched Taizu—critics deemed this mistaken.
7
其後黃巢之亂，樂工逃散，金奏皆亡。 昭宗即位，將謁郊廟，有司不知樂縣制度。 太常博士殷盈孫按周法以算數除鎛鍾輕重高卬，黃鍾九寸五分，倍應鍾三寸三分半，凡四十八等。 圖上口項之量及徑衡之圍。 乃命鑄鎛鍾十二，編鍾二百四十。 宰相張濬為脩奉樂縣使，求知聲者，得處士蕭承訓等，校石磬，合而擊拊之，音遂諧。
After Huang Chao's revolt musicians scattered; all metal music was lost. Zhaozong, on accession, prepared suburban rites; officials no longer knew how to set the music stands. Doctor Yin Yingsun, by Zhou arithmetic, calculated bo-bell weight and pitch—Yellow Bell at nine cun five fen, doubled Ying Bell at three cun three and a half fen, forty-eight grades total. He charted mouth and crown dimensions and stem and crossbar circumference. He ordered twelve bo bells and two hundred forty chime-bells cast. Zhang Jun, chief minister, as commissioner for the music stands found masters such as Xiao Chengxun, tuned the stone chimes, and achieved harmony.
8
唐為國而作樂之制尤簡，高祖、太宗即用隋樂與孝孫、文收所定而已。 其後世所更者，樂章舞曲。 至于昭宗，始得盈孫焉，故其議論罕所發明。 若其樂歌廟舞，用於當世者，可以考也。
Tang's state-music regulations were notably spare: Gaozu and Taizong kept Sui music plus Xiaosun's and Wenshou's revisions. Later changes touched chiefly lyrics and dances. Not until Zhaozong and Yin Yingsun did theory find voice again; earlier discourse seldom innovated. Their temple hymns, dances, and contemporary usage can still be traced.
9
樂縣之制。 宮縣四面，天子用之。 若祭祀，則前祀二日，太樂令設縣於壇南內壝之外，北嚮。 東方、西方，磬虡起北，鍾虡次之； 南方、北方，磬虡起西，鍾虡次之。 鎛鍾十有二，在十二辰之位。 樹雷鼓於北縣之內、道之左右，植建鼓於四隅。 置柷、敔於縣內，柷在右，敔在左。 設歌鍾、歌磬於壇上，南方北向。 磬虡在西，鍾虡在東。 琴、瑟、箏、筑皆一，當磬虡之次，匏、竹在下。 凡天神之類，皆以雷鼓； 地祇之類，皆以靈鼓； 人鬼之類，皆以路鼓。 其設於庭，則在南，而登歌者在堂。 若朝會，則加鍾磬十二虡，設鼓吹十二案於建鼓之外。 案設羽葆鼓一，大鼓一，金錞一，歌、簫、笳皆二。 登歌，鍾、磬各一虡，節鼓一，歌者四人，琴、瑟、箏、筑皆一，在堂上； 笙、和、簫、篪、塤皆一，在堂下。 若皇后享先蠶，則設十二大磬，以當辰位，而無路鼓。 軒縣三面，皇太子用之。 若釋奠于文宣王、武成王，亦用之。 其制，去宮縣之南面。 判縣二面，唐之舊禮，祭風伯、雨師、五嶽、四瀆用之。 其制，去軒縣之北面。 皆植建鼓於東北、西北二隅。 特縣，去判縣之西面，或陳於階間，有其制而無所用。
Regulations for music stands. Palace stands on four sides were reserved for the Son of Heaven. For sacrifice, two days prior the Director of Great Music erects stands south of the altar within the inner rampart, facing north. East and west: stone-chime frames begin at the north, bell frames follow. South and north: stone-chime frames begin at the west, bell frames follow. Twelve bo bells occupy the twelve chronogram stations. Thunder drums stand within the northern frame, flanking the path; establishment drums at the four corners. Zhu and yu sit inside the frame—zhu right, yu left. Song bells and song chimes are placed on the altar, the southern tier facing north. Stone-chime frames west, bell frames east. One each of qin, se, zheng, and zhu beside the stone frames; gourd and bamboo below. Heavenly spirits are accompanied by thunder drums. Earthly spirits by spirit drums. Human ghosts by road drums. In the courtyard the stands lie southward; ascent singers remain in the hall. At court audiences twelve more bell and chime frames appear, with twelve wind-and-drum tables beyond the establishment drums. Each table holds one feather-canopied drum, one great drum, one bronze chime, and pairs of song-pipe, xiao, and horn. Ascent song: one bell frame, one chime frame, one marking drum, four singers, qin, se, zheng, and zhu on the hall. Sheng, he, xiao, chi, and xun—one each below the hall. For the empress's First Silkworm rite, twelve great stone chimes match the chronogram stations, without road drums. Pavilion stands on three sides served the heir apparent. Libations to Confucius and the Martial Completion King used them as well. Its layout omits the palace stand's southern side. Two-sided adjudged stands served Tang's old rites to wind, rain, the Five Peaks, and the Four Rivers. Its layout omits the pavilion stand's northern side. Establishment drums stand at the northeast and northwest corners. Special stands drop the adjudged stand's west face or sit between stairways—prescribed yet never employed.
