How do you perceive the sound of the Guqin?

If there’s one word that could describe the sound of the guqin, for me, it would be “intentional.” Strictly speaking, it’s a bit of an ambiguous description, since all instruments are intentional — considering that a player learns techniques and acquires skills to play through practice. However, with the guqin, I always feel targeted. It is as if each pluck is trying to spiritually get through to me. It feels personal, even if it could be heard by anything in its vicinity. The slow plucking, the vibration (its reverberation in the air), it feels like it’s meant to entice me.

In my opinion, it is very close to nature, and I perceive nature and guqin in a similar way. Nature is distant; it is not a part of me, yet I’m a part of it. Nature is not rampant, it is slow and intentional, existing at its own pace.

My description is very dramatic in retrospect. However at times, when I am most relaxed by its sounds, I feel these same things again and again.