Kê Khang
Definition
- Proper Noun:
- A person's name: "Kê Khang" is the Vietnamese name for Ji Kang (also romanized as Xi Kang or Hsi K'ang), a famous Chinese philosopher, poet, and musician from the Three Kingdoms period (3rd century AD). He was one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove.
- Associated with a musical composition: The name is intrinsically linked to the guqin melody "Guangling San" (Quảng Lăng Tản in Vietnamese), which he was famously associated with and is said to have performed before his execution.
Usage Examples
- Proper Noun:
- Kê Khang là một trong Trúc Lâm Thất Hiền. (Ji Kang was one of the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove.)
- Truyền thuyết kể rằng Kê Khang đã chơi khúc Quảng Lăng trước khi mất. (Legend says that Ji Kang performed the Guangling melody before he died.)
Advanced Usage
- The name "Kê Khang" is almost exclusively used in historical, literary, or musical contexts discussing Chinese antiquity and its influence on Vietnamese culture. It is not used in contemporary or casual conversation.
Variants and Related Words
- Ji Kang: The standard Pinyin romanization.
- Xi Kang / Hsi K'ang: Other common romanizations.
- Khúc Quảng Lăng / Quảng Lăng Tản: The "Guangling" melody, the musical piece he is famously connected to.
- Trúc Lâm Thất Hiền: The "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove," the group he belonged to.
Synonyms
- Philosopher: A thinker, reflecting his role as a Daoist thinker.
- Musician: A composer and performer, reflecting his mastery of the guqin.
Related Cultural References
- "Một rằng Lưu thủy, hai rằng Hành Vân": This is a poetic Vietnamese description of two sections of the "Guangling" melody, meaning "One part is Flowing Water, the second part is Moving Clouds." It highlights the beauty and imagery of the music linked to Ji Kang.
- Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove: A group of Chinese scholars and artists who rejected court life; Ji Kang is the most famous member.