剌伏la with damping

Pinyin: là fú

Right hand, compound

Also written: 伏

After the three fingers sweep outward (la), the palm or fingers immediately come down on the strings to stop the sound; usually a sectional close.

How it is played

Play la on strings one and two, and in the same motion lay the palm (or the three straightened fingers) over the strings to cut off the ring. Do it between the fourth and fifth hui: too near the bridge the strings are high and the fingers sink between them. The old handbooks usually write just the single character fu (伏, “lie down”).

How it sounds

One short, crisp cut-off, then silence.

In the classical handbooks

即伏也，兩絃同得一聲而無音也。此急結束聲，法如刺而取音異，專在弟一二絃四五徽間取之，乃於乘刺出時，迅速以掌蓋伏絃上，遏住絃音……

Gist: This is fu: two strings yield one sound and then no tone. It is a quick closing sound, played like la but with a different result, taken only on the first and second strings between the fourth and fifth hui. As la goes out, the palm swiftly covers the strings and holds the sound in …

Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies) · 卷上·右指弹法字母 · Qing dynasty, 1864 · View the original page · View source

刺無聲也。專用在一二兩絃，三指刺出如刀之截，得其清脆方妙。

Gist: La without sound. Used only on the first and second strings; the three fingers go out like a knife cutting. Crisp and clean is best.

Chengjiantang Qinpu · 琴谱指法·右手 · Qing dynasty, Kangxi reign (by Xu Changyu; preface dated 1699) · View the original page · View source

Where sources disagree

Whether the damping itself should make a sound

Let the two strings strike the soundboard together as one killing stroke, clean and sharp like tearing silk. Source: Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies), vol. 1(opens in a new window) · View the original page
After la, the palm comes down to fix the strings' sound without leaving a trace; best if it is naturally silent. Source: Dahuange Qinpu (via the Guoqinwang technique database)(opens in a new window)

Damp with the palm or with the fingers

Cover the strings with the palm. Source: Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies), vol. 1(opens in a new window) · View the original page
As la goes out, straighten the three fingers and lay them lightly on the strings to hold the ring in; written “fu” or “la-fu”. Source: Jinyu Qinkan (via the Guoqinwang technique database)(opens in a new window)

Easily confused with

泼剌pō là· three fingers in and outPo-la is two sounding strokes, in and out; la-fu is one la followed at once by damping.

References

国琴网指法库「伏——今虞琴刊」(opens in a new window)Qin community
国琴网指法库「剌伏——邻鹤斋琴谱」(opens in a new window)Qin community