10
凡橫者為簨，植者為虡。 虡以縣鍾磬，皆十有六，周人謂之一堵，而唐人謂之一虡。 自隋以前，宮縣二十虡。 及隋平陳，得梁故事用三十六虡，遂用之。 唐初因隋舊，用三十六虡。 高宗蓬萊宮成，增用七十二虡。 至武后時省之。 開元定禮，始依古著為二十虡。 至昭宗時，宰相張濬已修樂縣，乃言，舊制，太清宮、南北郊、社稷及諸殿廷用二十虡，而太廟、含元殿用三十六虡，濬以為非古，而廟廷狹隘，不能容三十六，乃復用二十虡。 而鍾虡四，以當甲丙庚壬，磬虡四，以當乙丁辛癸，與開元禮異，而不知其改制之時。 或說以鍾磬應陰陽之位，此禮經所不著。
Horizontal members are beams; upright supports are frames. Frames hold bells and chimes, sixteen per unit—Zhou called one unit a "wall," Tang called it a frame. Before Sui, palace stands employed twenty frames. Sui's conquest of Chen recovered Liang practice—thirty-six frames—and Tang followed. Early Tang retained Sui's thirty-six frames. After Gaozong's Penglai Palace rose, the count doubled to seventy-two frames. Empress Wu later cut them back. Kaiyuan ritual reform restored the ancient twenty frames. Under Zhaozong, Zhang Jun—having restored the stands—noted that suburban rites and most halls used twenty frames while the Ancestral Temple and Hanyuan Hall used thirty-six; deeming this unancient and the courts too cramped, he reverted to twenty. Four bell frames matched jia-bing-geng-ren; four chime frames matched yi-ding-xin-gui—unlike Kaiyuan usage, though when the change occurred is unknown. Some claimed bells and chimes mapped yin-yang stations—the classics record no such rule.
11
凡樂八音，自漢以來，惟金以鍾定律呂，故其制度最詳，其餘七者，史官不記。 至唐，獨宮縣與登歌、鼓吹十二案樂器有數，其餘皆略而不著，而其物名具在。 八音：一曰金，為鎛鍾，為編鍾，為歌鍾，為錞，為鐃，為鐲，為鐸。 二曰石，為大磬，為編磬，為歌磬。 三曰土，為壎，為嘂，嘂，大壎也。 四曰革，為雷鼓，為靈鼓，為路鼓，皆有鼗； 為建鼓，為鼗鼓，為縣鼓，為節鼓，為拊，為相。 五曰絲，為琴，為瑟，為頌瑟，頌瑟，箏也； 為阮咸，為筑。 六曰木，為柷，為敔，為雅，為應。 七曰匏，為笙，為竽，為巢，巢，大笙也； 為和，和，小笙也。 八曰竹，為簫，為管，為篪，為笛，為舂牘。 此其樂器也。
Since Han only the metal class—bells fixing pitch—was fully documented; historians left the other seven sounds vague. Tang records give counts for palace stands, ascent song, and the twelve wind tables; other instruments are named but not tallied. Eight sounds: I. Metal—bo bells, serial bells, song bells, cymbals, naos, bozhuo, duo. II. Stone—great chimes, serial chimes, song chimes. III. Earth—xun and jiao (the great xun). IV. Hide—thunder, spirit, and road drums, each with rattles. Also establishment drum, tao drum, suspended drum, marking drum, clapper, and xiang. V. Silk—qin, se, ode-se (i.e., zheng). Ruanxian and zhu. VI. Wood—zhu, yu, ya, ying. VII. Gourd—sheng, yu, chao (great sheng). He—the small sheng. VIII. Bamboo—xiao, guan, chi, di, chundu. Such were the instruments.
