This is a list of 94 core pieces approved for the guqin certification examination. They represent just less slightly under10% of the guqin repertoire. Where a piece exists in more than one version, all are considered to be at the same level and candidates may play any version. The titles are in both Chinese and English. Several different translations are in common use for some titles, a number of which are not consistent with the literal meaning of the Chinese original. This can be confusing for candidates who do not understand Chinese. We have therefore attempted to integrate the existing translations and come up with English titles that reflect, as far as possible, the spirit of each piece. We hope these will be helpful. These translations are tentative, so please subscribe to a closed guqin discussion list and discuss this issue with other members, so that we can improve on them.

Level 1:

¹ÅÇÙÒ÷
Pinyin: Guqin Yin
Translation: Song of the Ancient Qin
ÏæåúÔ¹
Pinyin: Xiang Fei Yuan
Translation: Lament of Concubine Xiang
·ïÇó»Ë
Pinyin: Feng Qiu Huang
Translation: The Phoenix Woos His Mate
¿®¹ÅÒ÷
Pinyin: Kai Gu Yin
Translation: Reflecting on the Past
ªÊÒÃú
Pinyin: Lou Shi Ming
Translation: Ode to the Simple Life

Level 2:

Ë«º×ÌýȪ
Pinyin: Shuang He Ting Quan
Translation: A Pair of Cranes Listening to the Spring
Á¼ÏüÒý
Pinyin: Liang Xiao Yin
Translation: Prelude for a Pleasant Evening
ÇåÒ¹Ò÷
Pinyin: Qing Ye Yin
Translation: Song for a Clear Night
¼«ÀÖÒ÷
Pinyin: Ji Le Yin
Translation: Song Of Boundless Joy
Çï·ç´Ê
Pinyin: Qiu Feng Ci
Translation: Song of the Autumn Wind
À­Ï˸è
* Pinyin: La Qian Ge
Translation: Boat Towing Song

Level 3:

ÓñÂ¥´ºÏþ
Pinyin: Yu Lou Chun Xiao
Translation: Spring Dawn at the Jade Tower
¾«ÖÒ´Ê
Pinyin: Jing Zhong Ci
Translation: Ode to Loyalty
ÆüÑÕ»Ø
Pinyin: Qi Yan Hui
Translation: Weeping for Yan Hui
·çÀ×Òý
Pinyin: Feng Lei Yin
Translation: Wind and Thunder Prelude
Çï½­Ò¹²´
Pinyin: Qiu Jiang Ye Bo
Translation: Mooring on an Autumn Night
·ÉÃùÒ÷
Pinyin: Fei Ming Yin
Translation: Calling While Flying
´ºÏþÒ÷
Pinyin: Chun Xiao Yin
Translation: Song for a Spring Dawn.
Âú½­ºì
Pinyin: Man Jiang Hong
Translation: The River All Red
ӳɽºì
*Pinyin: Ying Shan Hong
Translation: Mountains at Sunset
С²Ý
* Pinyin: Xiao Cao
Translation: A Fine Blade of Grass

Level 4:

Ñô¹ØÈýµþ
Pinyin: Yangguan San Die
Translation: Three Variations on the Yangguan Theme
ÆÕâÖÖä
Pinyin: Puan Zhou
Translation: Incantation of Pu¡¯an
ʯÉÏÁ÷Ȫ
Pinyin: Shishang Liu Quan
Translation: A Spring Flowing Over Stones
±Ì½§Á÷Ȫ
Pinyin: Bi Jian Liu Quan
Translation: A Spring Flowing in a Green Valley
ÉñÈ˳©
Pinyin: Shen Ren Chang
Translation: Joy of Gods and Men
¾Æ¿ñ
Pinyin: Jiu Kuang
Translation: Drunken Ecstasy
¿××Ó¶ÁÒ×
Pinyin: Kongzi Du Yi
Translation: Confucius Reads the Book of Changes
¹éÈ¥À´´Ç
Pinyin: Gui Qu Lai Ci
Translation: Returning After Resigning
ÇïÒ¹³¤
Pinyin: Qiu Ye Chang
Translation: The Autumn Night is Long
¶´Í¥Çï˼
Pinyin: Dongting Qiu Si
Translation: Autumn Thoughts at Lake Dongting
¿ÊÍû
*Pinyin: Ke Wang
Translation: Yearning

