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List of Chinese musical instruments

Chinese musical instruments are traditionally grouped into eight categories known as bā yīn (八音).[1] The eight categories are silk, bamboo, wood, stone, metal, clay, gourd and skin; other instruments considered traditional exist that may not fit these groups. The grouping of instruments in material categories in China is one of the first musical groupings ever devised.

Grouping of musical instruments, Tang dynasty
Mogao Cave 156, musicians at battle in 848 C.E., Tang dynasty vs. Tibetan Empire.
The grouping of instruments includes (from the bottom, clockwise) a zhangu, pipa, two headed drum, tambourine, konghou, sheng, and two end-blown flutes (such as xiao or pipes.

Silk () Edit

Silk () instruments are mostly stringed instruments (including those that are plucked, bowed, and struck). Since ancient times, the Chinese have used twisted silk for strings, though today metal or nylon are more frequently used. Instruments in the silk category include:

Plucked Edit

Name Image
Se (Chinese: ; pinyin: ) – 25-stringed zither with movable bridges (ancient sources say 14, 25 or 50 strings)[citation needed]  
Guzheng (古箏) – 16–26 stringed zither with movable bridges  
Konghou (箜篌) – angular harp  
Phoenix-headed konghou (鳳首箜篌 Konghou fengshou) – Arched harp. 10th century A.D., Bezeklik Caves, cave 48.[2]  
Huluqin (葫芦琴) – four-stringed lute with gourd-shape body used by the Naxi people of Yunnan. With frets like pipa, the structure of the huluqin is the same as that of the pipa and can be played with the pipa technique.
Huleiqin (忽雷琴) – pear-shaped lute slightly smaller than the pipa, with 2 strings and body covered with snakeskin; it was used during the Tang dynasty but is no longer used
Pipa (琵琶) – pear-shaped fretted lute with 4 or 5 strings  
Liuqin (柳琴) – small plucked, fretted lute with a pear-shaped body and four and five strings  
Ruan (Chinese: ; pinyin: ruǎn) – moon-shaped lute in five sizes: gaoyin-, xiao-, zhong-, da-, and diyin-; sometimes called ruanqin (阮琴)  
Yueqin (月琴) – plucked lute with a wooden body, a short fretted neck, and four strings tuned in pairs  
Qinqin (秦琴) – plucked lute with a wooden body and fretted neck; also called meihuaqin (梅花琴, literally "plum blossom instrument", from its flower-shaped body)  
Sanxian (三弦) – plucked lute with body covered with snakeskin and long fretless neck; the ancestor of the Japanese shamisen  
Duxianqin (simplified Chinese: 独弦琴; traditional Chinese: 獨弦琴) – the instrument of the Jing people (Vietnamese people in China), a plucked, monochord zither with only one string, tuned to C3.  
Huobosi (火不思) – a plucked long-necked lute of Turkic origin  
Tembor (弹拨尔) – a fretted plucked long-necked lute with five strings in three courses, used in Uyghur traditional music of Xinjiang  
Dutar (都塔尔) – a fretted plucked long-necked lute with two strings, used in Uyghur traditional music of Xinjiang  
Rawap (热瓦普 or 热瓦甫) – a fretless plucked long-necked lute used in Uyghur traditional music of Xinjiang  
Tianqin (天琴) – a 3 strings plucked lute of Zhuang people in Guangxi.
Qiben (起奔) – a four strings plucked lute of Lisu people
Wanqin (弯琴) – shaped like a dragon boat. Its shape is very similar to Myanmar's saung-gauk. Another variation of the wanqin held in the form of a harp with four strings was found in a painting of Feitian in Mogao caves, Dunhuang province.
Kongqin (孔琴) – A pear-shaped ruan with five strings similar to ukulele
Dombra (冬不拉) – a

long-necked Kazakh, Uzbek and Bashkir lute and a musical string instrument

 
Qibue (其布厄) – The 4 strings Lisu people lute
Saiding (赛玎) – The lute of Bulang people
Dingbengba (玎崩巴) – a 4 strings lute of Dai people
Palaung dingqin (德昂族丁琴) – a 4 strings lute of Palaung people
Sugudu (苏古笃) – a 4 trings Naxi people's lute with fretless fingerboard, and the body is traditionally made from snake skin.
Kaomuzi (考姆兹) – a long-necked Dongxiangs lute with fretless fingerboard.

