大息long rest
Pinyin: dà xī
Terms and marksA longer pause, usually at the end of a section or a large phrase.
How it is played
Written at the end of a phrase or section, asking for a longer stop than shao xi: after the last note, let the ring die away naturally before beginning the next phrase. The Tang manuscript Jieshi Diao Youlan writes “beat, long rest” at the end of each section and distinguishes “one phrase, long rest” from “one phrase, short rest”, so using pause length to articulate phrases and sections is very old. How long is not written; judge from the music and the phrasing. The jianzi combines 大 with 自, the upper part of 息.
In the classical handbooks
大息也。稍久息也。Gist: Da xi: a somewhat longer rest.
移大指当八案武擘武抑上半寸许取声一句大息Gist: Move the thumb to the eighth hui, stop wu, pluck wu with bo, press up about half an inch to take the note; one phrase, long rest.
拍之大息Gist: Beat, long rest.
Where sources disagree
Whether da xi prolongs the previous note or leaves a silence
- Only a longer rest than shao xi; no number of beats is given. Source: Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies), vol. 1, left-hand symbols(opens in a new window) · View the original page
- Read as a longer pause used on long notes that must be held several beats, leaning toward prolonging the previous note. Source: Yihe Qin Society, “Jianzipu: a short guide to technique symbols”(opens in a new window)
- Used at the end of a section (“beat, long rest”), as the large pause between sections. Source: Jieshi Diao Youlan (Secluded Orchid in the Jieshi Mode), Tang manuscript(opens in a new window)
Easily confused with
- 少息shǎo xī· short restShao xi is only a slight pause; da xi is longer and often separates sections.