Chinese Musical Instruments: History and Varieties

Chinese traditional music, like the whole of Chinese culture, is several thousand years old. Due to the isolation of the country from Europe, the instruments of the Celestial Empire differ in their unique color for the west. They (along with all the national music) absorbed the elements of the music of the Tibetans, Uighurs, Manchus, Mongols, etc.

Bells of bianzhong

Traditionally, Chinese musical instruments are divided into several types, according to the material from which they are made: bamboo, silk, wooden, metal, stone, pumpkin, clay and leather. Many of them are extremely exotic, and some have been forgotten in the course of a long cultural evolution. For example, a significant rethinking of the technique of the game occurred after the creation of a single empire, when local regional characteristics were reduced to a single standard.

A variety of Chinese musical instruments were formed under the influence of rituals and religion. Such were the bells, among them. They differed significantly from European ones. The first actual Chinese bells were called bianzhong. They came to replace the Indian type of round instruments, along with the spread of the Celestial Buddhism. Bianzhong were so popular that they appeared in neighboring Korea and even in overseas Japan.

Drums

In addition to large bells in China, there were smaller models or several other devices. They can be attributed to the dyang. This Chinese percussion musical instrument is a flat drum that also looks like a tambourine. Special knockers are attached to it. Together with dyungu often play on the crooks of the flat. They are made in the form of plates, suspended in one bundle.

Xiangjiaogu is a Chinese percussion instrument of the timpani type. Its body is made of wood and installed on a special cylindrical rack. The design was the source of the name of the instrument. Xiang Jiaogu can be translated as "elephant leg". Usually this tool is used solo. For the game it is set slightly inclined - so it is more convenient for a musician to tap on it with his fingers and palms.

Wind

According to the international classification, Chinese wind musical instruments have Western analogues. For example, the traditional di in its arrangement resembles a transverse flute. Its trunk is made of reed or bamboo. More rare models are made of stone, for example jade.

Another wind instrument of Chinese Sheng is similar to a harmonica. Researchers consider it one of the oldest in its class. Sheng consists of pipes, tongue and mouthpiece. His music is very variable, for which performers love it not only from China. Sheng is often used in the orchestra especially for enriching the sound and changing the timbre.

Stringed

The erhu tool is considered a Chinese violin. To play it uses vibrato. Another kind of violin is Khutsin. It appeared in the middle of the VIII century and gained widespread popularity throughout the Celestial Empire. Subtype hutsinya - jinghu. Since it originated with the Beijing opera, it is often called the "Peking violin".

Each Chinese stringed musical instrument in ancient times was made with silk strings. And only in the twentieth century, by analogy with Western practice, their steel was changed to steel and nylon.

The seven-stringed Chinese variation of zither is called "tsisyantsin." It has an elongated body length of a meter and a width of 20 centimeters. Qi-nanqin is considered one of the most ancient national musical instruments. It began to be actively used already in the III century BC.

Plucked

Traditional Chinese musical instruments were used in the game of folk ensembles of sizhu. These include plucked sanxian (or syanzi). He also got a distribution when performing Tanza songs. Sanxian has much in common with similar Central Asian instruments with Sethar and Tanbur. Some researchers believe that it appeared after the Mongol invasion of the Celestial Empire.

From the Sanxian there is a similar Japanese instrument called shamisen. Traditionally, it was most common in the north of China. His deck was often covered with snake skin. Other characteristic features of the Sanxian are a long neck and a lack of frets in the pawl holder. Another representative of the plucked is guzheng. On it from 21 to 25 strings. Some performers when playing Guzheng apply plecters similar to guitar mediators.

Other tools

Some Chinese musical instruments have become historical artifacts. These include chju. This five-stringed instrument was distinguished by an elongated long deck. Most of all it was like cymbals and citrus. The peak popularity of zhu fell on the period of the Battle Kingdoms in the V - III centuries. BC. E. Finally, he disappeared around the 10th century during the time of the Song Empire.

Pipa is a Chinese lute, belonging to the type of plucked. Its body is pear-shaped. When playing the pip musicians must sit and use the plectrum. This tool has become popular in China because of its universality. It was used and used in orchestras, ensembles and solo. Pipa appeared in the III century. Approximately in the VIII century, it was adopted by the Japanese, who called it a biwa.

A Chinese yinqin is a Chinese resemblance of cymbals. He also looks like Persian Santur and Dulcimer. Most often it is associated with the Chinese opera, where it is played for accompaniment. Yangqin is made of wood, giving its body a trapezoid shape. Bamboo beats are used to heal sound.