12
初，祖孝孫已定樂，乃曰大樂與天地同和者也，製十二和，以法天之成數，號大唐雅樂：一曰豫和，二曰順和，三曰永和，四曰肅和，五曰雍和，六曰壽和，七曰太和，八曰舒和，九曰昭和，十曰休和，十一曰正和，十二曰承和。 用於郊廟、朝廷，以和人神。 孝孫已卒，張文收以為十二和之制未備，乃詔有司釐定，而文收考正律呂，起居郎呂才叶其聲音，樂曲遂備。 自高宗以後，稍更其曲名。 開元定禮，始復遵用孝孫十二和，其著于禮者：
Zu Xiaosun, having set the music, declared great music one with Heaven and Earth and fashioned twelve harmonies after heaven's full number—Great Tang Elegant Music: Yu, Shun, Yong, Su, Yong-yong, Shou, Tai, Shu, Zhao, Xiu, Zheng, Cheng. They served suburban altars and court to unite men and spirits. After Xiaosun's death Wenshou found the twelve harmonies unfinished; the throne ordered revision—Wenshou tuned the pipes, Lü Cai matched the tones, and the repertoire was complete. From Gaozong on, piece titles shifted. Kaiyuan ritual code restored Xiaosun's twelve harmonies, of which the rites record:
13
一曰豫和，以降天神。 冬至祀圓丘，上辛祈穀，孟夏雩，季秋享明堂，朝日，夕月，巡狩告于圓丘，燔柴告至，封祀太山，類于上帝，皆以圜鍾為宮，三奏； 黃鍾為角，太簇為徵，姑洗為羽，各一奏，文舞六成。 五郊迎氣，黃帝以黃鍾為宮，赤帝以函鍾為徵，白帝以太簇為商，黑帝以南呂為羽，青帝以姑洗為角，皆文舞六成。
I. Yühe—to summon heavenly spirits. Round Mound winter solstice, grain prayers, summer rain rite, Bright Hall autumn rite, sun and moon sacrifices, tour announcements, Feng and Shan—all take round-bell as gong, three plays. Yellow Bell as jue, Taizu as zhi, Guxian as yu, one play each; civil dance six sections. Five suburban welcome rites assign gong, zhi, shang, yu, or jue by the deity—each with civil dance six sections.
14
二曰順和，以降地祇。 夏至祭方丘，孟冬祭神州地祇，春秋社，巡狩告社，宜于社，禪社首，皆以函鍾為宮，太簇為角，姑洗為徵，南呂為羽，各三奏，文舞八成。 望于山川，以蕤賓為宮，三奏。
II. Shunhe—for earthly spirits. Square Mound summer solstice, Land and Grain winter rite, spring and autumn she, tour she announcements—Hánzhong gong, Taizu jue, Guxian zhi, Nanlü yu, three plays each; civil dance eight sections. Mountain and river sacrifices use Ruibin as gong, three plays.
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三曰永和，以降人鬼。 時享、禘祫，有事而告謁于廟，皆以黃鍾為宮，三奏； 大呂為角，太簇為徵，應鍾為羽，各二奏。 文舞九成。 祀先農，皇太子釋奠，皆以姑洗為宮，文舞三成； 送神，各以其曲一成。 蜡兼天地人，以黃鍾奏豫和，蕤賓、姑洗、太簇奏順和，無射、夷則奏永和，六均皆一成以降神，而送神以豫和。
III. Yonghe—for human spirits. Seasonal temple offerings and di/xia rites use Yellow Bell as gong, three plays. Dalu as jue, Taizu as zhi, Yingzhong as yu, two each. Civil dance nine sections. First Farmer and heir apparent libations use Guxian as gong, civil dance three sections. Spirit dismissal uses each piece once. La rite unites heaven, earth, and man—Yühe on Yellow Bell, Shunhe on Ruibin and Guxian, Yonghe on Wuxie and Yize; six jun one play each for descent; dismissal returns to Yühe.
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四曰肅和，登歌以奠玉帛。 于天神，以大呂為宮； 于地祇，以應鍾為宮； 于宗廟，以圜鍾為宮； 祀先農、釋奠，以南呂為宮； 望于山川，以函鍾為宮。
IV. Suhe—ascent song presenting jade and silk. To heavenly spirits: Dalu as gong. To earthly spirits: Yingzhong as gong. To the ancestral temple: round-bell as gong. First Farmer and libation: Nanlü as gong. Mountains and rivers: Hánzhong as gong.
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五曰雍和，凡祭祀以入俎。 天神之俎，以黃鍾為宮； 地祇之俎，以太簇為宮； 人鬼之俎，以無射為宮。 又以徹豆。 凡祭祀，俎入之後，接神之曲亦如之。
V. Yong-yong—music when offerings enter the tray. Heavenly offering trays: Yellow Bell as gong. Earthly offering trays: Taizu as gong. Human-spirit trays: Wuxie as gong. Also for withdrawing the bean vessels. After trays enter, the spirit-receiving pieces repeat the same modes.
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六曰壽和，以酌獻、飲福。 以黃鍾為宮。
VI. Shouhe—for libation pour and blessing cup. Yellow Bell as gong.
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七曰太和，以為行節。 亦以黃鍾為宮。 凡祭祀，天子入門而即位，與其升降，至于還次，行則作，止則止。 其在朝廷，天子將自內出，撞黃鍾之鍾，右五鍾應，乃奏之。 其禮畢，興而入，撞蕤賓之鍾，左五鍾應，乃奏之。 皆以黃鍾為宮。
VII. Taihe—for procession cadence. Also Yellow Bell as gong. At sacrifices the Son of Heaven's every step from gate to position and back—music plays while he moves, stops when he halts. At court, before the emperor exits the inner palace, he strikes Yellow Bell; the five right bells answer, then Taihe plays. When the rite ends and he re-enters, Ruibin is struck; the five left bells answer. Both use Yellow Bell as gong.
