List of guqin societies explained

This is a list of currently existing qin societies, of which some are learned societies.

There is a difference between qin schools and qin societies. The former concerns itself with transmission of a style, the latter concerns itself with performance. The qin society will encourage meetings with fellow qin players in order to play music and maybe discuss the nature of the qin. Gatherings such as this are called yaji (雅集, literally "elegant gatherings"), and take place once every month or two. Sometimes, societies may go on excursions to places of natural beauty to play qin, or attend conferences. They may also participate in competitions or research. Of course, societies do not have to have a strict structure to adhere to; it could mostly be on a leisurely basis. The main purpose of qin societies is to promote and play qin music. It is often a good opportunity to network and learn to play the instrument, to ask questions and to receive answers.

Most qin schools and societies are based in China, but during the twentieth century many overseas societies began to form. Although qin study was initially confined to China in ancient times, countries like Japan also have their own qin traditions via import from China, but are extremely small in scale. The Tokyo Qin Society was recently founded, opening up more opportunities for qin study in Japan. Japan has published a qinpu (qin tablature collection) in the past, known as Toukou Kinpu or Donggao Qinpu 【東臯琴譜】. Other qin societies exist in North America and Europe, which are less formal than their counterparts in mainland China, such as the North American Guqin Association and the London Youlan Qin Society.

China, etc

Society Name (English)Society Name (Chinese)Location or baseDate of foundingWebsiteRemarks
Northern China
Beijing Guqin Yanjiu Hui 北京古琴研究會BeijingNovember 1947
Peking University Guqin Society北京大學古琴社BeijingSeptember 2001
Shandong Deyin Qinshe 山東德音琴社Jinan6 November 2003
Shandong Guqin Yianjiu Hui 山東古琴研究會Shandong
Yuanyin Qinshe 元音琴社Taiyuan1921
Songfeng Qinshe 松風琴社DalianJuly 2000
Shenyang Guqin Yianjiuhui 沈陽古琴研究會ShenyangMarch 1980
Jinjiang Qinshe 錦江琴社Chengdu1979The main qin society out of many in the Chengdu/Chongqing area.
Bohai Qinshe 渤海琴社Shijiazhuang
Tongshan-Xian Guqin Xuehui 銅山縣古琴學會Cuizhou1987
Southern China
Jinyu Qin Society今虞琴社Shanghai1934The principal qin society in the Shanghai area. Has many activities and preeminent members of the years.
Mei'an Qinshe 梅庵琴社Nantong1929Website
Xiaoyiao Qinshe 逍遥琴社Hefei1999
Xihu Qinshe 西湖琴社Hangzhou1987
Wumen Qinshe 蘇州吳門琴社SuzhouNovember 1986
Guangling Qinshe 廣陵琴社Yangzhou1915
Mengqi Qinshe 夢溪琴社Zhenjiang
Yushan Qinshe 虞山琴社ChangshuRevived 1984
Jinling Qinshe 金陵琴社Nanjing1934
Bozhou Guqin Yianjiuhui 播洲古琴研究會Guizhou1986
Guangdong Guqin Yianjiuhui 廣東古琴研究會CantonOctober 1980
Foshan Guqin Society 佛山古琴研究會CantonDecember 2006Website
Hong Kong
Deyin Qinshe 德愔琴社Hong Kong1998Founded by students of Tsar Teh-Yun.
Tianting Qinshe 天聽琴社Hong KongJuly 1959
Tang Yishe 唐藝社Hong Kong
Taiwan
Haitian Qinshe 海天琴社Taiwan
Hezhen Qinshe 和真琴社Taiwan
Yingzhou Qinshe 瀛洲琴社Taiwan1999?Website
Tianmu Ge Sixian Qinshe天穆閣絲弦琴社Taiwan
Chinese Guqin Study Group – Taipei Qin Hall中華古琴學會-臺北琴道舘Taiwan2010sWebsite
Taiwan Qin Society台灣琴會Taiwan2014?Website
Taiwan Guqin Association台灣古琴協會Taiwan2010sWebsite
Xiangeng Qinshe弦耕琴社Taiwan2015?
Other Chinese locations and to-be-classified
Youtong Qinshe 友桶琴社
Wuxing Qinshe 吳興琴社

Asia

Society Name (English)Society Name (Chinese)Location or baseDate of foundingWebsiteRemarks
Japan
Tokyo Qin Society 東京琴社TokyoMainly formed by overseas Chinese students studying in Tokyo.
Kamakura Qin Society 鎌倉琴社Kanagawa2002Founded by Muka Fushimi. Restructured in 2013 into the Chushi Qin Society after Fushimi moved to Kyoto.
Chushi Qin Society疇祉琴社Kyoto2013WebsiteFormerly of Kamakura Qin Society.
Japan Society for Promotions of Guqin日本古琴振興会Tokyo2015Website
Singapore
"He Yue Zhai" Guqin Music and Arts Centre"龢樂齋"古琴館SingaporeOctober 2013Website
Malaysia
Dalü Guqin Music School大吕琴院Kepong, Malaysia2010Website
Thailand
Siam Guqin元韻山房 (สำนักหยวนอวิ้นซานฝาง)Bangkok2010WebsiteFounded by Chatchol Thaikheaw who studied under various Chinese players, including Li Xiangting.

North America

Society Name (English)Society Name (Chinese)Location or baseDate of foundingWebsiteRemarks
United States of America
北美琴社San Francisco1997 WebsiteOne of the earliest qin societies in the West headed by Wang Fei. Activities are wide-ranging.
North America Mei'an Society北美梅庵琴社Boston2009WebsiteFounded by Yu Shuishan.
New York Guqin Association紐約古琴研究會New York City2015WebsiteFounded by Liu Li.
New York Guqin School紐約梅庵琴苑New York City2013WebsiteFounded by 葉時華 Shihhua (Judy) Yeh, first New York based qin school to teach qin in the formal way.
紐約琴社New York City2000WebsiteA more formal qin society based in New York.
Canada
Jiuyi Qinshe 九嶷琴社Vancouver2005Website
University of Toronto Guqin Association 多倫多大學古琴社Toronto2005https://web.archive.org/web/20060501041347/http://guqin.sa.utoronto.ca/ (defunct)Restructured into the "University of Toronto Chinese Cultural Aesthetic Society (UTCCAS)" since August 2007, guqin aspects again restructured in August 2008.
Toronto Guqin Society (TQS)多倫多古琴社Toronto2008WebsiteRestructured from UTCCAS's guqin operations in August 2008, with this group oriented toward the Toronto community.

Europe

Society Name (English)Society Name (Chinese)Location or baseDate of foundingWebsiteRemarks
United Kingdom
倫敦幽蘭琴社London, UKJuly 2003WebsiteA formal and very active qin society catering for UK qin players. Organises a guqin summer school each year.
Mainland Europe
Berlin Boya Qin Association柏林博雅古琴社Berlin, GermanyAutumn 2016
Friends of Guqin : Amics del Guqin古琴之友Spain; internet-basedSeptember 2004Website (defunct)Though not officially a society, their activities were mostly internet-based and also translated qin books into Spanish. They have been inactive since Aug 2011 and presumably defunct.

Oceania

Society Name (English)Society Name (Chinese)Location or baseDate of foundingWebsiteRemarks
Australia
Australian Guqin Society Incorporated澳大利亞中國琴會MelbourneFeb 2018
Guqin in Sydney悉尼古琴同好會SydneyMid-2010sWebsite
JianZhai Guqin Sydney简斋古琴Sydney2021Website

See also

References

Please see: References section in the guqin article for a full list of references used in all qin related articles.