Level 5:

ŸðØÍü»ú
Pinyin: Oulu Wang Ji
Translation: Without Ulterior Motives
³þ¸è
Pinyin: Chu Ge
Translation: Song of Chu
Τ±àÈý¾ø
Pinyin: Wei Bian San Jue
Translation: Studying Diligently
¹ØɽÔÂ
Pinyin: Guan Shan Yue
Translation: Moon Over the Mountain Pass
¸ßɽ
Pinyin: Gao Shan
Translation: High Mountains
ÊÍ̸ÕÂ
Pinyin: Shitan Zhang
Translation: Stanzas of Siddam
ÔÀÑôÈý×í
Pinyin: Yueyang San Zui
Translation: Three Times Drunk in Yueyang
²É²èµ÷
*Pinyin: Cai Cha Diao
Translation: Tea Picking Song
ä¯ÑôºÓ
*Pinyin: Liuyang He
Translation: The Liuyang River

Level 6:

Òä¹ÊÈË
Pinyin: Yi Guren
Translation: Thinking of an Old Friend
³¤ÃÅÔ¹
Pinyin: Changmen Yuan
Translation: Lament at the Changmen Palace
ÎàÒ¶ÎèÇï·ç
Pinyin: Wu Ye Wu Qiu Feng
Translation: Parasol Leaves Dancing in the Autumn Wind
ׯÖÜÃεû
Pinyin: Zhuang Zhou Meng Die
Translation: Zhuangzi Dreams of Being a Butterfly
ƽɳÂäÑã
Pinyin: Ping Sha Luo Yan
Translation: Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank
»ÆÔÆÇïÈû
Pinyin: Huang Yun Qiu Sai
Translation: Yellow Clouds Over the Frontier in Autumn
ÎÄÍõ²Ù
Pinyin: Wen Wang Cao
Translation: Melody of King Wen
Ë«ÒÒ·´µ÷
*Pinyin: Shuang Yi Fan Diao
Translation: Piece in the Shuang Yi Fan Mode

Level 7:

ÁúË·²Ù
Pinyin: Long Shuo Cao
Translation: Lament of Zhaojun
×íÓ泪Íí
Pinyin: Zui Yu Chang Wan
Translation: Evening Song of the Drunken Fishermen
ÅåÀ¼
Pinyin: Pei Lan
Translation: Admiring the Orchid
Ìì·ç»·Åå
Pinyin: Tian Feng Huan Pei
Translation: Jade Pendants in a Heavenly Breeze
³¤Çå
Pinyin: Chang Qing
Translation: Clear Sky After a Fall of Snow
²×º£ÁúÒ÷
Pinyin: Cang Hai Long Yin
Translation: Song of the Sea Dragon
ɽ¾ÓÒ÷
Pinyin: Shan Ju Yin
Translation: Living in the Mountains
°×Ñ©
Pinyin: Bai Xue
Translation: White Snow
ÁÐ×ÓÓù·ç
Pinyin: Liezi Yu Feng
Translation: Liezi Rides the Wind
ЮÏÉÓÎ
Pinyin: Xie Xian You
Translation: Roaming with the Immortals
Éñ»¯Òý
Pinyin: Shen Hua Yin
Translation: Becoming an Immortal
»ñ÷ë²Ù
Pinyin: Huo Lin Cao
Translation: Capturing the Unicorn
·çÔƼʻá
Pinyin: Feng Yun Ji Hui
Translation: Wind and Clouds Gather Together
´º½­»¨ÔÂÒ¹
*Pinyin: Chun Jiang Hua Yue Ye
Translation: Moonlit River in Spring