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八曰舒和，以出入二舞，及皇太子、王公、羣后、國老若皇后之妾御、皇太子之宮臣，出入門則奏之。 皆以太簇之商。
VIII. Shuhe—for the two dances' entry and exit, and for heirs, princes, consorts, elders, and palace officers at gates. All use Taizu as shang.
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九曰昭和，皇帝、皇太子以舉酒。
IX. Zhaohe—emperor and heir raising the wine cup.
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十曰休和，皇帝以飯，以肅拜三老，皇太子亦以飯。 皆以其月之律均。
X. Xiuhe—imperial meal and bow to the Three Elders; heir's meal likewise. All follow the month's pitch jun.
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十一曰正和，皇后受冊以行。
XI. Zhenghe—empress receiving the seal in procession.
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十二曰承和，皇太子在其宮，有會以行。 若駕出，則撞黃鍾，奏太和。 出太極門而奏采茨，至于嘉德門而止。 其還也亦然。
XII. Chenghe—heir apparent's palace assemblies in procession. On imperial departure, Yellow Bell is struck and Taihe played. Leaving the Supreme Ultimate Gate, Caici plays until Jiade Gate, then ceases. The return journey repeats the same.
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初，隋有文舞、武舞，至祖孝孫定樂，更文舞曰治康，武舞曰凱安，舞者各六十四人。 文舞：左籥右翟，與執纛而引者二人，皆委貌冠，黑素，絳領，廣袖，白絝，革帶，烏皮履。 武舞：左干右戚，執旌居前者二人，執鼗執鐸皆二人，金錞二，輿者四人，奏者二人，執鐃二人，執相在左，執雅在右，皆二人夾導，服平冕，餘同文舞。 朝會則武弁，平巾幘，廣袖，金甲，豹文絝，烏皮鞾。 執干戚夾導，皆同郊廟。 凡初獻，作文舞之舞； 亞獻、終獻，作武舞之舞。 太廟降神以文舞，每室酌獻，各用其廟之舞。 禘祫遷廟之主合食，則舞亦如之。 儀鳳二年，太常卿韋萬石定凱安舞六變：一變象龍興參墟； 二變象克定關中； 三變象東夏賓服； 四變象江淮平； 五變象獫狁伏從； 六變復位以崇，象兵還振旅。
Sui had civil and martial dances; Xiaosun renamed them Zhikang and Kai'an—sixty-four dancers each. Civil dance: yue left, di right; two banner bearers lead; weimao caps, black robes, crimson collars, broad sleeves, white trousers, leather belts, black shoes. Martial dance: shield left, axe right; flag, tao, duo, cymbal, and nao bearers; xiang left, ya right; pingmian caps; otherwise as civil dress. Court audiences: martial caps, pingjin scarves, broad sleeves, golden armor, leopard-trimmed trousers, black boots. Shield and axe guides as at suburban rites. First offering: civil dance. Second and final offerings: martial dance. Ancestral temple descent uses civil dance; each shrine's libation uses its own dance. Combined di/xia feasts for relocated tablets follow the same rule. Yifeng year 2: Director Wei Wanshi set Kai'an in six variations—first, the dragon rising at Canxu. Second: securing the Guanzhong passes. Third: eastern Xia's submission. Fourth: pacifying the Jiang and Huai. Fifth: the Xianyun subdued. Sixth: returning to position, the army home and troops marshaled.
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初，太宗時，詔祕書監顏師古等撰定弘農府君至高祖太武皇帝六廟樂曲舞名，其後變更不一，而自獻祖而下廟舞，略可見也。 獻祖曰光大之舞，懿祖曰長發之舞，太祖曰大政之舞，世祖曰大成之舞，高祖曰大明之舞，太宗曰崇德之舞，高宗曰鈞天之舞，中宗曰太和之舞，睿宗曰景雲之舞，玄宗曰大運之舞，肅宗曰惟新之舞，代宗曰保大之舞，德宗曰文明之舞，順宗曰大順之舞，憲宗曰象德之舞，穆宗曰和寧之舞，敬宗曰大鈞之舞，文宗曰文成之舞，武宗曰大定之舞，昭宗曰咸寧之舞。 其餘闕而不著。
Taizong ordered Yan Shigu and others to name dances for six temples from Offered Ancestor through Taiwu; later names shifted, but Offered Ancestor onward can be traced. Temple dances by ancestor: Guangda, Changfa, Dazheng, Dacheng, Daming, Chongde, Juntian, Taihe, Jingyun, Dayun, Weixin, Baoda, Wenming, Dashun, Xiangde, Hening, Dajun, Wencheng, Dading, Xianning—the rest unrecorded. Others are lost from the record.
