拍beat; section (early scores)

Early qin pieces were divided into pai: the Tang manuscript Jieshi Diao Youlan writes “beat” or “beat, long rest” at the end of each section, and the piece has exactly four. Later scores mostly divide by duan (section) instead. Pai also means the beat or pulse, as in ru pai (entering the beat) and he pai (fitting the beat); do not confuse the two senses.