唤quick shake on the attack
Pinyin: huàn
Left hand, slidingAlso written: 喚
Riding on the pluck, the left finger shakes quickly up and down once or twice at the home position so the attack leaps out distinctly.
How it is played
In the instant around the pluck, the left finger makes a very fast up-and-down movement near the home position, then settles. Qinxue Rumen has it dip slightly after the pluck, ride that lower note quickly back up to the home position, then dip quickly again; other handbooks say up first then down, or call it simply a light dou. In every version it must be lightning fast and in one breath; slow, it becomes two separate notes.
How it sounds
A rapid tremor on the attack, with more ripple than zhuang or dou, yet still heard as one main note.
In the classical handbooks
假如按彈九暉，即下少許位，乘此下音速上九暉位，復疾下少許位是也。Gist: For example, having stopped and plucked at the ninth hui, go down a little, ride that lower note quickly up to the ninth, then quickly down a little again.
取其聲如電速，分明為妙。Gist: Its sound should be swift as lightning; distinctness is best.
Where sources disagree
The order and timing of the movement
- After the pluck, down a little, quickly back up to the home position on that lower note, then quickly down a little again; two notes on one string. Source: Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies), vol. 1, left-hand pressing symbols(opens in a new window) · View the original page
- At the moment of the attack the left finger darts up a little, back to just below the home position, then to the home position, all within the attack. Source: Yihe Qin Society, “Jianzipu: a short guide to technique symbols” (the common modern reading)(opens in a new window)
- On landing and sounding the note, go up once and straight back to the home position in one breath; slow, it is just an up and a down, not huan. Source: Chengjiantang Qinpu（据Guoqinwang, Guqin Da Cidian (Great Dictionary of the Guqin)所录原文）(opens in a new window)
- Huan is a light dou, prized for leaving no trace; the finger-substitution also borrows this character. 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)
- Zhuang comes after the note; huan rides the right hand's pluck, the left finger pressing up to the hui on the sound. Source: Huiyan Mizhi（据Guoqinwang, Guqin Da Cidian (Great Dictionary of the Guqin)所录原文）(opens in a new window)
Easily confused with
- 换指huàn zhǐ· finger substitutionHuan is a quick ornamental movement that sounds; huan zhi changes the stopping finger at the same position. Their old abbreviations look alike and must not be confused.
- 逗dòu· grace flick on the attackDou is usually a single approach; huan has several quick movements up and down.
- 撞zhuàng· knockZhuang jabs up and back after the note; huan moves with the pluck.
References
- 《琴学入门》国家图书馆藏刻本第 2 册（Wikimedia Commons 扫描）(opens in a new window)Primary source
- 颐和琴社《减字谱·指法符号简释》(opens in a new window)Qin community
- 国琴网《古琴大辞典·指法》「唤」条(opens in a new window)Qin community