Heptachord Terrace (Guqin Tai)

Owing to a famous Chinese legend, Heptachord Terrace, or Guqin Tai in Chinese pronunciation is famous for its cultural atmosphere and moving story. Heptachord Terrace is situated in the north of the Hanyang District of Wuhan City, Hubei Province, which is located at the west of Tortoise Hill and on the bank of the Moon Lake. It was built in honor of the sincere friendship between Yu Boya and Zhong Ziqi during the Song Dynasty (960 - 1279) and later restored by a prefect living in Hubei Province during the early years of the Qing Dynasty (1644 - 1911).

The terrace is a reminder of the legend of Yu Boya, who was a famous official who lived in the Jin State during the the Spring and Autumn Period (770 B.C. - 476B.C.), and was an expert heptachord player. One day, Yu Boya played two pieces of music on his way home by boat from an official visit to the Chu State. One was a composition called 'High Mountain' and the other 'Flowing Water'. To Yu Boya's amazement Zhong Ziqi, a woodcutter, understood and appreciated his music. Yu Boya admired Zhong Ziqi's musical attainment and after a long conversation they became bosom friends. Since Yu Boya had to return to his state, they agreed to meet again in the coming year. Unfortunately, Yu Boya found that his friend had died from a disease before their planned meeting could take place and understandably he was deeply grieved upon hearing the sad news. Upon setting up an altar near his friend's grave and burning incense there, he played 'High Mountain' and 'Flowing Water' once again. The emotion of the music was so strong that it was as if the rivers and the mountains were crying. When he had finished playing, the distraught musician broke his heptachord to pieces. From then on, Yu Boya never played again.

The Heptachord Terrace covers an area of 15 Mu (Chinese unit of area). Although it isn't large in scale, it's well designed. It's made up of the main building, courtyard, garden, flower beds and tea house. Its arrangement is clear. There are many verandas in the Heptachord Terrace. They are built according to the terrain. Only a few steps do people walk and they can enjoy different scene. The men who built here made full use of the terrain. They completely apply the method of “view borrowing “in the design of Chinese garden to design of the Heptachord Terrace. They cleverly borrowed the view of Turtle Hill and Moon Lake. A wide and profound artistic field has been formed.

 

Enter the gate. It's a small courtyard. When people go out of the tea house from the right door, they will find there is a wall opposite the door. Four Chinese words, "Yin Xin Shi Wu", are written on the wall. It's the handwriting of Emperor Daoguang of the Qing Dynasty. On the east side of the wall is a small door. There is a tablet hung on the top of the door with two Chinese words," Qin Tai" (Heptachord Terrace), It's said they were written by Mi Fu, a famous calligrapher of the Northern Song Dynasty. Enter the door and it's the zigzag veranda and the veranda wall. Many stone inscriptions and the stele with the record of rebuilding the Heptachord Terrace stand there. Walk further; it's the Heptachord Hall or the Friendship Hall. The square stone desk is located in the courtyard in front of the hall. It was made of white marble. It represents the desk on which Yu Boya plays the Heptachord.

For more information, please visit www.top-chinatour.com