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唐之自製樂凡三：一曰七德舞，二曰九功舞，三日上元舞。
Tang composed three great dances: Seven Virtues, Nine Achievements, and Superior Prime.
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七德舞者，本名秦王破陣樂。 太宗為秦王，破劉武周，軍中相與作秦王破陣樂曲。 及即位，宴會必奏之，謂侍臣曰：「雖發揚蹈厲，異乎文容，然功業由之，被於樂章，示不忘本也。」 右僕射封德彝曰：「陛下以聖武戡難，陳樂象德，文容豈足道也！」 帝矍然曰：「朕雖以武功興，終以文德綏海內，謂文容不如蹈厲，斯過矣。」 乃製舞圖，左圓右方，先偏後伍，交錯屈伸，以象魚麗、鵝鸛。 命呂才以圖教樂工百二十八人，被銀甲執戟而舞，凡三變，每變為四陣，象擊刺往來，歌者和曰：「秦王破陣樂」。 後令魏徵與員外散騎常侍褚亮、員外散騎常侍虞世南、太子右庶子李百藥更製歌辭，名曰七德舞。 舞初成，觀者皆扼腕踊躍，諸將上壽，羣臣稱萬歲，蠻夷在庭者請相率以舞。 太常卿蕭瑀曰：「樂所以美盛德形容，而有所未盡，陛下破劉武周、薛舉、竇建德、王世充，願圖其狀以識。」 帝曰：「方四海未定，攻伐以平禍亂，製樂陳其梗㮣而已。 若備寫禽獲，今將相有嘗為其臣者，觀之有所不忍，我不為也。」 自是元日、冬至朝會慶賀，與九功舞同奏。 舞人更以進賢冠，虎文袴，螣蛇帶，烏皮鞾，二人執旌居前。 其後更號神功破陣樂。
Seven Virtues was originally Prince of Qin Breaks the Array. As Prince of Qin, Taizong defeated Liu Wuzhou; the army composed Prince of Qin Breaks the Array. On accession he played it at every feast, telling ministers: "Though fierce and stamping—not civil grace—merit born of war entered the repertoire; we must not forget our roots. Right Vice Director Feng Deyi said: "Your sagely martial prowess quelled chaos; music images virtue—civil grace alone cannot suffice!" The emperor started: "I rose by arms yet ruled by wen; to call civil grace inferior to stamping—that goes too far." He drafted a dance chart—round left, square right, echelons weaving like fish-scale and goose-wing formations. Lü Cai taught 128 musicians in silver armor with halberds—three variations, four arrays each, miming battle; the chorus sang Prince of Qin Breaks the Array. Later Wei Zheng, Chu Liang, Yu Shinan, and Li Baiyao rewrote the lyrics as Seven Virtues. At the premiere viewers thumped their wrists and leaped; generals toasted; ministers cried "Ten thousand years!"; barbarian guests begged to join the dance. Director Xiao Yu said: "Music should glorify virtue fully—yet victories over Liu Wuzhou, Xue Ju, Dou Jiande, and Wang Shichong remain undepicted; let us chart them. The emperor refused: "The realm is unsettled; music should record hardship, not triumph over every captive. To paint every captive would shame ministers who once served those foes—I will not." Thereafter New Year's and winter-solstice celebrations paired it with Nine Achievements. Dancers later wore jinxian caps, tiger-striped trousers, tengshe belts, black boots; two flag bearers led. Later renamed Divine Merit Breaks the Array.
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九功舞者，本名功成慶善樂。 太宗生於慶善宮，貞觀六年幸之，宴從臣，賞賜閭里，同漢沛、宛。 帝歡甚，賦詩，起居郎呂才被之管絃，名曰功成慶善樂。 以童兒六十四人，冠進德冠，紫袴褶，長袖，漆髻，屣履而舞，號九功舞。 進蹈安徐，以象文德。 麟德二年詔：「郊廟、享宴奏文舞，用功成慶善樂，曳履，執紼，服袴褶，童子冠如故。 武舞用神功破陣樂，衣甲，持戟，執纛者被金甲，八佾，加簫、笛、歌鼓，列坐縣南，若舞即與宮縣合奏。 其宴樂二舞仍別設焉。」
Nine Achievements was originally Merit Accomplished, Celebrating Goodness. Taizong was born at Celebrating Goodness Palace; Zhenguan year 6 he visited, feasted followers, and rewarded the hamlet like Han at Pei and Wan. Delighted, he composed a poem; Lü Cai scored it as Merit Accomplished Celebrating Goodness Music. Sixty-four boys in jinde caps, purple jackets and trousers, long sleeves, lacquered topknots, slipper-shoes—the Nine Achievements dance. Their measured tread imaged civil virtue. Linde year 2 edict: suburban and feast civil dances use Merit Accomplished Celebrating Goodness—trailing shoes, cords, jackets, boys' caps unchanged. Martial dance uses Divine Merit Breaks the Array in armor with halberds; golden-armored banner bearers, eight rows, xiao, di, and song drums south of the stands—joining palace music when danced. Feast performances kept the two dances separate."
