In the guqin workshop, the young luthier Tongjun was intently polishing a piece of spruce wood. His fingers were covered with fine shavings of golden silk nanmu, symbolizing the labor he had invested. However, Tongjun always felt puzzled, as his work seemed to go unrewarded.

At that moment, the experienced lute maker, Master Zhong, gave him an important insight. Master Zhong took out a piece of aged paulownia wood and demonstrated to Tong Jun the true way of a lute craftsman. He pointed out that the essence of lute making lies not only in the surface processing but also in listening to the sounds within the wood.

Old Zhong brought Tongjun to the backyard, where there was a section of old paulownia wood for sound testing. He gently scraped the cracks in the wood with Tongjun's tools in a special way. Amazingly, amber-colored resin oozed out from deep within the wood grain,凝结成一滴晶莹剔透的'桐泪'.

Old Master Zhong explained that the essence coming from within the wood is the true source of the sound of the qin. He emphasized that an excellent luthier should not only focus on the surface gloss but also listen to the sounds deep within the wood. This skill requires keen perception and profound experience.

Tongjun listened to the teachings of Old Zhong and seemed to have a new understanding. He realized that violin making is not just a skill, but a deep understanding of the essence of materials. From that moment on, he began to view his work from a new perspective, no longer focusing solely on the surface processing, but striving to listen to the unique tones within each piece of wood.

This experience made Tongjun understand that the true way of a lute craftsman lies in discovering and releasing the natural music contained within the wood. This deep understanding and skill is the essence of the art of guqin making.