Bowed Edit

 
Re-enactment of an ancient traditional music performance
 
A mural from the tomb of Xu Xianxiu in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, dated 571 AD during the Northern Qi dynasty, showing male court musicians playing stringed instruments, either the liuqin or pipa, and a woman playing a konghou (harp)
Instrument Image
Huqin (胡琴) – family of vertical fiddles  
Erhu (二胡) – two-stringed fiddle  
Zhonghu (中胡) – two-stringed fiddle, lower pitch than an erhu  
Gaohu (高胡) – two-stringed fiddle, higher pitch than an erhu; also called yuehu (粤胡)  
Banhu (板胡) – two-stringed fiddle with a coconut resonator and wooden face, used primarily in northern China  
Jinghu (京胡) – two-stringed fiddle (piccolo erhu), very high pitched, used mainly for Beijing opera
Jing erhu (京二胡) – erhu used in Beijing opera
Erxian (二弦) – a Chinese bowed string instrument in the huqin family of instruments. It has two strings and is used primarily in Cantonese music, most often in "hard string" chamber ensembles.  
Zhutiqin (竹提琴) – a huqin (胡琴, vertical fiddle) with cylindrical bamboo resonator and paulownia soundboard used in old-style Cantonese opera, both staged (Chinese: gu qiang Yueju, 古腔粤剧) and non-staged (Chinese: gu qiang Yue qu, 古腔粤曲).
Yehu (椰胡) – two-stringed fiddle with coconut body, used primarily in Cantonese and Chaozhou music  
Daguangxian (大广弦) – two-stringed fiddle used in Taiwan and Fujian, primarily by Min Nan and Hakka people; also called datongxian (大筒弦), guangxian (广弦), and daguanxian (大管弦)
Datong (大筒) – two-stringed fiddle used in the traditional music of Hunan
Kezaixian (壳仔弦) – two-stringed fiddle with coconut body, used in Taiwan opera
Liujiaoxian (六角弦) – two-stringed fiddle with hexagonal body, similar to the jing erhu; used primarily in Taiwan
Tiexianzai (鐵弦仔) – a two-stringed fiddle with metal amplifying horn at the end of its neck, used in Taiwan; also called guchuixian (鼓吹弦)
Niujiaohu (牛角胡) – a yak's horn fiddle used primarily among the Tibetan people
Huluhu (simplified Chinese: 葫芦胡; traditional Chinese: 葫盧胡) – two-stringed fiddle with gourd body used by the Zhuang of Guangxi
Maguhu (simplified Chinese: 马骨胡; traditional Chinese: 馬骨胡; pinyin: mǎgǔhú) – two-stringed fiddle with horse bone body used by the Zhuang and Buyei peoples of southern China
Tuhu (土胡) – two-stringed fiddle used by the Zhuang people of Guangxi
Jiaohu (角胡) – two-stringed fiddle used by the Gelao people of Guangxi, as well as the Miao and Dong
Liuhu (六胡) – six-stringed fiddle of Mongolian people in Inner Mongolia
Sihu (四胡) – four-stringed fiddle with strings tuned in pairs  
Sanhu (三胡) – 3-stringed erhu with an additional bass string; developed in the 1970s
Zhuihu (simplified Chinese: 坠胡; traditional Chinese: 墜胡) – two-stringed fiddle with fingerboard
Zhuiqin (simplified Chinese: 坠琴; traditional Chinese: 墜琴) – two-stringed fiddle with fingerboard
Leiqin (雷琴) – two-stringed fiddle with fingerboard
Dihu (低胡) – low pitched two-stringed fiddles in the erhu family, in three sizes:  
Xiaodihu (小低胡) – small dihu, tuned one octave below the erhu
Zhongdihu (中低胡) – medium dihu, tuned one octave below the zhonghu
Dadihu (大低胡) – large dihu, tuned two octaves below the erhu
Dahu (大胡) – another name for the xiaodihu
Cizhonghu – another name for the xiaodihu
Gehu (革胡) – four-stringed bass instrument, tuned and played like cello
Diyingehu (低音革胡) – four-stringed contrabass instrument, tuned and played like double bass
Laruan (拉阮) – four-stringed bowed instrument modeled on the cello  
Paqin (琶琴) – bowed pear-shaped lute
Dapaqin (大琶琴) – bass paqin
Niutuiqin or niubatui (牛腿琴 or 牛巴腿) – two-stringed fiddle used by the Dong people of Guizhou
Matouqin (馬頭琴) – (Mongolian: morin khuur) – Mongolian two-stringed "horsehead fiddle"  
Xiqin (奚琴) – ancient prototype of huqin family of instruments
Shaoqin (韶琴) – electric huqin
Yazheng (simplified Chinese: 轧筝; traditional Chinese: 軋箏) – bowed zither; also called yaqin (simplified Chinese: 轧琴; traditional Chinese: 軋琴)
Wenzhenqin (文枕琴) – a zither with 9 strings bowed
Zhengni (琤尼) – bowed zither; used by the Zhuang people of Guangxi
Ghaychak (艾捷克) – four-stringed bowed instrument used in Uyghur traditional music of Xinjiang; similar to kamancheh[3]  
Sataer (萨塔尔 or 萨它尔) – long-necked bowed lute with 13 strings used in Uyghur traditional music of Xinjiang. 1 playing string and 12 sympathetic strings.

 

Khushtar (胡西它尔) – a four-stringed bowed instrument used in Uyghur traditional music of Xinjiang.

 

Qiaoqin (桥琴) – cello-like instrument with snakeskin resonator) from Shenyang
Shenhu (桥琴) – a huqin (2-stringed vertical fiddle with snakeskin-covered resonator) with a distinctive broad, nasal timbre that is used as the primary accompanying huqin (zhu hu, 主胡) in Huju (沪剧), a genre of local Chinese opera (difang xiqu, 地方戏曲) from Shanghai.

Struck Edit

Instrument Image
Yangqin (揚琴) – hammered dulcimer

 

Zhu () – a zither similar to a guzheng, played with a bamboo mallet
Niujinqin (牛筋琴) – a zither used to accompany traditional narrative singing in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province. Similar to a se but played with a bamboo mallet.

Combined Edit

  • Wenqin (文琴) – a combination of the erhu, konghou, sanxian and guzheng with 50 or more steel strings.
  • Qingzhou cuoqin (青州挫琴) – strucked and bowed zither from Shandong, China.

Bamboo () Edit

 
A half-section of the Song dynasty (960–1279) version of the Night Revels of Han Xizai, original by Gu Hongzhong;[4] the female musicians in the center of the image are playing transverse bamboo flutes and guan, and the male musician is playing a wooden clapper called paiban.

Bamboo () mainly refers to woodwind instruments, which includes;

Flutes Edit

Instrument Image
Dizi (笛子) – transverse bamboo flute with buzzing membrane
 
Bangdi (梆笛)
Wanguandi (弯管笛) - Chinese version dizi from Western alto flute and bass flute
Xiao (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: xiāo) – end-blown flute; also called dongxiao (simplified Chinese: 洞箫; traditional Chinese: 洞簫)
 
Paixiao (simplified Chinese: 排箫; traditional Chinese: 排簫; pinyin: páixiāo) – pan pipes
 
Chi (Chinese: ; pinyin: chí) – ancient transverse bamboo flute
Yue (Chinese: ; pinyin: yuè) – ancient notched vertical bamboo flute with three finger holes; used in Confucian ritual music and dance
Xindi (新笛) – modern transverse flute with as many as 21 holes
Dongdi (侗笛) – wind instrument of the Dong people of southern China
Koudi (Chinese: 口笛; pinyin: kǒudí) – very small transverse bamboo flute
Zhuxun (竹埙): a bamboo version of xun
 

Free reed pipes Edit

Instrument Image
Bawu (simplified Chinese: 巴乌; traditional Chinese: 巴烏; pinyin: bāwū) – side-blown free reed pipe with finger holes
 
Bawu in the Key of F
Mangtong (Chinese: 芒筒; pinyin: mángtǒng) – end-blown free reed pipe producing a single pitch

Single reed pipes Edit

Instrument Image
Mabu (马布) – single-reed bamboo pipe played by the Yi people

Double reed pipes Edit

Instrument Image
Guan (Chinese: ; pinyin: guǎn) – cylindrical double reed wind instrument made of either hardwood (Northern China) or bamboo (Cantonese); the northern version is also called guanzi (管子) or bili (simplified Chinese: 筚篥; traditional Chinese: 篳篥), the Cantonese version is also called houguan (喉管), and the Taiwanese version is called 鴨母笛, or Taiwan guan (台湾管)
 
Shuangguan (雙管) – literally "double guan," an instrument consisting of two guanzi (cylindrical double reed pipes) of equal length, joined together along their length
Suona (simplified Chinese: 唢呐; traditional Chinese: 嗩吶) – double-reed wind instrument with a flaring metal bell; also called haidi (海笛)
 

Wood () Edit

 
A set of muyu, or Chinese wooden slit drums. The sound produced is affected by the instrument's size, type of wood, and how hollow it is.

