Ji Kang | |
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| 嵇康 | |
| Attendant Counsellor (中散大夫) | |
| In office ?–? | |
| Monarch | Cao Mao /Cao Huan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 223 |
| Died | 262 (aged 39) |
| Spouse | Cao Lin's daughter |
| Relations | Ji Xi (brother) |
| Children | Ji Shao |
| Parent |
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| Occupation | Composer, essayist, philosopher, poet |
| Courtesy name | Shuye (叔夜) |
| Ji Kang | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Chinese | 嵇康 | ||||||||||||||||||
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Ji Kang (Chinese:嵇康, 223–262), sometimes referred to asXi Kang,courtesy nameShuye (叔夜[1]), was a Chinese composer, essayist, philosopher, and poet of theThree Kingdoms period. He was one of theSeven Sages of the Bamboo Grove who held aloof from the dangerous politics of third-century China to devote themselves to art and refinement.
Ji Kang is noted as an author and was also a famous composer andguqin-player. He was described as a handsome and tall man (approximately 1.88 metres).
As a thinker, Ji Kang wrote on longevity, music theory, politics and ethics. Among his works wereYangsheng Lun (飬生論, Essay on Nourishing Life),Shengwu Aile Lun (聲無哀樂論, Discourse on sounds [as] lacking sorrow or joy, i.e. On the Absence of Sentiments in Music),Qin Fu (琴賦, A Composition on theQin), andShisi Lun (釋私論, Discourse on Individuality). As a musician, Ji Kang composed a number of solo pieces for theqin.
Ji Kang was highly critical ofConfucianism and challenged many social conventions of his time, provoking scandal and suspicion. He marriedCao Cao's granddaughter (or great-granddaughter according to some). Ji Kang assumed a post under theCao Wei state, but official work bored him. When the regentSima Zhao came to power, he offered Ji Kang a civil position, but Ji Kang insolently rejected Sima Zhao's envoyZhong Hui. When one of Ji Kang's friends was imprisoned on false charges, Ji Kang testified in his defense, but both were sent to jail. At Zhong Hui's urging, Sima Zhao sentenced Ji Kang to death. Three thousand scholars petitioned for his pardon, but his enemies were implacable. Before his execution, Ji Kang is said to have played one last melody on the guqin, a swan song forever lost.[2]
Ji Kang wroteGuangling San, a composition for theguqin recounting the assassination of a king of Han. It was said to be inspired by a spirit visitation, and was widely acclaimed.[3] He was also believed to have become axian (Taoist immortal) throughshijie by mainstreamTaoism.
. De Gruyter Mouton.ISBN 978-1-5015-0387-0| Melodies |  | |
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