Quick Answer: What Is King Chu Doffs His Armor?
King Chu Doffs His Armor (Bawang Xiejia, 霸王卸甲, Bàwáng Xièjiǎ) is a traditional suite for pipa (琵琶, pípá). It presents the fall of the Chu leader Xiang Yu (项羽, Xiàng Yǔ) in the story of the conflict between Chu and Han.[2][5]
- Perspective: The music follows Xiang Yu’s fortunes and the change from confidence to grief.[2]
- Printed source: An 1819 pipa collection associated with Hua Qiuping contains an early score.[3]
- Versions: The arrangement and source credits help identify the sections you will hear.[6]
Listen for the turn toward the Songs of Chu and the farewell to Lady Yu (虞姬, Yú Jī).
A pipa player can shift from broad strums to a melody picked out on individual strings in a few gestures. Here those changes help tell a story. The energy of the earlier sections makes the quieter turn toward the king’s farewell more audible.
The Chu King’s Story on Pipa
The suite takes its setting from the struggle between Chu and Han around the time of the defeat at Gaixia in 202 BCE. Xiang Yu hears the songs of Chu and parts from Lady Yu. The Records of the Grand Historian provides historical context for the figure of Xiang Yu and the founding era of the Han dynasty.[5]
The pipa tradition groups this work with the martial suites. Its story uses the range of the pipa to move from public ceremony toward personal loss. Ambush from Ten Sides interprets the same conflict from the side that prevails.[2][3]
What the Early Scores Establish
The 1819 collection records the work as part of a southern transmission. The Chengdu program describes twelve labeled sections in that early source.[3][5] The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra gives fifteen in its tour notes. If a recording lists its sections, use those names to match it to a score or program.[1]
The tour notes mention a later attribution to the Tang poet Wang Wei and find insufficient evidence.[1] The 1819 score gives a documented date for one version of the music.[3]
Follow Two Different Performance Credits
A Toronto festival syllabus lists the Pudong school work with Lin Shicheng credited for the solo performance score.[4] The Hong Kong orchestra lists a version for pipa and orchestra arranged by Kuan Nai-chung, based on Shen Haochu’s notation and Lin’s compilation.[1]
Look for the role attached to each name. A credit for transmitting a score describes a different contribution from writing an orchestral arrangement.
The Hong Kong program uses the spelling Armour.[1]
The Toronto syllabus shortens the title to The King Doffs His Armor.[4]
Where to Listen for the Change in Mood
Use the labels Song of the Chu and Parting with Lady Yu in the Hong Kong program as listening landmarks.[1] Notice whether the notes grow longer or the accompaniment thins around the transition. Compare the way a solo player marks the turn with the way an ensemble can change color around the pipa.
For a different kind of contrast on the same instrument, listen to the lyrical and dance passages in Dance of the Yi People.
FAQs About King Chu Doffs His Armor
Who composed King Chu Doffs His Armor?
It is usually credited as a traditional piece. The surviving sources identify score transmitters and arrangers more securely than an original composer.[2][6]
What instrument is the piece associated with?
It belongs to the traditional pipa repertory and also appears in arrangements for pipa with orchestra.[1]
How is it different from Ambush from Ten Sides?
King Chu Doffs His Armor follows Xiang Yu’s decline. Ambush from Ten Sides gives the prevailing Han side’s perspective on the conflict.[2][3]
Sources
[1] Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra. 2019 Mainland Tour Programme Notes
[2] Osaka University Knowledge Archive. Comparative Study of Traditional Pipa Military Suites
[3] China Writers Association. Ambush from Ten Sides and King Chu Doffs His Armor
[4] Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto. Chinese Instruments Solo Classes Syllabus
[5] Huain. Chengdu Pipa Concert Notes
[6] Music Life. Comparison of Performance Scores for King Chu Doffs His Armor