Most wood () instruments are percussion instruments of the ancient variety:

Percussion instruments Edit

Instrument Image
Zhu (Chinese: ; pinyin: zhù) – a wooden box that tapers from the top to the bottom, played by hitting a stick on the inside, used to mark the beginning of music in ancient ritual music
Yu (Chinese: ; pinyin: ) – a wooden percussion instrument carved in the shape of a tiger with a serrated back, played by hitting a stick with an end made of approximately 15 stalks of bamboo on its head three times and across the serrated back once to mark the end of the music
Muyu (simplified Chinese: 木鱼; traditional Chinese: 木魚; pinyin: mùyú) – a rounded woodblock carved in the shape of a fish, struck with a wooden stick; often used in Buddhist chanting
Paiban (拍板) – a clapper made from several flat pieces of wood; also called bǎn (), tánbǎn (檀板), mùbǎn (木板), or shūbǎn (书板); when used together with a drum the two instruments are referred to collectively as guban (鼓板)
    • Ban
    • Zhuban (竹板, a clapper made from two pieces of bamboo)
    • Kuaiban (快板)
Bangzi (梆子) – small, high-pitched woodblock; called qiaozi (敲子) or qiaoziban (敲子板) in Taiwan
    • Nan bangzi (南梆子)
    • Hebei bangzi (河北梆子)
    • Zhui bangzi (墜梆子)
    • Qin bangzi (秦梆子)

Stone Edit

The stone () category comprises various forms of stone chimes.

Instrument Image
Bianqing (simplified Chinese: 编磬; traditional Chinese: 編磬; pinyin: biānqìng) – a rack of stone tablets that are hung by ropes from a wooden frame and struck using a mallet.
Tezhong (特鐘) – a single large stone tablet hung by a rope in a wooden frame and struck using a mallet

Metal (金) Edit

Instrument Image
Bianzhong (編鐘) – 16 to 65 bronze bells hung on a rack, struck using poles
 
Fangxiang (simplified Chinese: 方响; traditional Chinese: 方響; pinyin: fāngxiǎng; Wade–Giles: fang hsiang) – set of tuned metal slabs (metallophone)
 
Fangxiang from Korea
Nao (musical instrument) (鐃) – may refer to either an ancient bell or large cymbals

Shangnao (商鐃) – ancient bellphoto

Bo (鈸; also called chazi, 镲子)
 
    • Xiaobo (小鈸, small cymbals)
    • Zhongbo (中鈸, medium cymbals; also called naobo (鐃鈸) or zhongcuo
    • Shuibo (水鈸, literally "water cymbals")
    • Dabo (大鈸, large cymbals)
    • Jingbo (京鈸)
    • Shenbo (深波) – deep, flat gong used in Chaozhou music; also called gaobian daluo (高边大锣)
Luo (simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: luó) – gong
    • Daluo (大锣) – a large flat gong whose pitch drops when struck with a padded mallet
    • Fengluo (风锣) – literally "wind gong," a large flat gong played by rolling or striking with a large padded mallet
    • Xiaoluo (小锣) – a small flat gong whose pitch rises when struck with the side of a flat wooden stick
    • Yueluo (月锣) – small pitched gong held by a string in the palm of the hand and struck with a small stick; used in Chaozhou music
    • Jingluo (镜锣) – a small flat gong used in the traditional music of Fujian
    • Pingluo (平锣) – a flat gong[5]
    • Kailuluo (开路锣)
Yunluo (simplified Chinese: 云锣; traditional Chinese: 雲鑼) – literally "cloud gongs"; 10 or more small tuned gongs in a frame
 
Shimianluo (十面锣) – 10 small tuned gongs in a frame
Qing (磬) – a cup-shaped bell used in Buddhist and Daoist ritual music
Daqing (大磬) – large qing
Pengling (碰铃; pinyin: pènglíng) – a pair of small bowl-shaped finger cymbals or bells connected by a length of cord, which are struck together
Dangzi (铛子) – a small, round, flat, tuned gong suspended by being tied with silk string in a round metal frame that is mounted on a thin wooden handlephoto; also called dangdang (铛铛)
Yinqing (引磬) – an inverted small bell affixed to the end of a thin wooden handle
Yunzheng (云铮) – a small flat gong used in the traditional music of Fujian
Chun (錞; pinyin: chún) – ancient bell
    • Weichun (帷錞) – ancient hanging bell
Tonggu (铜鼓) – bronze drum
Laba (喇叭) – A long, straight, valveless brass trumpet

Clay (土) Edit

Instrument Image
Xun (埙, Chinese: ; pinyin: xūn) – ocarina made of baked clay
 
Fou (Chinese: ; pinyin: fǒu) – clay pot played as a percussion instrument
 
Taodi (Chinese: 陶笛; pinyin: táo dí) – ocarina

Gourd (匏) Edit

Instrument Image
Sheng (Chinese: ; pinyin: shēng) – free reed mouth organ consisting of varying number of bamboo pipes inserted into a metal (formerly gourd or hardwood) chamber with finger holes
 
Baosheng (抱笙) – larger version of the Sheng
Yu (Chinese: ; pinyin: ) – ancient free reed mouth organ similar to the sheng but generally larger
Hulusi (simplified Chinese: 葫芦丝; traditional Chinese: 葫蘆絲; pinyin: húlúsī) – free-reed wind instrument with three bamboo pipes which pass through a gourd wind chest; one pipe has finger holes and the other two are drone pipes; used primarily in Yunnan province
 
