On the pipa:
建中中有康崑崙稱第一手。始遇長安大旱詔兩市祈雨。及至天門街。市人廣較勝負鬥聲樂。東街則有康崑崙琵琶最上。必謂街西無敵也。遂請崑崙登彩樓彈一曲新翻謂錄安。至街西豪俠閱樂東市稍誚之。而亦於彩樓上出女郎抱樂器。先雲。我亦彈是曲。兼移於風香調中。及撥聲如雷。其妙絕入神。崑崙驚愕。乃拜為師。女郎遂更衣出見。乃僧也。莊儼寺僧。本俗姓段也。翌曰德宗召入內。令教授崑崙。段師奏曰。請令彈一調。及彈，師曰。本領何雜？兼帶邪聲。崑崙驚曰。師神人也。臣少年初掌藝時。側於聆家女巫處授一品弦調。後乃累易數師之藝。今段師精識。如此玄妙也。段師奏曰。且遣崑崙不近樂器十年。候忘其本態。然後可教。許之。後果盡段師之藝也。-- 段安節，琵琶錄
During the Jianzhong reign (780-783), Kang Kunlun was praised as the most adept [pipa player]. Not before long Chang’an encountered a great drought, and there was an imperial decree for the two markets to pray for rain. All the way up to Tianmen Street, people from the markets faced off in an open arena and competed in music. The eastern market had Kang Kunlun as their best pipa player, and thought that there was no one who could rival him on the west side; thus they beseeched Kunlun to ascend the ribboned pavilion to play a newly composed piece called “Lu’an.” When it came to the west side’s turn, as the gallants prepared their music, the eastern market showed a bit of ridicule. Yet on the pavilion a girl also appeared, holding her instrument, speaking first, “I too will play this piece; moreover I will modulate to the key of fengxiang.” When she played, the plucked notes were like thunder; her virtuosity nearly divine. Kunlun was awed speechless, then implored her to be his teacher. The girl then changed clothes and appeared, and turned out to be a monk – a monk from the Temple of Solemnity, with the lay surname Duan.
The next day Emperor Dezong summoned him and commanded him to teach Kunlun. Master Duan replied to the Emperor, “Please command [Kunlun] to play a tune.” After he played, the Master said, “Why is your technique mixed? Moreover it carries an impure sound.” Kunlun was shocked and said, “Master, you are godlike! When servant I first grasped this craft, I learned a piece of a certain mode on the side from a neighboring shamaness. Later I have switched teachers quite a few times. Today Master Duan detected the subtlety – this is truly amazingly prescient. Master Duan said to the emperor, “For the time being, ban Kunlun away from his instrument for ten years, wait until he forgets his original posture, and only then will he be teachable.” The Emperor granted this. Later, Kunlun indeed learned all of Master Duan’s craft.
- from Duan Anjie's "Records of the Pipa"
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