{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Gongche'' notation}} {{Short description|Traditional Chinese musical notation}} {{Refimprove|date=January 2017}} {{Chinese | t = 工尺譜 | s = 工尺谱 | p = gōng chě<!--not chǐ--> pǔ | j = gung1 ce1 pou2 | qn = hệ thống Hò Xự Xang | hn = 系統合四上 }} '''''Gongche'' notation''' or '''''gongchepu''''' is a traditional musical notation method, once popular in ancient China. It uses Chinese characters to represent musical notes. It was named after two of the Chinese characters that were used to represent musical notes, namely "{{lang|zh|工}}" {{tlit|zh|gōng}} and "{{lang|zh|尺}}" {{tlit|zh|chě}}.
Sheet music written in this notation is still used for traditional Chinese musical instruments and Chinese operas. However usage of the notation has declined, replaced by mostly {{tlit|zh|jianpu}} (numbered musical notation) and sometimes the standard western notation.
The notation usually uses a movable "do" system. There are variations of the character set used for musical notes. A commonly accepted set is shown below with its relation to {{tlit|zh|jianpu}} and solfege. :{| class="wikitable" align="center" |- align="center" !''Gongche'' |width="12%"|{{lang|zh|上}} {{tlit|zh|shàng}} |width="12%"|{{lang|zh|尺}} {{tlit|zh|chě}} |width="12%"|{{lang|zh|工}} {{tlit|zh|gōng}} |width="12%"|{{lang|zh|凡}} {{tlit|zh|fán}} |width="12%"|{{lang|zh|六}} {{tlit|zh|liù}} |width="12%"|{{lang|zh|五}} {{tlit|zh|wǔ}} |width="12%"|{{lang|zh|乙}} {{tlit|zh|yǐ}} |- align="center" !Scale degree |1||2||3||(4)||5||6||(7) |- align="center" !Solfège |do||re||mi||(between fa and fa♯)||sol||la||''between ''ti♭ ''and'' ti) |- align="center" !Simplified Japanese |{{lang|ja|ル}}||{{lang|ja|人}}||{{lang|ja|フ}}||{{lang|ja|り}}||{{lang|ja|久}}||{{lang|ja|ゐ}}||{{lang|ja|𠃊}} |}
== Usual variations ==
The three notes just below the central octave are usually represented by special characters: :{| class="wikitable" align="center" |- align="center" !''Gongche'' |width="22%"|{{lang|zh|合}}<br>{{tlit|zh|hé}} |width="22%"|{{lang|zh|四}}<br>{{tlit|zh|sì}} |width="22%"|{{lang|zh|一}}<br>{{tlit|zh|yī}} |- align="center" valign="top" !''Jianpu'' |5̣ |6̣ |(7̣)<br> |- align="center" !Solfege |sol||la||(between ti♭ and ti) |- align="center" !Simplified Japanese notation |{{lang|ja|ム}}||{{lang|ja|マ}}||{{lang|ja|ㄧ}} |} Sometimes "{{lang|zh|士}}" {{tlit|zh|shì}} is used instead of "{{lang|zh|四}}" {{tlit|zh|sì}}. Sometimes "{{lang|zh|一}}" {{tlit|zh|yī}} is not used, or its role is exchanged with "{{lang|zh|乙}}" {{tlit|zh|yǐ}}.
To represent other notes in different octaves, traditions differ among themselves. For ''Kunqu'', the final strokes of "{{lang|zh|合}}", "{{lang|zh|四}}", "{{lang|zh|一}}", "{{lang|zh|上}}", "{{lang|zh|尺}}", "{{lang|zh|工}}" and "{{lang|zh|凡}}" are extended by a tiny slash downward for the lower octave; additionally, a left radical "{{lang|zh|亻}}" is added to denote one octave higher than the central, or "{{lang|zh|彳}}" for two octaves higher. For Cantonese opera, however, "{{lang|zh|亻}}" denotes an octave lower, while "{{lang|zh|彳}}" denotes only one octave higher.
