古琴琅琊榜：八十老匠合律吕，半为修道半缘琴 | The Art of Guqin Making

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The guqin – an instrument favored by officials and the Chinese literati – has a more than 3,000-year-old history. Originally with only five strings, seven strings was standardized during the Han Dynasty. 

中国传统古琴有三千年以上历史，最初为五弦，汉朝起定制为七弦。这种乐器一直被视为文人和士大夫的专属，是贵族生活的重要组成部分。它也是重要的礼仪乐器，频频现身于盛大仪式和祭祀场所。

With it's vital role in important ceremonies and sacrifices, the guqin holds a unique position in Chinese culture. 

因而，古琴在中国文化中有着独特且崇高的地位。

The construction of the instrument itself is special, as it's meant to reflect the "unity of heaven and humanity" in traditional Chinese philosophy. 

在琴制上，古琴体现了中国传统哲学中对“天人合一”的追求。

The shape of the guqin resembles that of a man. Each part of the instrument is named for a part of nature. The entire length is normally 3 chi, 6 cun and 5 fen (approx. 136 cm), representing the 365 days of the year.

古琴的形制，最初模仿的就是人形。各个部位的命名，也与自然息息相关。琴长一般为三尺六寸五分，传说是为了与一年的天数相统一。

The soundboard is usually made with wood from the Chinese parasol tree or fir. Catalpa wood or camphor wood is more suitable for the bottom board. Because the wood needs to be dried naturally, older trees are often used. The aged wood also has looser fibers, giving the guqin a richer sound. 

古琴一般用桐木或者杉木制作面板，用梓木或者楠木制作底板。木料必须自然风干，因而陈年古木才是上佳之选。而且，木头越老纤维越松弛，琴的声音越浑厚。

The craftsmen who make the instrument are highly skilled and use exquisite techniques. We visited Sun Qingtang, who's been making guqins for the last 40 years. 

一刀一斧将木料制成琴的过程，被称为“斫”。制作古琴的匠人因此被称为“斫琴者”。孙庆堂就是这样一位传统手艺人。

In 1952, Sun came to Beijing to be an apprentice of musical instruments. He made his first guqin in 1972 and has made over a thousand since then.

1952年，孙庆堂从老家到北京当学徒，陆陆续续做了许多乐器。1972年，他做出第一张古琴。到现在，四十多年，经过他手的古琴已有上千张。

He told us that one of the most challenging parts of making a guqin is to hollow out the wood for the body of the instrument.

斫琴过程中最考验匠人的工序之一是“掏膛”——将木材挖空，制作琴身。

Years of experience have given Sun a special sense about what makes a perfect instrument noting that "each guqin has its unique texture. You can only feel it with your hands."

多年的经验锻炼出了孙庆堂作为匠人的独特手感：“一个膛里并不都是一边厚。边上都很薄，薄到什么程度就看木材的软硬。”

“每张古琴的材质都不一样，只能用手去感受。”

The thickness of the wood is crucial to the tone of the instrument. Only the craftsmen's experience and repeated sound checks could guarantee the ideal sound.

掏膛的厚薄决定了古琴的音色。这方面没有好的检验方法，只能依靠匠人的经验和一次又一次的试音达到理想的效果。

Moreover, guqins are meant to be played over several generations.

不仅如此，一张琴做出来，绝不是一件易耗品。它势必要经历长久岁月的打磨。

"The sound of a guqin should grow better with time," said Sun, "So we have to consider what sound it could produce decades, even centuries after the construction."

“一张好的琴，时间弹得越久，能够弹出的音色越好，”孙庆堂说，“所以做这张琴的时候就要考虑到，今后几十年、百年以后它发出的声音会是什么样的。”

From selecting materials to carving the guqin, the craftsmen who work on these instruments write their names in the interior of the body. But it is always the sound of the instrument that lasts.

从选材到雕琢，虽然斫琴者会为一张琴殚精竭虑，但他们只会将名字留在琴内，只将琴的声音留给后世评价。

Craftsmen like Sun Qingtang may not be as renowned as the ancient literati, but their craftsmanship is indispensable for passing along the essence of Chinese culture.

也许这样的匠人不会像历朝历代的文人墨客流芳百世，但他们用自己的手艺使中华文化的风骨得以代代传承。

Cameraman: Li Wei

Film editor: Li Yue, Ma Mingyuan

Story written by: Zhu Siqi

English editor: Xuyen Nguyen

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