Hulusheng (simplified Chinese: 葫芦笙; traditional Chinese: 葫蘆笙; pinyin: húlúshēng) – free-reed mouth organ with a gourd wind chest; used primarily in Yunnan province
Fangsheng – Northern China Gourd
 

Hide-skin (革) Edit

Instrument Image
Dagu – (大鼓) – large drum played with two sticks
 
Huapengu (花盆鼓) – flowerpot-shaped large drum played with two sticks; also called ganggu (缸鼓)
Huzuo Dagu (虎座大鼓)
Huzuo Wujia Gu (虎座鳥架鼓)
Jiangu (建鼓)
 
Bangu (板鼓) – small, high pitched drum used in Beijing opera; also called danpigu (单皮鼓)
 
Biangu (扁鼓) – flat drum, played with sticks
 
Ethnic Yao biangu
Paigu (排鼓) – set of three to seven tuned drums played with sticks
Tanggu (堂鼓) – medium-sized barrel drum played with two sticks; also called tonggu (同鼓) or xiaogu (小鼓)
 
Biqigu (荸荠鼓) – a very small drum played with one stick, used in Jiangnan sizhu
Diangu (点鼓; also called huaigu, 怀鼓) – a double-headed frame drum played with a single wooden beater; used in the Shifangu ensemble music of Jiangsu province and to accompany to kunqu opera
Huagu (花鼓) – flower drum
Yaogu (腰鼓) – waist drum
 
Waist and Tao drums
Taipinggu (太平鼓) – flat drum with a handle; also called dangu (单鼓)
Zhangu (战鼓 or 戰鼓) – war drum; played with two sticks.
 
Bajiaogu (八角鼓) – octagonal tambourine used primarily in narrative singing from northern China.
Yanggegu (秧歌鼓) – rice planting drum
Gaogu (鼛鼓) – large ancient drum used to for battlefield commands and large-scale construction
Bofu (搏拊) – ancient drum used to set tempo
Jiegu (羯鼓) – hourglass-shaped drum used during the Tang dynasty
Tao (鼗; pinyin: táo) or taogu (鼗鼓) – a pellet drum used in ritual music
Bolang Gu (波浪鼓; pinyin: bo lang gu) – a traditional Chinese pellet drum and toy
Linggu (铃鼓)

Others Edit

Instrument Image
Gudi (骨笛) – an ancient flute made of bone[6]
 
Hailuo (海螺) – conch shell
Kouxian (口弦) – jaw harp, made of bamboo or metal.
 
Yedi (叶笛) – tree leaf used as a wind instrument.
Shuijingdi (水晶笛) – crystal flute.
Zutongqin (竹筒琴) – bamboo tube zither
Shu pi hao (树皮号, literally "tree-bark horn"): a traditional horn made from coiled tree bark, used by the Dong people of Xinhuang Dong Autonomous County, western Huaihua, west-central Hunan province, south-central China, near the border with Guizhou province.

The instrument, which is also used by the Tujia and Miao ethnic groups of this part of Hunan province, is made by first felling a young paulownia tree, then, using a sharp knife, slowly peeling off its thin bark in a long, winding strip several inches in width. This strip of bark is then coiled tightly to produce a long conical tube that is blown from the narrow end with a buzzed embouchure, in the manner of a horn.

Ethnic instruments Edit

Instrument Image Ethnic group
Frame drum   Frame drums are used by ethnic groups all over China. The style of the one pictured is used mainly by Mongolic, Tungusic, and Turkic peoples.
Lusheng, or qeej – free reed gourd mouth organ of the Miao/Hmong people
 
A free-reed mouth organ with five or six pipes, played by various ethnic groups in southwest China and neighboring countries, such as the Miao people (or Hmong).
Lilie (唎咧) – reed wind instrument with a conical bore played by the Li people of Hainan
Miaodi (Chinese: 苗族笛; pinyin: miáozú dí) Flute played by the Miao

Playing contexts Edit

Chinese instruments are either played solo, collectively in large orchestras (as in the former imperial court) or in smaller ensembles (in teahouses or public gatherings). Normally, there is no conductor in traditional Chinese music, nor any use of musical scores or tablature in performance. Music was generally learned aurally and memorized by the musician(s) beforehand, then played without aid. As of the 20th century, musical scores have become more common, as has the use of conductors in larger orchestral-type ensembles.

Musical instruments in use in the 1800s Edit

These watercolour illustrations, made in China in the 1800s, show several types of musical instruments being played:

See also Edit

References Edit

Notes
  1. ^ Don Michael Randel, ed. (2003). The Harvard Dictionary of Music (4th ed.). Harvard University Press. pp. 260–262. ISBN 978-0674011632.
  2. ^ "箜篌故事:凤首丝绸之路上的凤首箜篌" [Konghou Story: The Phoenix-headed Konghou on the Silk Road] (in Chinese). 23 August 2016. 图4 柏孜克里克第48窟中的凤首箜篌 公元十世纪 (translation: Figure 4 The phoenix-headed Konghou in Cave 48, Bezeklik, 10th century AD)
  3. ^ . www.chinamedley.com. Archived from the original on 12 December 2006. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  4. ^ Patricia Ebrey (1999), Cambridge Illustrated History of China, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, p. 148.
  5. ^ . Archived from the original on 4 March 2009. Retrieved 8 April 2018.
  6. ^ Endymion Wilkinson (2000), Chinese history, ISBN 978-0-674-00249-4
Sources
  • Lee, Yuan-Yuan and Shen, Sinyan. Chinese Musical Instruments (Chinese Music Monograph Series). 1999. Chinese Music Society of North America Press. ISBN 1-880464-03-9
  • Shen, Sinyan. Chinese Music in the 20th Century (Chinese Music Monograph Series). 2001. Chinese Music Society of North America Press. ISBN 1-880464-04-7
  • Yuan, Bingchang, and Jizeng Mao (1986). Zhongguo Shao Shu Min Zu Yue Qi Zhi. Beijing: Xin Shi Jie Chu Ban She/Xin Hua Shu Dian Beijing Fa Xing Suo Fa Xing. ISBN 7-80005-017-3.

