就same position (shorthand)
Pinyin: jiù
Terms and marksShorthand: the left finger and position stay the same; play here again.
How it is played
When the left-hand finger and hui of the previous note do not change, the next character need not repeat them: write 就 and then the right-hand stroke and string number, meaning “play right here”. It serves for replaying the same string, for changing string at the same hui, and for continuing at a hui the left hand has just slid to. The jianzi is written 尤.
In the classical handbooks
就也。就此位彈……亦用就，簡文耳。Gist: Jiu: play at this position … also uses jiu, as shorthand.
就也。譜有尤而就彈也。Gist: Jiu: where the score has 尤, play right there.
Where sources disagree
Whether jiu is only shorthand or also hints at rhythm
- Playing at this position, or another string at the same hui, both use jiu, purely to save writing. Source: Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies), vol. 1, left-hand symbols(opens in a new window) · View the original page
- Comparing editions of Liangxiao Yin, jiu is grouped with shao xi, ji, man and huan as marginal characters that signal rhythm and structure; adding or removing them in an edition affects the phrasing. Source: Huain.com, “Reading guqin fingering symbols, with Liangxiao Yin as example”(opens in a new window)
Easily confused with
- 不动bù dòng· hold stillBu dong keeps the left hand pressed in place even while the right hand plays other strings; jiu is shorthand saying to continue at the previous position.