Some other variations: * "{{lang|zh|尺}}" is replaced by "{{lang|zh|乂}}" in the Taiwanese tradition. * "{{lang|zh|凡}}" is replaced by "{{lang|zh|反}}" in the Cantonese tradition. * "{{Rarely-used Chinese characters|𱝫|left 彳 right 上}}" ({{lang|zh|⿰彳上}}), the "do" just above the central octave, is usually replaced by "{{lang|zh|生}}" in the Cantonese tradition.
The following are two examples. :{| class="wikitable" align="center" |+'''''Gongche'' scale for ''Kunqu''''' |- align="center" !''Gongche'' |width="4%"|{{Rarely-used Chinese characters|𪛗|合 with downward hook}} |width="4%"|{{Rarely-used Chinese characters|𪛘|四 with downward hook}} |width="4%"|{{Rarely-used Chinese characters|𪛙|一 with downward hook}} |width="4%"|{{Rarely-used Chinese characters|𪛚|上 with downward hook}} |width="4%"|{{Rarely-used Chinese characters|𪛛|尺 with downward hook}} |width="4%"|{{Rarely-used Chinese characters|𪛜|工 with downward hook}} |width="4%"|{{Rarely-used Chinese characters|𪛝|凡 with downward hook replacing upward hook}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|合}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|四}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|一}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|上}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|尺}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|工}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|凡}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|六}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|五}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|乙}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|仩}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|伬}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|仜}} |width="4%"|{{Rarely-used Chinese characters|𠆩|left 亻 right 凡}} |width="4%"|{{Rarely-used Chinese characters|𠆾|left 亻 right 六}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|伍}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|亿}} |- align="center" !''Jianpu'' |5̣̣ |6̣̣ |7̣̣ |1̣ |2̣ |3̣ |4̣ |5̣ |6̣ |7̣ |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |6 |7 |1̇ |2̇ |3̇ |4̇ |5̇ |6̇ |7̇ |- align="center" !Solfege |sol||la||ti||do||re||mi||fa||sol||la||ti||do||re||mi||fa||sol||la||ti||do||re||mi||fa||sol||la||ti |}
:{| class="wikitable" align="center" |+'''''Gongche'' scale for Cantonese opera''' |- align="center" !''Gongche'' |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|佮}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|仕}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|亿}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|仩}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|伬}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|仜}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|仮}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|合}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|士}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|乙}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|上}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|尺}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|工}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|反}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|六}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|五}} |width="4%"|{{Rarely-used Chinese characters|𢒼|left 彳 right 乙}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|生}} |width="4%"|{{Rarely-used Chinese characters|鿈|left 彳 right 尺}} |width="4%"|{{Rarely-used Chinese characters|𢓁|left 彳 right 工}} |width="4%"|{{Rarely-used Chinese characters|𢓉|left 彳 right 反}} |width="4%"|{{Rarely-used Chinese characters|𢓌|left 彳 right 六}} |width="4%"|{{lang|zh|鿉}} |- align="center" !''Jianpu'' |5̣̣ |6̣̣ |7̣̣ |1̣ |2̣ |3̣ |4̣ |5̣ |6̣ |7̣ |1 |2 |3 |4 |5 |6 |7 |1̇ |2̇ |3̇ |4̇ |5̇ |6̇ |- align="center" !Solfege |sol||la||ti||do||re||mi||fa||sol||la||ti||do||re||mi||fa||sol||la||ti||do||re||mi||fa||sol||la |}
