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Birds, Animals and the Guqin
Plus all flying creatures, including fantasy ones

In the qin repertoire non-human beings that fly are much more common than ones than do not, especially if one includes fantasy animals such as dragons (which are said to be able to fly).

    Here the most prominent ones are cranes and geese. Cranes are associated with longevity, geese with loyalty and exile. In addition, seabirds are associated with a carefree existence, the phoenix with love. The following list includes only those melodies in my current repertoire.

  1. Zhi Zhao Fei ([Paired] Pheasants' Morning Flight, 2 versions)
  2. Wu Ye Ti (Evening Call of the Raven, 2 versions)
  3. Wang Ji (No Ulterior Motives [Seagulls])
  4. He Ming Jiugao (Cranes Cry in the Nine Marshpools)
  5. Feiming Yin ([Geese] Calling out in Flight)
  6. Qiu Hong (Wild Geese in Autumn)
  7. Guan Ju (Cry of the Ospreys)
  8. He Wu Dongtian (Cranes Dance in the Grotto-Heaven)
  9. Yao Tian Sheng He (Jade Sheng Heavenly Crane)
  10. Saishang Hong (Wild Geese on the Frontier)
  11. Pingsha Luo Yan (Wild Geese Settle on a Sandbank)

    Birds by analogy:

  12. Shiba Xueshi Deng Yingzhou (18 Scholars Ascend Yingzhou
    [scholars were often symbolized by cranes, which had same pronunciation in old Chinese])

    Flying animals

  13. Shenhua Yin (Metamorphosis [Butterfly])
  14. Zhuangzhou Meng Die (Zhuangzi's Butterfly Dream)

    Animals (non-flying)
    Only the gibbon; otherwise noticeable mainly for their lack of mention

  15. Tale of Clarity in Thought and Action
    Later called Paired Clarity of Gibbon and Crane; several other melodies mention the gibbon in section titles (e.g., Autumn Wind and Cangwu Lament) or in lyrics (Secluded Cascading Spring)

  16. Guanghan Qiu (Autumn in a Lunar Palace); possible connection to a toad

    Fantasy creatures
    Specifically, unicorns, dragons and phoenixes, the latter two of which are said to be able to fly

  17. Huo Lin (Captured Unicorn)

  18. Longshuo Cao (Melody of the Dragon North, 1425)
  19. Shuilong Yin (Water Dragon Intonation, 1579, 1589)
  20. Longmen Taolang Yin (Dragon Gate Peach Wave Prelude; better known as Yang Chun - Sunny Spring)
  21. Long Gui Wan Dong (A Dragon Returns in Evening to its Cave)

  22. Feng Qiu Huang (A Male Phoenix Seeks his Mate)

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