Guzheng is a famous plucked national musical instrument of ancient China, which is no less than 2500 years old - it is considered the pearl among Chinese musical instruments. It looks like a harp, which gave rise to calling it a Chinese harp. Is a rectangular wooden base, on which silk strings are pulled. The musical instrument is located on a stand. Previously, the musician played it while kneeling and plucking the strings with his fingers. This instrument can be used to perform both melodic and iridescent musical works and majestic music.
Guzheng is a musical instrument of ancient China.
The history of this musical instrument is mysterious and goes back to the Age of Warring Kingdoms (V-III centuries BC), when on the territory of China there were several independent states that were constantly fighting among themselves for dominance. Despite political instability and constant wars, it was at this time that such philosophical movements as Confucianism, Taoism and others arose, which played a huge role in the future life of China. The Kingdom of Qin, located on the outskirts of the Celestial Empire and considered barbaric, eventually took possession of all of China, establishing on the throne the dynasty of the same name, the first emperor of which was Qin Shihuang, famous for his posthumous Terracotta Army and the construction of the Great Wall of China. And it was in this kingdom, as researchers believe, that the guzheng instrument appeared.
Guzheng is a musical instrument of ancient China.
Guzheng Legend says that originally in the kingdom of Zhao, a 25-stringed instrument, the se, was invented, the sound of which was considered perfect. When the se came to the kingdom of Qin, known for its barbaric customs, two brothers fought over the instrument, breaking it into two unequal parts: a twelve-string and a thirteen-string. This is how two varieties of guzheng allegedly appeared. Later, already in the Han era, when Confucianism became the official ideology, the elite harshly criticized everything that was associated with the previous dynasty, which also affected “our” musical instrument. The sound of the guzheng began to be considered rude, unpleasant and harsh on the ears. During all the dynasties that followed the Han, the guzheng appeared extremely rarely in court orchestras, turning mainly into a folk instrument.
According to history, in the distant past there were at least a thousand musical instruments, only half of which have survived to this day.
Back then, Chinese traditional instruments were classified according to the material from which they were made. Thus, there were metal, bamboo, silk, stone, string, leather, clay, wooden and gourd musical instruments.
Today, Chinese national musical instruments are still made traditional way, however, their modern classification looks different.
Woodwind instruments
Di- an ancient wind instrument. It is a transverse flute with 6 holes in the body. Traditionally made from bamboo or cane. Next to the hole for blowing air into the body of the di there is another hole, covered with a very thin reed film, due to which the timbre of the di is very rich and sonorous.
Sheng- labial organ. It is made from thin reed or bamboo tubes of various lengths, which are mounted in a bowl-shaped body with a mouthpiece. The sound of sheng has bright expressiveness and graceful variability. Not a single folk concert is complete without this instrument.
Gong- a metal idiophone with an indefinite pitch. Produces a rich, lingering sound with a dark timbre. After impact, the instrument vibrates for a long time, creating a three-dimensional sound that grows and recedes. The gong is an obligatory instrument in the folk ensemble.
Chinese analogue of the Pan flute. It consists of 12 bamboo tubes connected to each other in a descending row: from longest to shortest. This structural feature provides a wide range of sound. It has a soft and gentle timbre.
Bowed strings
Erhu- two-string violin with a cylindrical resonator. Musician playing right hand pulls the string of the bow, which is fixed between metal strings and forms a single whole with the instrument. When playing with the left hand, transverse vibrato is used.
Plucked hammer
Yangqin- a string instrument, similar in structure and method of sound production to cymbals. Used as a solo, ensemble instrument, and also as an accompaniment in opera.
A plucked string instrument, a type of zither. The guqin is the most characteristic instrument of ancient Chinese music.
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Chinese percussion musical instrument, a small single-sided drum. It has a bowl-shaped wooden body with massive walls, with the convex side facing up. There is a small hole in the middle of the body. The leather membrane is stretched over the convex part of the body and secured to it with nails.
The sound is produced by striking two sticks. A change in the pitch of sound is achieved by shifting the place of impact from the center of the membrane to the periphery. During the game, the bangu is placed on a tripod.
A wind instrument with a free metal reed. The sound of the bau is reminiscent of the Armenian duduk. It has a fairly clear timbre, similar to the timbre of a flute.
Chinese reed wind instrument, a type of oboe. The instrument consists of a cylindrical barrel with 8 or 9 playing holes. In the north of China it is made of wood, in the south - sometimes also of reed or bamboo. A double reed cane is inserted into the guan channel, tied with wire at the narrow part. Tin or copper rings are placed on both ends of the instrument, and sometimes between the playing holes. The total length of guan ranges from 200 to 450 mm; the largest ones have a brass bell.
Traditional Chinese instrument. Belongs to the zither family, related to koto and qixianqin. It differs from the latter in the number of strings and the design of the tailpiece.
A traditional Chinese stringed musical instrument used in folk music and Chinese theater orchestras; comes from pipa.
Chinese bells
Ritual, signaling and musical instruments of ancient Chinese origin, different in shape from both the Western and the round Indian type of bell (which replaced them with the spread of Buddhism in China). They also spread to Korea and Japan.