== Pronunciation ==
When the notes are sung in different opera traditions, they do not sound as the words would be pronounced in the respective regional dialects. Instead, they are pronounced in an approximation of Modern Standard Chinese pronunciation.{{citation needed|date=December 2012}}
The following are two examples: :{| class="wikitable" align="center" |+'''Pronunciation of Cantonese ''Gongche'' characters''' |- align="center" !''Gongche''<br>character |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|合}} |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|士}} |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|乙}} |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|上}} |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|尺}} |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|工}} |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|反}} |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|六}} |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|五}} |- align="center" style="border-top:2px solid;" !Cantonese ''Gongche''<br>Jyutping | style="border-top:3px;" | ho<sup>4</sup> |si<sup>6</sup> |ji<sup>6</sup> |saang<sup>3</sup> |ce<sup>1</sup> |gung<sup>1</sup> |faan<sup>1</sup> |liu<sup>1</sup> |wu<sup>1</sup> |- align="center" !Cantonese ''Gongche''<br>pronunciation |{{IPA|yue|hɔ̏ː|}} |{{IPA|yue|sìː|}} |{{IPA|yue|jìː|}} |{{IPA|yue|sɑ̄ːŋ|}} |{{IPA|yue|tsʰɛ́ː|}} |{{IPA|yue|kʊ́ŋ|}} |{{IPA|yue|fɑ́ːn|}} |{{IPA|yue|líːu|}} |{{IPA|yue|wúː|}} |- align="center" style="border-top:2px solid;" !Usual Cantonese<br>Jyutping |hap<sup>6</sup> |si<sup>6</sup> |jyut<sup>6</sup> |soeng<sup>6</sup> |cek<sup>3</sup> |gung<sup>1</sup> |faan<sup>2</sup> |luk<sup>6</sup> |ng<sup>5</sup> |- align="center" !Usual Cantonese<br>pronunciation |{{IPA|yue|hɐ̀p|}} |{{IPA|yue|sìː|}} |{{IPA|yue|jỳːt|}} |{{IPA|yue|sœ̀ːŋ|}} |{{IPA|yue|tsʰɛ̄ːk|}} |{{IPA|yue|kʊ́ŋ|}} |{{IPA|yue|fɑ̌ːn|}} |{{IPA|yue|lʊ̀k|}} |{{IPA|yue|ŋ̬̍|}} |}
:{| class="wikitable" align="center" |+'''Pronunciation of Vietnamese ''Gongche'' characters''' |- align="center" !''Gongche''<br>character |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|合}} |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|四}} |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|乙}} |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|上}} |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|尺}} |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|工}} |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|凡}} |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|六}} |width="9%"|{{lang|zh|五}} |- align="center" !Sino-Vietnamese ''Gongche'' <br>pronunciation |hò |xự |y |xang |xê |cống |phạn |líu |ú |- align="center" !Chữ Nôm transliteration<ref>{{Cite book |last=Phạm |first=Đình Hổ |script-title=zh:日用常談 |trans-title=Nhật dụng thường đàm |publisher=同文齋藏板 Đồng Văn Trai tàng bản |year=1851 |location= |pages=43 |language=vi}}</ref> |width="9%"|{{Vi-nom|乎}} |width="9%"|{{Vi-nom|徐}} |width="9%"| |width="9%"|{{Vi-nom|扛}} |width="9%"|{{Vi-nom|車}} |width="9%"|{{Vi-nom|貢}} |width="9%"| |width="9%"|{{Vi-nom|了}} |width="9%"|{{Vi-nom|呴}} |- align="center" !IPA |{{IPA|hɔ˨˩}} |{{IPA|sɨ˧˨ʔ}} |{{IPA|ʔi˧˧}} |{{IPA|saːŋ˧˧}} |{{IPA|se˧˧}} |{{IPA|kəwŋ͡m˧˦}} |{{IPA|faːn˧˨ʔ}} |{{IPA|liw˧˦}} |{{IPA|ʔu˧˦}} |- align="center" style="border-top:2px solid;" !Standard Sino-Vietnamese <br>pronunciation |{{lang|vi|hợp}} |{{lang|vi|tứ}} |{{lang|vi|ất}} |{{lang|vi|thượng}} |{{lang|vi|xích}} |{{lang|vi|công}} |{{lang|vi|phàm}} |{{lang|vi|lục}} |{{lang|vi|ngũ}} |- align="center" !IPA |{{IPA|həːp̚˧˨ʔ}} |{{IPA|tɨ˧˦}} |{{IPA|ʔət̚˧˦}} |{{IPA|tʰɨəŋ˧˨ʔ}} |{{IPA|sïk̟̚˧˦}} |{{IPA|kəwŋ͡m˧˧}} |{{IPA|faːm˨˩}} |{{IPA|lʊwk͡p̚˧˨ʔ}} |{{IPA|ŋu˦ˀ˥}} |} [[File:Gongche notation in the Vietnamese book, Cổ cầm tân cựu tập 古琴新舊集.jpg|thumb|Gongche notation in the Vietnamese book, {{lang|vi|Cổ cầm tân cựu tập}} {{vi-nom|古琴新舊集}}]]
