抓起thumb pull-off to the open string
Pinyin: zhuā qǐ
Left hand, slidingAlso written: 爪起
After a note stopped by the thumb has sounded, the thumb hooks the string with its nail, sounding the open string.
How it is played
After the stopped note, do not simply release the thumb; hook the string inward (toward the player) with the side of the nail to sound the open string. The motion is the same as the ring finger's dai qi, only with the thumb and the nail.
How it sounds
The open note of the string; the nail gives a crisper attack.
In the classical handbooks
大指於按位將絃帶起，得一散聲曰爪起。Gist: The thumb at the stopping position carries the string up and gains an open note: this is zhua qi.
Where sources disagree
Whether zhua qi and dai qi are two techniques
- Distinguished by finger: the thumb pulling off to an open note is zhua qi, the ring finger pulling off is dai qi. Source: Qinxue Rumen (Introduction to Qin Studies), vol. 1, left-hand pressing symbols(opens in a new window) · View the original page
- Zhua qi is simply dai qi. Source: 《白菡萏香馆琴谱》（据Guoqinwang, Guqin Da Cidian (Great Dictionary of the Guqin)所录原文）(opens in a new window)
- When the thumb plays dai qi, it is called zhua qi. Source: 《槐阴书屋琴谱》（据Guoqinwang, Guqin Da Cidian (Great Dictionary of the Guqin)所录原文）(opens in a new window)
Easily confused with
- 带起dài qǐ· ring-finger pull-off to the open stringDai qi uses the ring finger, zhua qi the thumb.
- 掐起qiā qǐ· left-hand pull-off to a stopped noteIn qia qi the ring finger holds the string and the thumb hooks it for a stopped note; in zhua qi the thumb leaves the string itself for an open note.
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》「抓起」条(opens in a new window)Qin community