External links Edit

  • Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong
  • A look at ancient Chinese instruments
  • (Chinese)
  • Chinese Instruments Website (English)
  • The Musical Instruments E-book
  • World of Instrumental Music
  • The Grand Chinese New Year Concert
  • Chinese Instrument
  • Chinese Musical Instruments (The Modern Appearance)
  • https://www.britannica.com/art/qin-musical-instrument

list, chinese, musical, instruments, chinese, musical, instruments, traditionally, grouped, into, eight, categories, known, yīn, 八音, eight, categories, silk, bamboo, wood, stone, metal, clay, gourd, skin, other, instruments, considered, traditional, exist, tha. Chinese musical instruments are traditionally grouped into eight categories known as ba yin 八音 1 The eight categories are silk bamboo wood stone metal clay gourd and skin other instruments considered traditional exist that may not fit these groups The grouping of instruments in material categories in China is one of the first musical groupings ever devised Grouping of musical instruments Tang dynastyMogao Cave 156 musicians at battle in 848 C E Tang dynasty vs Tibetan Empire The grouping of instruments includes from the bottom clockwise a zhangu pipa two headed drum tambourine konghou sheng and two end blown flutes such as xiao or pipes Contents 1 Silk 絲 1 1 Plucked 1 2 Bowed 1 3 Struck 1 4 Combined 2 Bamboo 竹 2 1 Flutes 2 2 Free reed pipes 2 3 Single reed pipes 2 4 Double reed pipes 3 Wood 木 3 1 Percussion instruments 4 Stone 5 Metal 金 6 Clay 土 7 Gourd 匏 8 Hide skin 革 9 Others 10 Ethnic instruments 11 Playing contexts 12 Musical instruments in use in the 1800s 13 See also 14 References 15 External linksSilk 絲 EditSilk 絲 instruments are mostly stringed instruments including those that are plucked bowed and struck Since ancient times the Chinese have used twisted silk for strings though today metal or nylon are more frequently used Instruments in the silk category include Plucked Edit Name ImageSe Chinese 瑟 pinyin se 25 stringed zither with movable bridges ancient sources say 14 25 or 50 strings citation needed nbsp Guzheng 古箏 16 26 stringed zither with movable bridges nbsp Konghou 箜篌 angular harp nbsp Phoenix headed konghou 鳳首箜篌 Konghou fengshou Arched harp 10th century A D Bezeklik Caves cave 48 2 nbsp Huluqin 葫芦琴 four stringed lute with gourd shape body used by the Naxi people of Yunnan With frets like pipa the structure of the huluqin is the same as that of the pipa and can be played with the pipa technique Huleiqin 忽雷琴 pear shaped lute slightly smaller than the pipa with 2 strings and body covered with snakeskin it was used during the Tang dynasty but is no longer usedPipa 琵琶 pear shaped fretted lute with 4 or 5 strings nbsp Liuqin 柳琴 small plucked fretted lute with a pear shaped body and four and five strings nbsp Ruan Chinese 阮 pinyin ruǎn moon shaped lute in five sizes gaoyin xiao zhong da and diyin sometimes called ruanqin 阮琴 nbsp Yueqin 月琴 plucked lute with a wooden body a short fretted neck and four strings tuned in pairs nbsp Qinqin 秦琴 plucked lute with a wooden body and fretted neck also called meihuaqin 梅花琴 literally plum blossom instrument from its flower shaped body nbsp Sanxian 三弦 plucked lute with body covered with snakeskin and long fretless neck the ancestor of the Japanese shamisen nbsp Duxianqin simplified Chinese 独弦琴 traditional Chinese 獨弦琴 the instrument of the Jing people Vietnamese people in China a plucked monochord zither with only one string tuned to C3 nbsp Huobosi 火不思 a plucked long necked lute of Turkic origin nbsp Tembor 弹拨尔 a fretted plucked long necked lute with five strings in three courses used in Uyghur traditional music of Xinjiang nbsp Dutar 都塔尔 a fretted plucked long necked lute with two strings used in Uyghur traditional music of Xinjiang nbsp Rawap 热瓦普 or 热瓦甫 a fretless plucked long necked lute used in Uyghur traditional music of Xinjiang nbsp Tianqin 天琴 a 3 strings plucked lute of Zhuang people in Guangxi Qiben 起奔 a four strings plucked lute of Lisu peopleWanqin 弯琴 shaped like a dragon boat Its shape is very similar to Myanmar s saung gauk Another variation of the wanqin held in the form of a harp with four strings was found in a painting of Feitian in Mogao caves Dunhuang province Kongqin 孔琴 A pear shaped ruan with five strings similar to ukuleleDombra 冬不拉 a long necked Kazakh Uzbek and Bashkir lute and a musical string instrument nbsp Qibue 其布厄 The 4 strings Lisu people luteSaiding 赛玎 The lute of Bulang peopleDingbengba 玎崩巴 a 4 strings lute of Dai peoplePalaung dingqin 德昂族丁琴 a 4 strings lute of Palaung peopleSugudu 苏古笃 a 4 trings Naxi people s lute with fretless fingerboard and the body is traditionally made from snake skin Kaomuzi 考姆兹 a long necked Dongxiangs lute with fretless fingerboard Bowed Edit nbsp Re enactment of an ancient traditional music performance nbsp A mural from the tomb of Xu Xianxiu in Taiyuan Shanxi province dated 571 AD during the Northern Qi dynasty showing male court musicians playing stringed instruments either the liuqin or pipa and a woman playing a konghou harp Instrument ImageHuqin 胡琴 family of vertical fiddles nbsp Erhu 二胡 two stringed fiddle nbsp Zhonghu 中胡 two stringed fiddle lower pitch than an erhu nbsp Gaohu 高胡 two stringed fiddle higher pitch than an erhu also called yuehu 粤胡 nbsp Banhu 板胡 two stringed fiddle with a coconut resonator and wooden face used primarily in northern China nbsp Jinghu 京胡 two stringed fiddle piccolo erhu very high pitched used mainly for Beijing operaJing erhu 京二胡 erhu used in Beijing operaErxian 二弦 a Chinese bowed string instrument in the huqin family of instruments It