Modern Guqin Artist Wang Di

At the beginning of 1950s, the active efforts made together on Guqin by China Arts Research Academy and Beijing Qin Research Association has laid solid foundation for modern Qin study. Their nationwide census on Guqin (a seven-stringed plucked instrument in some ways similar to the zither) in 1956 initiates the new development of Qin study in China, which completely ends the desperate situation of Qin circle in modern times. During the short years between 1954 and 1967, they actively communicated with artists playing Qin from all over the country. As a result, large quantities of Gu Qin chants and works are collected and sorted out, thus creating a stimulating academic atmosphere and inheriting the tradition of Qin study which embodies the ancient historical civilization of China.The research subject of the article is Wang Di, a famous Guqin artist and folk musician in Chinese contemporary music history., is a disciple of Guan Pinghu, as well as an important researcher in Beijing Qin Research Association. Since childhood, Wang Di has begun to study playing Guqin under the guidance of Guan Pinghu, a Guqin master which helps her inherit his playing skills. After her graduation from the Composition Department of Central Conservatory of Music, She works on Guqin research for nearly 40 years in Folk Music Research Institute of China Arts Research Academy, with 10 years devoted to assisting Guan Pinghu with research on Qin study. She not only inherits the playing style and skills of "Jiu Yi" and successfully summarizes the Qin Study heritage of Guan Pinghu, but also devotes all her life to establish the status of "Guan" in Qin Circle and to spread Guqin art.She personally participated in composition, wrote down music, done the researche on folk Qin chants, edited the Qin Study works "Guzhi Fakao" together with her master and get involved in all kinds of activities and performances. Actively involved in the nationwide census on Gu Qin in 1956, she excavates large quantities of Guqin chants, rescuing the Guqin art from being distinct. Besides, she frequently participated in interviews or investigations into folk music, and detailed and first-hand materials were recorded. Among these the most representative work is her participation in the excavation of Zhihuasijing music. After 1970s, by composing hundreds of Qin chants, Wang Di makes outstanding achievements in aspects such as Guqin composition, fingering archeology, studies on the rhythm and chants of Guqin and so on. Great contributions are made in inheriting, studying and popularizing Qin chants, and precious artists materials are reserved for the following generations. After all, with her perseverance attitude, Wang Di has devoted all her life into Guqin arts and folk music researches, as one of the first generation of professional folk music researchers since the People's Republic of China was build in 1949.Made up of three parts, namely "The general introduction of Wang Di's research activities on Qin Study" "The excavation of traditional Qin chants" and "The contributions to Chinese traditional music", the article first records the learning process and artistic activities of Wang Di, then analyzes and summarizes her research theories on Qin Study, and finally try to makes an objective history evaluation on Wang Di's contributions on contemporary Qin music and folk music research.