An ancient musical wind instrument, the Chinese analogue of the Pan flute. A special feature of this instrument is the presence of 12 bamboo trunks, which provided a wide range of sound, although sometimes the number of trunks may be different. This flute was included in the traditional orchestra of Ancient China and had a soft and gentle sound.
Chinese 4-string plucked lute-type musical instrument. One of the most common and famous Chinese musical instruments. The first mentions of pipa in literature date back to the 3rd century, the first images - to the 5th century. However, prototypes of the pipa existed in China already at the end of the 3rd century BC. e. The name "pipa" refers to the way the instrument is played: "pi" means moving the fingers down the strings, and "pa" means moving the fingers back up.
Sanxian
A traditional Chinese stringed musical instrument used as an accompaniment in Chinese opera and the traditional Jiangnan sizhu ensemble, as well as in the performance of narrative songs and dances. There are two types: large and small.
An ancient Chinese stringed musical instrument, a type of recumbent oblong zither, under the strings of which there is a box.
Chinese traditional music, like all Chinese culture, several thousand years. Due to the country's isolation from Europe, the instruments of the Celestial Empire are distinguished by their unique flavor for the West. They (together with all national music) absorbed elements of the music of the Tibetans, Uighurs, Manchus, Mongols, etc.
Bianzhong bells
Traditionally, Chinese musical instruments are divided into several types according to the material from which they are made: bamboo, silk, wood, metal, stone, gourd, clay and leather. Many of them are extremely exotic, and some were forgotten during a long cultural evolution. For example, a significant rethinking of the playing technique occurred after the creation of a single empire, when local regional characteristics were reduced to a single standard.
A variety of Chinese cultures have been shaped by ritual and religion. These were also the bells. They were significantly different from European ones. The first Chinese bells were called bianzhong. They replaced the Indian type of round instruments along with the spread of Buddhism throughout the Celestial Empire. Bianzhong were so popular that they appeared in neighboring Korea and even in overseas Japan.
Drums
In addition to large bells, smaller models or slightly different devices also appeared in China. These include dyangu. This Chinese drum is a flat drum that also looks like a tambourine. It comes with special beaters. Together with Diangu they often play paiban firecrackers. They are made in the form of plates suspended in one bundle.
Xiangjiaogu is a Chinese type of timpani. Its body is made of wood and mounted on a special cylindrical stand. The design served as the source of the name of the instrument. Xiangjiaogu can be translated as "elephant's foot." Usually this instrument is used solo. To play, it is installed slightly tilted - this makes it more convenient for the musician to hit it with his fingers and palms.
Brass
According to the international classification, Chinese have Western analogues. For example, traditional di in its structure resembles Its trunk is made of reed or bamboo. Rarer models are made from stone, such as jade.
Another Chinese wind instrument, the sheng, is similar to the harmonica. Researchers consider it one of the oldest in its class. Sheng consists of pipes, reed and mouthpiece. His music is very varied, for which he is loved by performers not only from China. Sheng is often used in orchestras specifically to enrich the sound and change the timbre.
Strings
The erhu instrument is considered a Chinese violin. Vibrato is used to play it. Another type of violin is the huqin. It appeared in the middle of the 8th century and gained widespread popularity throughout the Celestial Empire. A subtype of Huqin is Jinghu. Since it originated with Peking Opera, it is often called "Beijing violin".
Every Chinese stringed musical instrument in ancient times was made with silk strings. And only in the 20th century, by analogy with Western practice, they began to be replaced with steel and nylon.
The seven-string Chinese variation of the zither is called "qixianqin". It is distinguished by an oblong body one meter long and 20 centimeters wide. Qixianqin is considered one of the most ancient national musical instruments. It began to be actively used already in the 3rd century BC.
Plucked
Traditional Chinese musical instruments were used in the performance of Sizhu folk ensembles. These include the plucked sansian (or xianzi). It also became widespread when performing songs and dances. The Sanxian has much in common with the similar Central Asian instruments setar and tanbur. Some researchers believe that it appeared after Mongol invasion to the Celestial Empire.
The similar Japanese instrument shamisen comes from the sanxian. Traditionally, it was most common in northern China. Its soundboard was often covered with snakeskin. Other character traits sansyanya - a long neck and no frets on the tuning pegs holder. Another representative of the plucked fish is the guzheng. It has from 21 to 25 strings. Some players use plectrums, similar to guitar picks, when playing the guzheng.
Other tools
Some Chinese musical instruments have become historical artifacts. These include zhu. This five-string instrument featured an elongated long soundboard. Most of all it resembled a cymbal and a zither. The peak of zhu's popularity occurred during the Warring States period in the 5th - 3rd centuries. BC e. It finally disappeared around the 10th century during the Song Empire.
Pipa is a Chinese lute belonging to the plucked type. Its body is pear-shaped. When playing the pipa, musicians must sit and use a plectrum. This instrument has gained widespread popularity in China due to its versatility. It was and is used in orchestras, ensembles and solos. Pipa appeared in the 3rd century. Around the 8th century, it was adopted by the Japanese, who called it biwa.
The string yangqin is considered to be a Chinese version of the dulcimer. It is also similar to the Persian santur and dulcimer. It is most often associated with Chinese opera, where it is played for accompaniment. Yangqin is made of wood, giving its body a trapezoid shape. Bamboo beaters are used to heal sound.