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上元舞者，高宗所作也。 舞者百八十人，衣畫雲五色衣，以象元氣。 其樂有上元、二儀、三才、四時、五行、六律、七政、八風、九宮、十洲、得一、慶雲之曲，大祠享皆用之。 至上元三年，詔：「惟圓丘、方澤、太廟乃用，餘皆罷。」 又曰：「神功破陣樂不入雅樂，功成慶善樂不可降神，亦皆罷。」 而郊廟用治康、凱安如故。
Superior Prime was Gaozong's composition. 180 dancers in painted five-colored cloud robes imaged primordial qi. Its repertoire included Superior Prime, Two Principles, Three Powers, Four Seasons, Five Phases, Six Pipes, Seven Regulators, Eight Winds, Nine Palaces, Ten Isles, Obtaining the One, and Celebrating Cloud—used at major sacrifices. Superior Prime year 3: only Round Mound, Square Mound, and Ancestral Temple retain them; all else abolished. Divine Merit Breaks the Array was barred from elegant music; Celebrating Goodness from spirit descent—both abolished. Suburban rites still used Zhikang and Kai'an.
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儀鳳二年，太常卿韋萬石奏：「請作上元舞，兼奏破陣、慶善二舞。 而破陣樂五十二徧，著于雅樂者二徧； 慶善樂五十徧，著于雅樂者一徧； 上元舞二十九徧，皆著于雅樂。」 又曰：「雲門、大咸、大㲈、大夏，古文舞也。 大濩、大武，古武舞也。 為國家者，揖讓得天下，則先奏文舞； 征伐得天下，則先奏武舞。 神功破陣樂有武事之象，功成慶善樂有文事之象，用二舞，請先奏神功破陣樂。」 初，朝會常奏破陣舞，高宗即位，不忍觀之，乃不設。 後幸九成宮，置酒，韋萬石曰：「破陣樂舞，所以宣揚祖宗盛烈，以示後世，自陛下即位，寢而不作者久矣。 禮，天子親總干戚，以舞先祖之樂。 今破陣樂久廢，羣下無所稱述，非所以發孝思也。」 帝復令奏之，舞畢，歎曰：「不見此樂垂三十年，追思王業勤勞若此，朕安可忘武功邪！」 羣臣皆稱萬歲。 然遇饗燕奏二樂，天子必避位，坐者皆興。 太常博士裴守真以謂「奏二舞時，天子不宜起立」。 詔從之。 及高宗崩，改治康舞曰化康以避諱。 武后毀唐太廟，七德、九功之舞皆亡，唯其名存。 自後復用隋文舞、武舞而已。
Yifeng year 2: Director Wei Wanshi asked to perform Superior Prime alongside Breaks the Array and Celebrating Goodness. Breaks the Array ran fifty-two repetitions, two in elegant music. Celebrating Goodness fifty, one in elegant music. Superior Prime twenty-nine, all in elegant music. He noted Cloud Gate, Great Xian, Great Zhi, and Great Xia were ancient civil dances. Great Huo and Great Martial were ancient martial dances. States born of yielding play civil dance first. States born of conquest play martial dance first. Breaks the Array images war; Celebrating Goodness images wen—please play Breaks the Array first. Early audiences always played Breaks the Array; Gaozong, unable to watch, discontinued it. At Jiucheng Palace, Wei Wanshi urged: "Breaks the Array proclaims ancestral glory—unused since Your Majesty's accession. Rites require the Son of Heaven himself to dance ancestral music with shield and axe. Its long silence leaves the court mute—hardly filial remembrance. The emperor restored it; when it ended he sighed: "Thirty years without this dance—such toil! How could I forget martial merit?" Ministers cried ten thousand years. At feasts playing both dances the emperor left his seat and all stood. Doctor Pei Shouzhen argued the emperor need not rise during the two dances. An edict agreed. After Gaozong's death Zhikang became Huakang to avoid his name. Empress Wu wrecked the Tang ancestral temple; Seven Virtues and Nine Achievements vanished—names alone survived. Thereafter only Sui's civil and martial dances returned.
