句读phrase mark
Pinyin: jù dòu
Terms and marksAlso written: 句号, 一句, 。, 句读圈
A small circle at the end of a phrase: the phrase ends here and the line comes to rest.
How it is played
Jianzipu itself does not notate meter, and where a phrase ends is often shown by a small circle beside the character: the phrase closes at the circle and the next begins afresh, never run together in one breath. The Tang manuscript Jieshi Diao Youlan writes “one phrase” in words at every phrase end, adding “short rest” or “long rest” as needed; the preface to the Qing Wuzhizhai Qinpu says the book marks phrase ends with circles precisely to warn students against playing everything run together. Qin music moves phrase by phrase, and only when the phrasing is clear does the breathing of the whole piece become clear.
In the classical handbooks
句讀圈斷，以警渾彈。Gist: Phrases are marked off with circles, to warn against playing them run together.
缓缓起中指当十竖案商缓缓散历羽征无名打商食指挑征一句Gist: Begin slowly: the middle finger at the tenth hui stops shang upright; slowly run open across yu and zhi; the ring finger plays da on shang and the index finger tiao on zhi: one phrase.
篇中有度。句中有候。字中有肯。Gist: In the piece there is measure; in the phrase there is timing; in the character there is the essential point.