Exhibition: Passing on the Legacy in Hong Kong: Literatus and Qin Master Madam Tsar Teh-yun

Traditionally in China, the literati were all required to become proficient in the ‘Four Arts of the Scholar’—qin (guqin), qi (chess, specifically, Go), shu (calligraphy), and hua (painting). The traditional approach to the aesthetics and use of the qin is very different from the emphasis on technique, musical effects, and even performance venues in today’s music academies. Traditional qin players most enjoy playing the qin at intimate gatherings with close friends. They are not concerned with the volume of sound that might be of importance in public performances, which they generally eschew. In the small city of Hong Kong, the mingling of Chinese and Western cultures has preserved and passed down the traditional qin culture and its emphasis on the refinement and cultivation of moral character. It is within such an environment that the renowned guqin master Madam Tsar Teh-yun (1905–2007) has, with her exceptional artistry and elegant sophistication, spent her life nurturing the artistic development of her pupils and disciples, thus playing a crucial role in the transmission of the guqin art.

We have specially chosen to hold this exhibition on the occasion of Madam Tsar Teh-yun’s 120th birthday, in order to introduce to the public her art and influence. The exhibit also showcases her lifetime’s use of the Song dynasty qin instrument called ‘Tiger’s Roar’, the manuscript scores, and other exhibits, allowing viewers to see at a glance how the last generation of literati in China passed on the cultured art of the qin from Shanghai to Hong Kong.

To commemorate the 120th birthday of Madam Tsar Teh-yun, a conference (full) and concert (full) will also be held.