has two strings and is used primarily in Cantonese music most often in hard string chamber ensembles nbsp Zhutiqin 竹提琴 a huqin 胡琴 vertical fiddle with cylindrical bamboo resonator and paulownia soundboard used in old style Cantonese opera both staged Chinese gu qiang Yueju 古腔粤剧 and non staged Chinese gu qiang Yue qu 古腔粤曲 Yehu 椰胡 two stringed fiddle with coconut body used primarily in Cantonese and Chaozhou music nbsp Daguangxian 大广弦 two stringed fiddle used in Taiwan and Fujian primarily by Min Nan and Hakka people also called datongxian 大筒弦 guangxian 广弦 and daguanxian 大管弦 Datong 大筒 two stringed fiddle used in the traditional music of HunanKezaixian 壳仔弦 two stringed fiddle with coconut body used in Taiwan operaLiujiaoxian 六角弦 two stringed fiddle with hexagonal body similar to the jing erhu used primarily in TaiwanTiexianzai 鐵弦仔 a two stringed fiddle with metal amplifying horn at the end of its neck used in Taiwan also called guchuixian 鼓吹弦 Niujiaohu 牛角胡 a yak s horn fiddle used primarily among the Tibetan peopleHuluhu simplified Chinese 葫芦胡 traditional Chinese 葫盧胡 two stringed fiddle with gourd body used by the Zhuang of GuangxiMaguhu simplified Chinese 马骨胡 traditional Chinese 馬骨胡 pinyin mǎgǔhu two stringed fiddle with horse bone body used by the Zhuang and Buyei peoples of southern ChinaTuhu 土胡 two stringed fiddle used by the Zhuang people of GuangxiJiaohu 角胡 two stringed fiddle used by the Gelao people of Guangxi as well as the Miao and DongLiuhu 六胡 six stringed fiddle of Mongolian people in Inner MongoliaSihu 四胡 four stringed fiddle with strings tuned in pairs nbsp Sanhu 三胡 3 stringed erhu with an additional bass string developed in the 1970sZhuihu simplified Chinese 坠胡 traditional Chinese 墜胡 two stringed fiddle with fingerboardZhuiqin simplified Chinese 坠琴 traditional Chinese 墜琴 two stringed fiddle with fingerboardLeiqin 雷琴 two stringed fiddle with fingerboardDihu 低胡 low pitched two stringed fiddles in the erhu family in three sizes nbsp Xiaodihu 小低胡 small dihu tuned one octave below the erhuZhongdihu 中低胡 medium dihu tuned one octave below the zhonghuDadihu 大低胡 large dihu tuned two octaves below the erhuDahu 大胡 another name for the xiaodihuCizhonghu another name for the xiaodihuGehu 革胡 four stringed bass instrument tuned and played like celloDiyingehu 低音革胡 four stringed contrabass instrument tuned and played like double bassLaruan 拉阮 four stringed bowed instrument modeled on the cello nbsp Paqin 琶琴 bowed pear shaped luteDapaqin 大琶琴 bass paqinNiutuiqin or niubatui 牛腿琴 or 牛巴腿 two stringed fiddle used by the Dong people of GuizhouMatouqin 馬頭琴 Mongolian morin khuur Mongolian two stringed horsehead fiddle nbsp Xiqin 奚琴 ancient prototype of huqin family of instrumentsShaoqin 韶琴 electric huqinYazheng simplified Chinese 轧筝 traditional Chinese 軋箏 bowed zither also called yaqin simplified Chinese 轧琴 traditional Chinese 軋琴 Wenzhenqin 文枕琴 a zither with 9 strings bowedZhengni 琤尼 bowed zither used by the Zhuang people of GuangxiGhaychak 艾捷克 four stringed bowed instrument used in Uyghur traditional music of Xinjiang similar to kamancheh 3 nbsp Sataer 萨塔尔 or 萨它尔 long necked bowed lute with 13 strings used in Uyghur traditional music of Xinjiang 1 playing string and 12 sympathetic strings nbsp Khushtar 胡西它尔 a four stringed bowed instrument used in Uyghur traditional music of Xinjiang nbsp Qiaoqin 桥琴 cello like instrument with snakeskin resonator from ShenyangShenhu 桥琴 a huqin 2 stringed vertical fiddle with snakeskin covered resonator with a distinctive broad nasal timbre that is used as the primary accompanying huqin zhu hu 主胡 in Huju 沪剧 a genre of local Chinese opera difang xiqu 地方戏曲 from Shanghai Struck Edit Instrument ImageYangqin 揚琴 hammered dulcimer nbsp Zhu 筑 a zither similar to a guzheng played with a bamboo malletNiujinqin 牛筋琴 a zither used to accompany traditional narrative singing in Wenzhou Zhejiang province Similar to a se but played with a bamboo mallet Combined Edit Wenqin 文琴 a combination of the erhu konghou sanxian and guzheng with 50 or more steel strings Qingzhou cuoqin 青州挫琴 strucked and bowed zither from Shandong China Bamboo 竹 Edit nbsp A half section of the Song dynasty 960 1279 version of the Night Revels of Han Xizai original by Gu Hongzhong 4 the female musicians in the center of the image are playing transverse bamboo flutes and guan and the male musician is playing a wooden clapper called paiban Bamboo 竹 mainly refers to woodwind instruments which includes Flutes Edit Instrument ImageDizi 笛子 transverse bamboo flute with buzzing membrane nbsp Bangdi 梆笛 Wanguandi 弯管笛 Chinese version dizi from Western alto flute and bass fluteXiao simplified Chinese 箫 traditional Chinese 簫 pinyin xiao end blown flute also called dongxiao simplified Chinese 洞箫 traditional Chinese 洞簫 nbsp Paixiao simplified Chinese 排箫 traditional Chinese 排簫 pinyin paixiao pan pipes nbsp Chi Chinese 篪 pinyin chi ancient transverse bamboo fluteYue Chinese 籥 pinyin yue ancient notched vertical bamboo flute with three finger holes used in Confucian ritual music and danceXindi 新笛 modern transverse flute with as many as 21 holesDongdi 侗笛 wind instrument of the Dong people of southern ChinaKoudi Chinese 口笛 pinyin kǒudi very small transverse bamboo fluteZhuxun 竹埙 a bamboo version of xun nbsp Free reed pipes Edit Instrument ImageBawu simplified Chinese 巴乌 traditional Chinese 巴烏 pinyin bawu side blown free reed pipe with finger holes nbsp Bawu in the Key of FMangtong Chinese 芒筒 pinyin mangtǒng end blown free reed pipe producing a single pitchSingle reed pipes Edit Instrument ImageMabu 马布 single reed bamboo pipe played by the Yi peopleDouble reed pipes Edit Instrument ImageGuan