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燕樂。 高祖即位，仍隋制設九部樂：燕樂伎，樂工舞人無變者。 清商伎者，隋清樂也。 有編鍾、編磬、獨絃琴、擊琴、瑟、秦琵琶、臥箜篌、筑、箏、節鼓，皆一； 笙、笛、簫、篪、方響、跋膝，皆二。 歌二人，吹葉一人，舞者四人，幷習巴渝舞。 西涼伎，有編鍾、編磬，皆一； 彈箏、搊箏、臥箜篌、豎箜篌、琵琶、五絃、笙、簫、觱篥、小觱篥、笛、橫笛、腰鼓、齊鼓、檐鼓，皆一； 銅鈸二，貝一。 白舞一人，方舞四人。 天竺伎，有銅鼓、羯鼓、都曇鼓、毛員鼓、觱篥、橫笛、鳳首箜篌、琵琶、五絃、貝，皆一； 銅鈸二，舞者二人。 高麗伎，有彈箏、搊箏、鳳首箜篌、臥箜篌、豎箜篌、琵琶，以蛇皮為槽，厚寸餘，有鱗甲，楸木為面，象牙為捍撥，畫國王形。 又有五絃、義觜笛、笙、葫蘆笙、簫、小觱篥、桃皮觱篥、腰鼓、齊鼓、檐鼓、龜頭鼓、鐵版、貝、大觱篥。 胡旋舞，舞者立毬上，旋轉如風。 龜茲伎，有彈箏、豎箜篌、琵琶、五絃、橫笛、笙、簫、觱篥、答臘鼓、毛員鼓、都曇鼓、侯提鼓、雞婁鼓、腰鼓、齊鼓、檐鼓、貝，皆一； 銅鈸二。 舞者四人。 設五方師子，高丈餘，飾以方色。 每師子有十二人，畫衣，執紅拂，首加紅袜，謂之師子郎。 安國伎，有豎箜篌、琵琶、五絃、橫笛、簫、觱篥、正鼓、和鼓、銅鈸，皆一； 舞者二人。 疏勒伎，有豎箜篌、琵琶、五絃、簫、橫笛、觱篥、答臘鼓、羯鼓、侯提鼓、腰鼓、雞婁鼓，皆一； 舞者二人。 康國伎，有正鼓、和鼓，皆一； 笛、銅鈸，皆二。 舞者二人。 工人之服皆從其國。
Banquet music (yan yue). Gaozu kept Sui's Nine Department Music; Yan Music performers unchanged. Pure Shang was Sui court music. One each: serial bells and chimes, solo-string qin, struck qin, se, Qin pipa, horizontal konghou, zhu, zheng, marking drum. Two each: sheng, di, xiao, chi, fangxiang, baxi. Two singers, one leaf-blower, four dancers—all trained in Ba-Yu dance. Western Liang: one each serial bells and chimes. One each: plucked and strummed zheng, konghou, pipa, five-string, sheng, xiao, bili large and small, di, transverse di, waist, Qi, and eaves drums. Two bronze cymbals, one shell horn. One white dance, four square dance. Indic: one each bronze, jie, Dutun, Maoyuan drums, bili, transverse di, phoenix konghou, pipa, five-string, shell. Two cymbals, two dancers. Koryo: plucked and strummed zheng, phoenix and horizontal konghou, pipa with snake-skin box an inch thick scaled, catalpa face, ivory guard painted with the king. Also five-string, yizui di, sheng, gourd sheng, xiao, bili large and small, many drums, iron clapper, shell, great bili. Hu Xuan dance: dancers spin atop a ball like wind. Kucha: one each plucked zheng, vertical konghou, pipa, five-string, transverse di, sheng, xiao, bili, dalagu, Maoyuan, Dutun, houti, jilou, waist, Qi, eaves drums, shell. Two bronze cymbals. Four dancers. Five directional lions over a zhang tall, colored by direction. Twelve painted robe bearers with red whisks and red socks per lion—"lion lads." Anxi: one each vertical konghou, pipa, five-string, transverse di, xiao, bili, zheng and he drums, cymbal. Two dancers. Shule: one each vertical konghou, pipa, five-string, xiao, transverse di, bili, dalagu, jie, houti, waist, jilou drums. Two dancers. Kangju: one each zheng and he drums. Two each di and cymbals. Two dancers. Musicians dressed in their native styles.
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隋樂每奏九部樂終，輒奏文康樂，一曰禮畢。 太宗時，命削去之，其後遂亡。 及平高昌，收其樂。 有豎箜篌、銅角，一； 琵琶、五絃、橫笛、簫、觱篥、答臘鼓、腰鼓、雞婁鼓、羯鼓，皆二人。 工人布巾，袷袍，錦襟，金銅帶，畫絝。 舞者二人，黃袍袖，練襦，五色絛帶，金銅耳璫，赤鞾。 自是初有十部樂。
After each Nine Department set Sui played Wenkang—"Rite Complete." Taizong abolished it; the piece then vanished. Pacifying Gaochang brought its music into court. One each vertical konghou and bronze horn. Two each pipa, five-string, transverse di, xiao, bili, dalagu, waist, jilou, jie drums. Musicians: cloth headwrap, lined robe, brocade collar, gilt belt, painted trousers. Two dancers in yellow sleeves, white jacket, five-color sash, gilt earrings, red boots. Thus Ten Department Music began.
