The "Cuckoo Calling for Rain" Posture     Left Hand: Thumb and Ring Finger

Reciprocal Pressing

In musical scores, this is written as "Reciprocal" original: 对 (dui). This character serves as shorthand for the coordination between two fingers.
Suppose the thumb Dazhi: The first digit. In Guqin play, the thumb uses both its flesh and the side of the nail. presses the ninth fret Hui: The thirteen mother-of-pearl studs inlaid on the Guqin's surface that mark pitch positions. to produce a sound.
If one then uses the ring finger Mingzhi: Literally the "name finger," the fourth digit. to press the tenth fret while the thumb
rises, this is called "Reciprocal Pressing." All other
similar movements follow this example.

The "Cuckoo Calling for Rain" (Mingjiu huan yu) is a poetic metaphor used to describe the graceful, rhythmic arch of the hand. In Chinese folklore, the cuckoo's call is a harbinger of the spring rains; in music, this imagery helps the student visualize the "bobbing" or alternating motion of the fingers as they move between frets to create a continuous melody.