Chinese 管 pinyin guǎn cylindrical double reed wind instrument made of either hardwood Northern China or bamboo Cantonese the northern version is also called guanzi 管子 or bili simplified Chinese 筚篥 traditional Chinese 篳篥 the Cantonese version is also called houguan 喉管 and the Taiwanese version is called 鴨母笛 or Taiwan guan 台湾管 nbsp Shuangguan 雙管 literally double guan an instrument consisting of two guanzi cylindrical double reed pipes of equal length joined together along their lengthSuona simplified Chinese 唢呐 traditional Chinese 嗩吶 double reed wind instrument with a flaring metal bell also called haidi 海笛 nbsp Wood 木 Edit nbsp A set of muyu or Chinese wooden slit drums The sound produced is affected by the instrument s size type of wood and how hollow it is Most wood 木 instruments are percussion instruments of the ancient variety Percussion instruments Edit Instrument ImageZhu Chinese 柷 pinyin zhu a wooden box that tapers from the top to the bottom played by hitting a stick on the inside used to mark the beginning of music in ancient ritual musicYu Chinese 敔 pinyin yǔ a wooden percussion instrument carved in the shape of a tiger with a serrated back played by hitting a stick with an end made of approximately 15 stalks of bamboo on its head three times and across the serrated back once to mark the end of the musicMuyu simplified Chinese 木鱼 traditional Chinese 木魚 pinyin muyu a rounded woodblock carved in the shape of a fish struck with a wooden stick often used in Buddhist chantingPaiban 拍板 a clapper made from several flat pieces of wood also called bǎn 板 tanbǎn 檀板 mubǎn 木板 or shubǎn 书板 when used together with a drum the two instruments are referred to collectively as guban 鼓板 Ban Zhuban 竹板 a clapper made from two pieces of bamboo Kuaiban 快板 Bangzi 梆子 small high pitched woodblock called qiaozi 敲子 or qiaoziban 敲子板 in Taiwan Nan bangzi 南梆子 Hebei bangzi 河北梆子 Zhui bangzi 墜梆子 Qin bangzi 秦梆子 Stone EditThe stone 石 category comprises various forms of stone chimes Instrument ImageBianqing simplified Chinese 编磬 traditional Chinese 編磬 pinyin bianqing a rack of stone tablets that are hung by ropes from a wooden frame and struck using a mallet Tezhong 特鐘 a single large stone tablet hung by a rope in a wooden frame and struck using a malletMetal 金 EditInstrument ImageBianzhong 編鐘 16 to 65 bronze bells hung on a rack struck using poles nbsp Fangxiang simplified Chinese 方响 traditional Chinese 方響 pinyin fangxiǎng Wade Giles fang hsiang set of tuned metal slabs metallophone nbsp Fangxiang from KoreaNao musical instrument 鐃 may refer to either an ancient bell or large cymbals Shangnao 商鐃 ancient bellphotoBo 鈸 also called chazi 镲子 nbsp Xiaobo 小鈸 small cymbals Zhongbo 中鈸 medium cymbals also called naobo 鐃鈸 or zhongcuo Shuibo 水鈸 literally water cymbals Dabo 大鈸 large cymbals Jingbo 京鈸 Shenbo 深波 deep flat gong used in Chaozhou music also called gaobian daluo 高边大锣 Luo simplified Chinese 锣 traditional Chinese 鑼 pinyin luo gong Daluo 大锣 a large flat gong whose pitch drops when struck with a padded mallet Fengluo 风锣 literally wind gong a large flat gong played by rolling or striking with a large padded mallet Xiaoluo 小锣 a small flat gong whose pitch rises when struck with the side of a flat wooden stick Yueluo 月锣 small pitched gong held by a string in the palm of the hand and struck with a small stick used in Chaozhou music Jingluo 镜锣 a small flat gong used in the traditional music of Fujian 1 Pingluo 平锣 a flat gong 5 Kailuluo 开路锣 Yunluo simplified Chinese 云锣 traditional Chinese 雲鑼 literally cloud gongs 10 or more small tuned gongs in a frame nbsp Shimianluo 十面锣 10 small tuned gongs in a frameQing 磬 a cup shaped bell used in Buddhist and Daoist ritual musicDaqing 大磬 large qingPengling 碰铃 pinyin pengling a pair of small bowl shaped finger cymbals or bells connected by a length of cord which are struck togetherDangzi 铛子 a small round flat tuned gong suspended by being tied with silk string in a round metal frame that is mounted on a thin wooden handlephoto also called dangdang 铛铛 Yinqing 引磬 an inverted small bell affixed to the end of a thin wooden handlephotoYunzheng 云铮 a small flat gong used in the traditional music of Fujian 2 Chun 錞 pinyin chun ancient bellphotoWeichun 帷錞 ancient hanging bellTonggu 铜鼓 bronze drumLaba 喇叭 A long straight valveless brass trumpetClay 土 EditInstrument ImageXun 埙 Chinese 塤 pinyin xun ocarina made of baked clay nbsp Fou Chinese 缶 pinyin fǒu clay pot played as a percussion instrument nbsp Taodi Chinese 陶笛 pinyin tao di ocarinaGourd 匏 EditInstrument ImageSheng Chinese 笙 pinyin sheng free reed mouth organ consisting of varying number of bamboo pipes inserted into a metal formerly gourd or hardwood chamber with finger holes nbsp Baosheng 抱笙 larger version of the ShengYu Chinese 竽 pinyin yu ancient free reed mouth organ similar to the sheng but generally largerHulusi simplified Chinese 葫芦丝 traditional Chinese 葫蘆絲 pinyin hulusi free reed wind instrument with three bamboo pipes which pass through a gourd wind chest one pipe has finger holes and the other two are drone pipes used primarily in Yunnan province nbsp Hulusheng simplified Chinese 葫芦笙 traditional Chinese 葫蘆笙 pinyin hulusheng free reed mouth organ with a gourd wind chest used primarily in Yunnan provinceFangsheng Northern China Gourd nbsp Hide skin 革 EditInstrument ImageDagu 大鼓 large drum played with two sticks nbsp Huapengu 花盆鼓 flowerpot shaped large drum played with two sticks also called ganggu 缸鼓 Huzuo Dagu 虎座大鼓 Huzuo Wujia Gu 虎座鳥架鼓 Jiangu 建鼓 nbsp Bangu 板鼓 small high pitched drum used in Beijing opera also called danpigu 单皮鼓 nbsp Biangu 扁鼓 flat drum played with sticks nbsp Ethnic Yao bianguPaigu 