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其後因內宴，詔長孫无忌製傾盃曲，魏徵製樂社樂曲，虞世南製英雄樂曲。 帝之破竇建德也，乘馬名黃驄驃，及征高麗，死於道，頗哀惜之，命樂工製黃驄疊曲。 四曲，皆宮調也。
Later at a palace feast Zhangsun Wuji composed Tilting Cup, Wei Zheng Music Society, Yu Shinan Hero. His horse Yellow Cong Biao died on the Liaodong campaign; musicians composed Yellow Cong Layered tune in mourning. Four pieces, all gong mode.
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五絃，如琵琶而小，北國所出，舊以木撥彈，樂工裴神符初以手彈，太宗悅甚，後人習為搊琵琶。
Five-string—a small northern pipa once wood-plucked until Pei Shenfu played with fingers; Taizong delighted; later called strummed pipa.
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高宗即位，景雲見，河水清，張文收采古誼為景雲河清歌，亦名燕樂。 有玉磬、方響、搊箏、筑、臥箜篌、大小箜篌、大小琵琶、大小五絃、吹葉、大小笙、大小觱篥、簫、銅鈸、長笛、尺八、短笛，皆一； 毛員鼓、連鞉鼓、桴鼓、貝，皆二。 每器工一人，歌二人。 工人絳袍，金帶，烏鞾。 舞者二十人。 分四部：一景雲舞，二慶善舞，三破陣舞，四承天舞。 景雲樂，舞八人，五色雲冠，錦袍，五色袴，金銅帶。 慶善樂，舞四人，紫袍，白袴。 破陣樂，舞四人，綾袍，絳袴。 承天樂，舞四人，進德冠，紫袍，白袴。 景雲舞，元會第一奏之。
Gaozong's accession brought auspicious clouds and a clear Yellow River; Zhang Wenshou composed Jingyun River Clear song—also Yan Music. One each: jade qing, fangxiang, strummed zheng, zhu, konghou, pipa, five-string, leaf-blowing, sheng, bili, xiao, cymbals, long di, shakuhachi, short di. Two each Maoyuan drum, linked tambourine, mallet drum, shell. One musician per instrument, two singers. Musicians in crimson robes, gold belts, black boots. Twenty dancers. Four sections: Jingyun, Celebrating Goodness, Breaks the Array, Receiving Heaven dances. Jingyun: eight dancers in five-color cloud caps, brocade robes and trousers, gilt belts. Celebrating Goodness: four in purple robes, white trousers. Breaks the Array: four in damask robes, crimson trousers. Receiving Heaven: four in jinde caps, purple robes, white trousers. Jingyun dance opened the New Year assembly.
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高宗以琴曲寖絕，雖有傳者，復失宮商，令有司脩習。 太常丞呂才上言：「舜彈五絃之琴，歌南風之詩，是知琴操曲弄皆合於歌。 今以御雪詩為白雪歌。 古今奏正曲復有送聲，君唱臣和之義，以羣臣所和詩十六韻為送聲十六節。」 帝善之，乃命太常著于樂府。 才復撰琴歌、白雪等曲，帝亦製歌詞十六，皆著樂府。
Gaozong found qin repertoire fading; surviving pieces had lost proper modes—he ordered restoration. Assistant Director Lü Cai argued: "Shun's five-string qin and Southern Winds show melodies must match lyrics. He set the Imperial Snow poem as White Snow song. Proper pieces include "sending voice"—lord sings, ministers answer; sixteen rhymes of minister poetry became sixteen sending sections. The emperor approved; the Court entered it in the Music Bureau. Cai composed qin songs including White Snow; the emperor added sixteen lyrics—all filed in the Music Bureau.
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帝將伐高麗，燕洛陽城門，觀屯營教舞，按新征用武之勢，名曰一戎大定樂，舞者百四十人，被五采甲，持槊而舞，歌者和之曰：「八紘同軌樂。」 象高麗平而天下大定也。 及遼東平，行軍大總管李勣作夷美賓之曲以獻。
Before the Goryeo campaign he feasted at Luoyang's gate, watching drill dances; he named One Military Great Settlement Music—140 armored dancers with spears; the chorus sang Eight Directions Same Track Music. It imaged Goryeo subdued and the realm settled. After Liaodong fell, Li Ji presented the Yimei Guest piece.
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調露二年，幸洛陽城南樓，宴羣臣，太常奏六合還淳之舞，其容制不傳。
Tiaolu year 2, at Luoyang's south tower feast, the Court played Six Harmonies Return to Purity—its choreography unrecorded.
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高宗自以李氏老子之後也，於是命樂工製道調。
Gaozong, claiming descent from Laozi, ordered musicians to compose Dao mode.
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Collation notes for this chapter.