Three Plum Blossoms, also known as Plum Blossom Quotes, Plum Blossom Songs, and Jade Concubine Quotes, is said to have been originally a flute piece composed by Huan Yi in the Jin Dynasty, which was later adapted for the guqin.
The piece begins with a solemn and deep melody in the bass register in the form of a loose plate, showing a picture of a cold winter month with all trees withered, but only the plum blossom stands firm and strong against the cold.
Then, the fourth, fifth, sixth degree jumps are used to make the melodic twists and turns of the melody layered and powerful. The second, fourth and sixth sections are the first theme of the cycle, and the clear overtones of the plum blossom, which are the image of purity and tranquility, appear three times in the second, fourth and sixth sections, so they are called the "three melodies".
The theme of the piece is the plum blossom, and its name comes from the fact that the overtone tune in the first half of the piece is repeated three times in different emblematic positions, which is used to depict the elegance and purity of the plum blossom. The second half of the piece uses a slightly faster tune with timbre changes to express the perseverance of the plum blossom swaying in the cold wind.