Traditional Chinese Musical Instrument - Guqin 古琴

Guqin is also known as the Seven-stringed Qin. The body is a long and narrow wooden sound box. Usually, it is 130 centimeters long, 20 centimeters wide and 5 centimeters high. The surface is generally made of paulownia wood or China fir, and has seven strings stretched along it. On the edges are 13 inlaid jade markers. Catalpa wood is used for the base, and there are two holes, one big and one small, which are named the ‘phoenix pool' and ‘dragon pond', to emit the sound.

 

The fingering skills are known as recital, rubbing, plucking, concentration, floating notes and harmonious notes. The instrument is rich in tone color with airy and floating notes, which can be called the sound of harmony. The most unique part of the Guqin probably lies in its performance etiquette. Before giving a performance, players should take a shower and burn incense in the room. They are to keep their minds peaceful and concentrated to ward off evil spirits.

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• Musical culture in Guqin

The melodies of Guqin are gentle, pure and free from vulgarity, which echo with the Zheng (uprightness) of Confucianism, the Qing (softness) of Taoism, and He (harmony) of Buddhism. So, the Guqin is a representative instrument of traditional Chinese musical culture. The most famous Guqin repertoire is the High Mount and Flowing Water, which is also a metaphor for friends who can communicate their spiritual pursuits.

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• A story of Guqin

During the Spring and Autumn Period (770 B.C. - 476 B.C.), there was a man named Yu Boya, who was a famous music master at that time. He happened to meet Zhong Ziqi. Whatever Yu played, Zhong could understand very well and so they became bosom friends. They decided to meet again the next year. Unfortunately, Zhong died before they could meet. Yu played at Zhong's graveyard for the last time and crashed his Guqin. He decided never to play the Guqin any more to show his deep friendship to Zhong and how difficult to meet a bosom friend.