跪指kneeling ring finger

Pinyin: guì zhǐ

Left hand, pressing

Also written: 跪

The ring finger folds as if kneeling and presses with the side of the back of its end joint; used mostly in the high register where the hui are close together.

How it is played

Fold the middle and end joints of the ring finger toward the palm, as if kneeling, and press with the left side of the back of the end joint (the nail side, or the hard bone at the crease). In the high register the hui crowd together and the ring finger cannot stand upright, or cannot manage qia qi and yan there, so the kneeling finger takes over. For two strings, one is pressed with nail and one with flesh. It hurts at first; practise until the string is pressed firmly.

How it sounds

Pressed firmly, the note is steady and clear; pressed weakly, it floats and wavers.

In the classical handbooks

跪指也。名指曲其末中二節，以末節按絃也。於七徽以上則用之，因徽位短促故耳。若跪按兩絃，必須一甲一肉。

Gist: The kneeling finger: the ring finger bends its end and middle joints and stops the string with the end joint. It is used above the seventh hui, because the hui positions are cramped there. When kneeling on two strings, one must be nail and one flesh.

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

名指曲其中節，跪其末節，按有甲肉二用。用甲者則在甲中按之，用肉者則在末節硬骨橫紋處按之。

Gist: The ring finger bends its middle joint and kneels its end joint; it may press with nail or with flesh. With nail, press at the center of the nail; with flesh, press at the hard bone at the crease of the end joint.

Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies) · 卷上·左按图说（左手名指跪按弦势） · Qing dynasty, 1864 · View the original page · View source

Where sources disagree

At which hui the kneeling finger is used

Above the seventh hui, where the positions are cramped. Source: Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies), vol. 1, left-hand pressing symbols(opens in a new window) · View the original page
Mostly above the fifth hui on string seven. Source: Yihe Qin Society, “Jianzipu: a short guide to technique symbols” (the common modern reading)(opens in a new window)
Only when qia qi is awkward above the fourth or fifth hui is the ring finger folded over to press. Source: Deyintang Qinpu（据Guoqinwang, Guqin Da Cidian (Great Dictionary of the Guqin)所录原文）(opens in a new window)

Which part of the finger touches the string

Bend the middle joint and kneel the end joint; press either with the nail or with the hard bone at the crease of the end joint (flesh); for two strings, one nail and one flesh. Source: Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies), vol. 1, illustrated left-hand postures(opens in a new window) · View the original page
Press with the left side of the back of the ring finger. Source: Yihe Qin Society, “Jianzipu: a short guide to technique symbols” (the common modern reading)(opens in a new window)
Fold the ring finger and press with its second joint. Source: Fengxuan Xuanpin（据Guoqinwang, Guqin Da Cidian (Great Dictionary of the Guqin)所录原文）(opens in a new window)
Fold the ring finger and press with the back of the nail. Source: 《诚一堂琴谱》（据Guoqinwang, Guqin Da Cidian (Great Dictionary of the Guqin)所录原文）(opens in a new window)

Easily confused with

名指míng zhǐ· ring finger (left hand)Both are the ring finger: ming zhi stands and presses with the pad; gui zhi folds the finger and presses with the back of the end joint, made for cramped positions.