號(hao)(hao)鐘(zhong),古琴(qin)名。 漢·劉向 《九(jiu)嘆·愍命》:“破伯牙(ya)之號(hao)(hao)鐘(zhong)兮,挾(xie)人(ren)箏而(er)(er)彈緯。”《淮南子(zi)·修務訓(xun)》:“鼓琴(qin)者(zhe)期於鳴廉、脩營(ying),而(er)(er)不期於濫脇、號(hao)(hao)鐘(zhong)。” 高誘 注:“號(hao)(hao)鐘(zhong),高聲(sheng),非耳所及耳。” 唐(tang) 獨孤及 《夏(xia)中酬于逖(ti)華耀問病(bing)見贈(zeng)》詩:“遙指故山笑,相看撫(fu)號(hao)(hao)鐘(zhong)。”《云笈七簽》卷一百:“ 黃帝(di)之琴(qin)名號(hao)(hao)鐘(zhong),作清角之弄。”
齊桓公的(de)"號鐘"、楚(chu)莊王的(de)"繞梁"、司馬相如的(de)"綠綺(qi)"和蔡邕的(de)"焦尾",這四張(zhang)琴曾被人們(men)譽(yu)為(wei)“四大名琴”。
“號鐘(zhong)”是(shi)(shi)傳說中周(zhou)代的名琴(qin),居古(gu)代四(si)大名琴(qin)之(zhi)(zhi)首,此(ci)琴(qin)音(yin)之(zhi)(zhi)宏亮,猶如鐘(zhong)聲激蕩,號角長鳴,令人(ren)蕩胸生云。可此(ci)琴(qin)若不是(shi)(shi)巧(qiao)遇齊桓(huan)公,齊桓(huan)公慧眼識琴(qin)、育人(ren),只怕(pa)是(shi)(shi)早遭埋沒(mei),難見(jian)天(tian)日。
齊桓(huan)(huan)公(gong)(gong)(gong)一(yi)(yi)次巡行,路(lu)過一(yi)(yi)村(cun)莊,突然聽(ting)(ting)到一(yi)(yi)陣琴(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)音(yin),五(wu)音(yin)不齊,齊桓(huan)(huan)公(gong)(gong)(gong)聽(ting)(ting)得(de)(de)難(nan)受,又(you)(you)(you)有喧嘩鼓(gu)噪之聲(sheng)(sheng)(sheng),便(bian)下(xia)車尋來(lai)。這時看(kan)見一(yi)(yi)群孩(hai)子(zi)圍著(zhu)一(yi)(yi)個(ge)五(wu)六歲左右的男孩(hai),男孩(hai)用(yong)身子(zi)緊(jin)護一(yi)(yi)琴(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin),擋(dang)著(zhu)如雨點般砸(za)來(lai)的拳腳。桓(huan)(huan)公(gong)(gong)(gong)立(li)即(ji)呵(he)止,救下(xia)小(xiao)孩(hai)。一(yi)(yi)問(wen):原來(lai)是(shi)孩(hai)子(zi)抱琴(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)沿村(cun)乞(qi)討,不料(liao)演奏難(nan)聽(ting)(ting),被當作騙子(zi),又(you)(you)(you)因搶了乞(qi)丐(gai)的飯碗,遭(zao)乞(qi)丐(gai)群毆(ou),可這孩(hai)子(zi)雖然被打(da),還(huan)舍命(ming)護琴(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin),懂得(de)(de)珍貴物品。齊桓(huan)(huan)公(gong)(gong)(gong)是(shi)齊國的賢明(ming)君主(zhu),通曉音(yin)律(lv),喜(xi)好(hao)操琴(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin),頓(dun)生憐惜(xi)。將孩(hai)子(zi)帶回(hui)宮中(zhong),再看(kan)孩(hai)子(zi)手中(zhong)琴(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin),不覺驚訝萬(wan)分,他(ta)收(shou)藏了許多名琴(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin),還(huan)沒(mei)發現(xian)竟有如此好(hao)琴(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)。再問(wen),才知琴(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)是(shi)父親(qin)(qin)遺留的,還(huan)在母(mu)親(qin)(qin)襁褓中(zhong),父親(qin)(qin)就去世(shi),長到五(wu)歲,母(mu)親(qin)(qin)又(you)(you)(you)亡,父母(mu)只留得(de)(de)此琴(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin),他(ta)不得(de)(de)不學(xue)父親(qin)(qin)操琴(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)賣藝,無奈他(ta)沒(mei)學(xue)過,又(you)(you)(you)無錢(qian)求師,只好(hao)亂彈(dan)(dan)。桓(huan)(huan)公(gong)(gong)(gong)看(kan)那孩(hai)子(zi)目聰靈秀(xiu),甚是(shi)憐愛(ai)。孩(hai)子(zi)又(you)(you)(you)不知道(dao)自己名姓,就賜名“號鐘(zhong)”。叫來(lai)樂(le)師全力教(jiao)習孩(hai)子(zi)彈(dan)(dan)琴(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin), “號鐘(zhong)”苦學(xue)勤(qin)練。過了數年,桓(huan)(huan)公(gong)(gong)(gong)正要征(zheng)討魯(lu)國,第二(er)天(tian)出征(zheng)誓師,忽聽(ting)(ting)號角聲(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)聲(sheng)(sheng)(sheng),鐘(zhong)鼓(gu)鳴鳴,讓人精神陡(dou)長,摩拳擦掌(zhang),他(ta)試(shi)著(zhu)吹牛角一(yi)(yi)和,更佳。此樂(le),明(ming)天(tian)出征(zheng),豈不是(shi)用(yong)到點子(zi)上?尋聲(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)一(yi)(yi)看(kan),是(shi)“號鐘(zhong)”在彈(dan)(dan)琴(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin),好(hao)不高興。第二(er)天(tian)十萬(wan)大軍凜立(li),軍旗獵獵,桓(huan)(huan)公(gong)(gong)(gong)令(ling)部下(xia)吹起牛角, “號鐘(zhong)” 奏琴(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)與(yu)之呼應。牛角聲(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)聲(sheng)(sheng)(sheng),琴(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)(qin)聲(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)切(qie)切(qie),軍威頓(dun)振(zhen)。“號鐘(zhong)”在牛角的伴奏下(xia)彈(dan)(dan)出的旋(xuan)律(lv)雄渾悲壯激昂(ang)亢(kang)奮(fen),千軍萬(wan)馬人人個(ge)個(ge)只覺得(de)(de)熱血(xue)沸(fei)騰(teng),斗志昂(ang)揚,雄心(xin)萬(wan)丈(zhang),士氣(qi)倍增。果然一(yi)(yi)路(lu)勢如破竹(zhu),所向披靡(mi),大勝(sheng)而歸。
從此(ci)“號鐘(zhong)(zhong)”名(ming)聲遠播,人們為了(le)(le)紀念音(yin)樂(le)(le)演奏家號鐘(zhong)(zhong),也為紀念伯(bo)樂(le)(le)齊桓公,便把此(ci)琴命名(ming)為“號鐘(zhong)(zhong)”,“號鐘(zhong)(zhong)”這一名(ming)琴便流傳了(le)(le)下來,也留下了(le)(le)音(yin)樂(le)(le)中“伯(bo)樂(le)(le)識千里馬”的故事。