排鼓 set of three to seven tuned drums played with sticksTanggu 堂鼓 medium sized barrel drum played with two sticks also called tonggu 同鼓 or xiaogu 小鼓 nbsp Biqigu 荸荠鼓 a very small drum played with one stick used in Jiangnan sizhuDiangu 点鼓 also called huaigu 怀鼓 a double headed frame drum played with a single wooden beater used in the Shifangu ensemble music of Jiangsu province and to accompany to kunqu operaHuagu 花鼓 flower drumYaogu 腰鼓 waist drum nbsp Waist and Tao drumsTaipinggu 太平鼓 flat drum with a handle also called dangu 单鼓 Zhangu 战鼓 or 戰鼓 war drum played with two sticks nbsp Bajiaogu 八角鼓 octagonal tambourine used primarily in narrative singing from northern China Yanggegu 秧歌鼓 rice planting drumGaogu 鼛鼓 large ancient drum used to for battlefield commands and large scale constructionBofu 搏拊 ancient drum used to set tempoJiegu 羯鼓 hourglass shaped drum used during the Tang dynastyTao 鼗 pinyin tao or taogu 鼗鼓 a pellet drum used in ritual musicBolang Gu 波浪鼓 pinyin bo lang gu a traditional Chinese pellet drum and toyLinggu 铃鼓 Others EditInstrument ImageGudi 骨笛 an ancient flute made of bone 6 nbsp Hailuo 海螺 conch shell 3 Kouxian 口弦 jaw harp made of bamboo or metal nbsp Yedi 叶笛 tree leaf used as a wind instrument Shuijingdi 水晶笛 crystal flute Zutongqin 竹筒琴 bamboo tube zitherShu pi hao 树皮号 literally tree bark horn a traditional horn made from coiled tree bark used by the Dong people of Xinhuang Dong Autonomous County western Huaihua west central Hunan province south central China near the border with Guizhou province The instrument which is also used by the Tujia and Miao ethnic groups of this part of Hunan province is made by first felling a young paulownia tree then using a sharp knife slowly peeling off its thin bark in a long winding strip several inches in width This strip of bark is then coiled tightly to produce a long conical tube that is blown from the narrow end with a buzzed embouchure in the manner of a horn Ethnic instruments EditSee also List of Mongolian musical instruments Hmong music and Music of Tibet Instrument Image Ethnic groupFrame drum nbsp Frame drums are used by ethnic groups all over China The style of the one pictured is used mainly by Mongolic Tungusic and Turkic peoples Lusheng or qeej free reed gourd mouth organ of the Miao Hmong people nbsp A free reed mouth organ with five or six pipes played by various ethnic groups in southwest China and neighboring countries such as the Miao people or Hmong Lilie 唎咧 reed wind instrument with a conical bore played by the Li people of HainanMiaodi Chinese 苗族笛 pinyin miaozu di Flute played by the MiaoPlaying contexts EditChinese instruments are either played solo collectively in large orchestras as in the former imperial court or in smaller ensembles in teahouses or public gatherings Normally there is no conductor in traditional Chinese music nor any use of musical scores or tablature in performance Music was generally learned aurally and memorized by the musician s beforehand then played without aid As of the 20th century musical scores have become more common as has the use of conductors in larger orchestral type ensembles Musical instruments in use in the 1800s EditThese watercolour illustrations made in China in the 1800s show several types of musical instruments being played nbsp Woman playing a dizi nbsp Woman playing a jinghu nbsp Woman playing a luo nbsp Woman playing a pipa nbsp Woman playing a sanxian nbsp Woman playing a yunluo nbsp Woman playing a xiaoluo nbsp Woman playing a haotou nbsp Woman playing a xiao nbsp Woman playing what looks like a yangqin or some sort of psaltery like instrument See also EditMusic of China Chinese culture Chinese art Chinese instrument classification List of ensemble formations in traditional Chinese music C RockReferences EditNotes Don Michael Randel ed 2003 The Harvard Dictionary of Music 4th ed Harvard University Press pp 260 262 ISBN 978 0674011632 箜篌故事 凤首丝绸之路上的凤首箜篌 Konghou Story The Phoenix headed Konghou on the Silk Road in Chinese 23 August 2016 图4 柏孜克里克第48窟中的凤首箜篌 公元十世纪 translation Figure 4 The phoenix headed Konghou in Cave 48 Bezeklik 10th century AD 少数民族拉弦乐器 艾捷克 www chinamedley com Archived from the original on 12 December 2006 Retrieved 11 January 2022 Patricia Ebrey 1999 Cambridge Illustrated History of China Cambridge Cambridge University Press p 148 photo Archived from the original on 4 March 2009 Retrieved 8 April 2018 Endymion Wilkinson 2000 Chinese history ISBN 978 0 674 00249 4 SourcesLee Yuan Yuan and Shen Sinyan Chinese Musical Instruments Chinese Music Monograph Series 1999 Chinese Music Society of North America Press ISBN 1 880464 03 9 Shen Sinyan Chinese Music in the 20th Century Chinese Music Monograph Series 2001 Chinese Music Society of North America Press ISBN 1 880464 04 7 Yuan Bingchang and Jizeng Mao 1986 Zhongguo Shao Shu Min Zu Yue Qi Zhi Beijing Xin Shi Jie Chu Ban She Xin Hua Shu Dian Beijing Fa Xing Suo Fa Xing ISBN 7 80005 017 3 External links EditChinese musical instruments Chinese Musical Instruments Leisure and Cultural Services Department Hong Kong Chime A look at ancient Chinese instruments Chinese musical instruments Chinese Chinese Instruments Website English Chinese musical instruments The Musical Instruments E book World of Instrumental Music The Grand Chinese New Year Concert Chinese Instrument Chinese Musical Instruments The Modern Appearance https www britannica com art qin musical instrument Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of Chinese musical instruments amp oldid 1179931448, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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