號(hao)鐘(zhong),古琴名(ming)。 漢(han)·劉向 《九嘆·愍命》:“破伯牙之(zhi)號(hao)鐘(zhong)兮,挾人箏而(er)彈緯。”《淮南子·修(xiu)務訓》:“鼓琴者(zhe)期(qi)於(wu)鳴廉、脩營(ying),而(er)不期(qi)於(wu)濫脇、號(hao)鐘(zhong)。” 高(gao)誘 注(zhu):“號(hao)鐘(zhong),高(gao)聲,非(fei)耳所及耳。” 唐 獨孤及 《夏中酬于逖華耀問病見(jian)贈(zeng)》詩:“遙(yao)指(zhi)故(gu)山笑,相(xiang)看撫號(hao)鐘(zhong)。”《云笈七簽(qian)》卷一百:“ 黃(huang)帝之(zhi)琴名(ming)號(hao)鐘(zhong),作清角之(zhi)弄。”
齊桓公的(de)(de)"號(hao)鐘"、楚莊王的(de)(de)"繞梁"、司馬相(xiang)如的(de)(de)"綠綺"和(he)蔡邕的(de)(de)"焦尾(wei)",這四(si)張琴(qin)曾被人們(men)譽為“四(si)大(da)名琴(qin)”。
“號(hao)鐘”是傳(chuan)說(shuo)中周代(dai)的名琴(qin),居古(gu)代(dai)四大名琴(qin)之首,此琴(qin)音之宏亮,猶(you)如鐘聲激蕩(dang),號(hao)角(jiao)長鳴,令人蕩(dang)胸生云。可此琴(qin)若(ruo)不是巧遇齊桓公,齊桓公慧眼識琴(qin)、育(yu)人,只怕(pa)是早(zao)遭埋沒,難見天日。
齊桓(huan)(huan)(huan)(huan)公(gong)(gong)一(yi)次巡行,路過一(yi)村(cun)莊,突然(ran)(ran)聽(ting)到一(yi)陣琴音(yin)(yin),五音(yin)(yin)不齊,齊桓(huan)(huan)(huan)(huan)公(gong)(gong)聽(ting)得難受,又(you)有喧(xuan)嘩鼓(gu)噪之聲(sheng),便下車(che)尋來。這(zhe)時(shi)看(kan)見(jian)一(yi)群孩子(zi)(zi)(zi)圍著一(yi)個五六歲左(zuo)右(you)的(de)男孩,男孩用身子(zi)(zi)(zi)緊護(hu)一(yi)琴,擋(dang)著如(ru)雨點(dian)般砸(za)來的(de)拳腳。桓(huan)(huan)(huan)(huan)公(gong)(gong)立(li)即呵止,救下小孩。一(yi)問:原來是孩子(zi)(zi)(zi)抱琴沿村(cun)乞討,不料(liao)演(yan)奏(zou)難聽(ting),被當作騙子(zi)(zi)(zi),又(you)因搶了(le)乞丐的(de)飯(fan)碗(wan),遭乞丐群毆,可這(zhe)孩子(zi)(zi)(zi)雖然(ran)(ran)被打(da),還舍(she)命護(hu)琴,懂得珍貴物品。齊桓(huan)(huan)(huan)(huan)公(gong)(gong)是齊國的(de)賢明君主,通(tong)曉(xiao)音(yin)(yin)律(lv),喜(xi)好(hao)操琴,頓生(sheng)憐惜。將孩子(zi)(zi)(zi)帶回(hui)宮中,再(zai)(zai)看(kan)孩子(zi)(zi)(zi)手(shou)中琴,不覺驚訝萬分,他(ta)(ta)收藏了(le)許多名琴,還沒(mei)發(fa)現竟有如(ru)此(ci)好(hao)琴。再(zai)(zai)問,才(cai)知(zhi)琴是父親(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)遺留的(de),還在(zai)母(mu)親(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)襁褓中,父親(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)就去世,長到五歲,母(mu)親(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)又(you)亡,父母(mu)只留得此(ci)琴,他(ta)(ta)不得不學(xue)父親(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)操琴賣(mai)藝,無奈(nai)他(ta)(ta)沒(mei)學(xue)過,又(you)無錢(qian)求(qiu)師,只好(hao)亂彈(dan)。桓(huan)(huan)(huan)(huan)公(gong)(gong)看(kan)那孩子(zi)(zi)(zi)目(mu)聰靈秀,甚是憐愛。孩子(zi)(zi)(zi)又(you)不知(zhi)道自己名姓,就賜名“號(hao)(hao)鐘(zhong)”。叫來樂師全力(li)教習孩子(zi)(zi)(zi)彈(dan)琴, “號(hao)(hao)鐘(zhong)”苦學(xue)勤練。過了(le)數年,桓(huan)(huan)(huan)(huan)公(gong)(gong)正要(yao)征(zheng)討魯(lu)國,第(di)(di)二天(tian)出(chu)征(zheng)誓(shi)師,忽聽(ting)號(hao)(hao)角(jiao)(jiao)聲(sheng)聲(sheng),鐘(zhong)鼓(gu)鳴(ming)鳴(ming),讓人精神陡長,摩拳擦掌,他(ta)(ta)試(shi)著吹(chui)牛(niu)角(jiao)(jiao)一(yi)和,更佳。此(ci)樂,明天(tian)出(chu)征(zheng),豈不是用到點(dian)子(zi)(zi)(zi)上?尋聲(sheng)一(yi)看(kan),是“號(hao)(hao)鐘(zhong)”在(zai)彈(dan)琴,好(hao)不高興。第(di)(di)二天(tian)十萬大軍(jun)凜立(li),軍(jun)旗獵(lie)獵(lie),桓(huan)(huan)(huan)(huan)公(gong)(gong)令部(bu)下吹(chui)起(qi)牛(niu)角(jiao)(jiao), “號(hao)(hao)鐘(zhong)” 奏(zou)琴與(yu)之呼(hu)應(ying)。牛(niu)角(jiao)(jiao)聲(sheng)聲(sheng),琴聲(sheng)切切,軍(jun)威頓振(zhen)。“號(hao)(hao)鐘(zhong)”在(zai)牛(niu)角(jiao)(jiao)的(de)伴奏(zou)下彈(dan)出(chu)的(de)旋(xuan)律(lv)雄渾悲壯(zhuang)激昂亢奮,千軍(jun)萬馬(ma)人人個個只覺得熱血沸騰(teng),斗志昂揚,雄心萬丈,士氣倍(bei)增(zeng)。果然(ran)(ran)一(yi)路勢(shi)如(ru)破竹,所向(xiang)披靡,大勝(sheng)而(er)歸。
從此“號鐘(zhong)”名(ming)聲(sheng)遠播,人們為(wei)了紀(ji)念(nian)音樂(le)(le)演奏家號鐘(zhong),也為(wei)紀(ji)念(nian)伯(bo)樂(le)(le)齊桓公,便(bian)(bian)把此琴命名(ming)為(wei)“號鐘(zhong)”,“號鐘(zhong)”這一名(ming)琴便(bian)(bian)流傳了下來,也留(liu)下了音樂(le)(le)中(zhong)“伯(bo)樂(le)(le)識千里馬”的故事。