放合release and match

Pinyin: fàng hé

Left hand, sliding

The left finger releases its string for an open note and at the same time stops the neighboring string for the right hand to pluck, the two notes matching.

How it is played

At its stopping position the left finger lets the string go (much like dai qi), giving an open note: this is “release” (fang). In the same instant it presses the corresponding position on the adjacent string and the right hand plucks it, sounding together with the open note just released: this is “match” (he). The two are usually a unison or an octave and must sound together, not as two separate notes.

How it sounds

One release and one pluck fused into a single sound, open and stopped tones blending, fuller than a single pluck.

In the classical handbooks

指於按位放出絃得聲曰放，乘放時急按過次絃位，右指就彈得聲，與前放聲並響如一曰合。

Gist: The finger releases the string from the stopping position and gains a note: this is fang. In the moment of releasing, press quickly to the position on the next string and the right hand plucks it, ringing together with the released note as one: this is he.

Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies) · 卷上·左指按法字母 · Qing dynasty, 1864 · View the original page · View source

Where sources disagree

Whether the two notes must be simultaneous

The released note and the matching note must ring together as one, never staggered into two. Source: Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies), vol. 1, left-hand pressing symbols(opens in a new window) · View the original page
The two answering notes may sound together or follow one another closely. Source: Yihe Qin Society, “Jianzipu: a short guide to technique symbols” (the common modern reading)(opens in a new window)
The thumb stops the string and carries the sound to the next string, releasing them as one sound. Source: 《白菡萏香馆琴谱》（据Guoqinwang, Guqin Da Cidian (Great Dictionary of the Guqin)所录原文）(opens in a new window)

Easily confused with

带起dài qǐ· ring-finger pull-off to the open stringDai qi releases only an open note; fang he also stops the neighboring string and plucks a matching note at the same time.