进step up
Pinyin: jìn
Left hand, slidingAfter the stopped note sounds, the left finger moves one position up (toward the bridge) and sounds it.
How it is played
The same motion as shang: after the pluck, the finger keeps pressing and moves toward the bridge, but only to the next position above. On its own it means “one position up”; most often it is paired with fu (return) as jin fu.
How it sounds
After the main note, the residual vibration carries the note one position higher, lighter than the first.
In the classical handbooks
於按位彈得聲後，即上一位有聲曰進。Gist: After the note is sounded at the stopping position, moving up one position with sound is jin.
Where sources disagree
Whether jin differs from shang
- Jin is sounding one position up after the pluck; shang is described the same way, except that shang may continue up several positions. Source: Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies), vol. 1, left-hand pressing symbols(opens in a new window) · View the original page
- Jin is played like shang; the only difference is that jin is limited to one position upward. Source: Yihe Qin Society, “Jianzipu: a short guide to technique symbols” (the common modern reading)(opens in a new window)
- Jin, also written shang. Source: 《枯木禅琴谱》（据Guoqinwang, Guqin Da Cidian (Great Dictionary of the Guqin)所录原文）(opens in a new window)
Easily confused with
- 上shàng· slide upShang may go to any named hui and may step up several times; jin normally moves only to the next position above.
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》「进」条(opens in a new window)Qin community