== Rhythm ==
[[Image:Kungchepo_old_mcdonald.png|left|thumb|250px|The melody of ''Old MacDonald Had a Farm'' in ''gongche'' notation]]
''Gongche'' notation does not mark the relative length of the notes. Instead, marks for the percussion, understood to be played at regular intervals, are written alongside the notes. Gongche is written in the same format as Chinese was traditionally written; from top to bottom and then from right to left. The rhythm marks are written to the right of the note characters.
The diagram at the left illustrates how the tune "Old McDonald Had a Farm" will look like if written in ''gongche'' notation. Here, "{{lang|zh|。}}" denotes the stronger beat, called {{zhp|c=板|p=bǎn}} or {{zhp|c=拍|p=pāi}}, and "{{lang|zh|、}}" denotes the weaker beat, called {{zhp|c=眼|p=yǎn}} or {{zhp|c=撩|p=liáo}}. In effect, there is one beat in every two notes, i.e. two notes are sung or played to each beat. These notes in solfege with markings will show a similar effect: :'''do''' do <u>do</u> sol '''la''' la <u>sol</u> '''mi''' mi <u>re</u> re '''do'''
[[File:Kam Hok Yap Mun-Yeung Kwan Sam Tip.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Example of gongche use with guqin tablature and beat marks.]]
Using this method, only the number of notes within a beat can be specified. The actual length of each note is up to tradition and the interpretation of the artist.
Notice that the actual rhythm marks used differ among various traditions.
== History and usage ==
''Gongche'' notation was invented in the Tang dynasty. It became popular in the Song dynasty. It is believed to have begun as a tablature of certain musical instrument, possibly using a fixed "do" system. Later it became a popular pitch notation, typically using a movable "do" system.
The notation is not accurate in modern sense. It provides a musical skeleton, allowing an artist to improvise. The details are usually passed on by oral tradition. However, once a tradition is lost, it is very difficult to reconstruct how the music was supposed to sound. Variations among different traditions increased the difficulty in learning the notation.
[[File:和漢洋十二音律対照表_1909年_音名・階名.jpg|thumb|A comparative table of Gongche notation and other notations, from a book published in Kyoto in 1909. In Japan, Gongche notation became widespread to a certain extent.]] The system was also introduced to Korea (where it is referred to as {{tlit|ko|gong jeok bo}}) in ancient times and many traditional musicians still learn their music from such scores (although they typically perform from memory).
''Kunkunshi'', a Ryukyuan musical notation still in use for sanshin, was directly influenced by Gongche.<ref>East Asia: China, Japan, and Korea (Garland Encyclopedia of World Music). 2001. page 828</ref>
== See also == * ''Jianpu''
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{wiktionary|工尺譜}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20161007080300/http://resources.edb.hkedcity.net/~chiopera/1_5_1.htm Cantonese Opera (in Chinese)] explains how the ''gongche'' notation is used in Cantonese opera. This [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304212739/http://resources.edb.gov.hk/~chiopera/scores/zhuangtai.gongche.pdf document] shows how the same piece of music is written in ''gongchepu'', ''jianpu'', and the standard notation.
Category:Musical notation Category:Music of China Category:Musical scales