This Tang Dynasty manuscript score titled Jieshi Tune - Solitary Orchid (Vol. 5), traditionally attributed to …
This Tang Dynasty manuscript score titled Jieshi Tune - Solitary Orchid (Vol. 5), traditionally attributed to Confucius and transmitted by the Liang Dynasty hermit Qiu Ming, stands as the oldest surviving score in existence. The piece is divided into four sections, conveying through its portrayal of the orchid's noble character a sentiment of remaining undefeated in spirit despite unrecognized talent. The score preserves the early character-based notation system, comprising 224 lines (with 20-24 characters per line) and totaling 4,954 characters. Currently housed at the Tokyo National Museum under No. TB1393.