Level 8:

Á÷Ë®
Pinyin: Liu Shui
Translation: Flowing Water
ÓæéÔÎÊ´ð
Pinyin: Yu Qiao Wen Da
Translation: Dialogue of the Fisherman and the Woodcutter
÷»¨ÈýŪ
Pinyin: Meihua San Nong
Translation: Three Variations on the Plum Blossom Theme
ÒÓÇ·ÄË
Pinyin: Ao Ai
Translation: The Boatman¡¯s Song
ïô³¯·É
Pinyin: Zhi Zhao Fei
Translation: Pheasants Flying in the Morning
Óæ¸è
Pinyin: Yu Ge
Translation: The Fisherman¡¯s Song
ºº¹¬ÇïÔÂ
Pinyin: Han Gong Qiu Yue
Translation: Autumn Moon Over the Han Palace
¹Â¹ÝÓöÉñ
Pinyin: Gu Guan Yu Shen
Translation: Meeting an Immortal in an Isolated House
ɽˮÇé
*Pinyin: Shan Shui Qing
Translation: Love of Mountains and Rivers

Level 9:

Àëɧ
Pinyin: Li Sao
Translation: Encountering Grief
µ·ÒÂ
Pinyin: Dao Yi
Translation: Beating Cloth
ÁúÏè²Ù
Pinyin: Long Xiang Cao
Translation: Soaring of the Dragon
ÎÚÒ¹Ìä
Pinyin: Wu Ye Ti
Translation: Evening Call of the Raven
ÇïÈûÒ÷
Pinyin: Qiu Sai Yin
Translation: Autumn Thoughts from Across the Border
Ë®ÏɲÙ
Pinyin: Shui Xian Cao
Translation: The Water Immortal
ɦÊ×ÎÊÌì
Pinyin: Sao Shou Wen Tian
Translation: Scratching One¡¯s Head and Beseeching Heaven
Ä«×Ó±¯Ë¿
Pinyin: Mozi Bei Si Mozi
Translation: Sorrowing over the Silk
Ñô´º
Pinyin: Yang Chun
Translation: Sunny Spring
´óºúóÕ
Pinyin: Da Hujia
Translation: Greater Nomad Reedpipe
Â¥À¼É¢
* Pinyin: Loulan San
Translation: Melody from Loulan

Level 10:

äìÏæË®ÔÆ
Pinyin: Xiao Xiang Shui Yun
Translation: Mist and Clouds over the Xiao and Xiang Rivers
éÔ¸è
Pinyin: Qiao Ge
Translation: The Woodcutter¡¯s Song
¹ãÁêÉ¢
Pinyin: Guangling San
Translation: Guangling San
Çïºè
Pinyin: Qiu Hong
Translation: Wild Geese in the Autumn
ºúóÕÊ®°ËÅÄ
Pinyin: Hujia Shiba Pai
Translation: Eighteen Stanzas on the Nomad Reedpipe
ÓÄÀ¼
Pinyin: You Lan
Translation: The Solitary Orchid
÷԰Ò÷
*Pinyin: Mei Yuan Yin
Translation: Song of the Plum Garden
ÈýÏ¿´¬¸è
*Pinyin: San Xia Chuan Ge
Translation: Boatmen¡¯s Song of the Three Gorges
½­Ñ©
* Pinyin: Jiang Xue
Translation: Snow on the River
·çÑ©Öþ·
*Pinyin: Feng Xue Zhu Lu
Translation: Building a Road in the Wind and Snow
´º·ç
*Pinyin: Chun Feng
Translation: Spring Breeze

Note: Items marked with an asterisk are either new compositions or adaptations from other genres.

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Created by Wang Fei and Julian Joseph for the North American Guqin Association.