List of traditional Chinese musical instruments

Traditional Chinese musical instruments comprise a wide range of string, wind, and percussion instruments. Traditionally, they were classified according to the materials used in their construction.

The Eight Sounds ()

The eight categories are: silk, bamboo, wood, stone, metal, clay, gourd and hide. There are other instruments which may not fit these classifications.

ilk ()

Silk instruments are mostly string instruments (including plucked, bowed, and struck). Since the very beginning, the Chinese have used silk for strings, though today metal or nylon are more frequently used. Instruments in the silk category include:

Plucked

*Guqin (zh-cp|c=|p=gǔqín) - 7-stringed zither
*Se (zh-cp|c=|p=sè) - 25-stringed zither with moveable bridges (ancient sources say 13, 25 or 50 strings)
*Guzheng () - 16-26 stringed zither with movable bridges
*Konghou () - harp
*Pipa () - pear-shaped fretted lute with 4 or 5 strings
*Sanxian () - plucked lute with body covered with snakeskin and long fretless neck
*Ruan (zh-cp|c=|p=ruǎn) - moon-shaped lute in five sizes: gaoyin-, xiao-, zhong-, da-, and diyin-
*Liuqin () - small plucked, fretted lute with a pear-shaped body and four strings
*Yueqin () - plucked lute with a wooden body, a short fretted neck, and four strings tuned in pairs
*Qinqin () - plucked lute with a wooden body and fretted neck
*Duxianqin (zh-ts|t=|s=) - plucked zither with only one string

Bowed

*Huqin () - family of vertical fiddles
*Erhu () - two-stringed fiddle
*Zhonghu () - two-stringed fiddle, lower pitch than erhu
*Gaohu () - two-stringed fiddle, higher pitch than erhu; also called "yuehu" ()
*Banhu () - two-stringed fiddle with a coconut resonator and wooden face, used primarily in northern China
*Jinghu () - two-stringed fiddle, very high pitched, used mainly for Beijing opera
*Jing erhu (京二胡) - "erhu" used in Beijing opera
*Erxian () - two-stringed fiddle, used in Cantonese, Chaozhou, and nanguan music
*Tiqin () - two-stringed fiddle, used in "kunqu", Chaozhou, Cantonese, Fujian, and Taiwanese music
*Yehu () - two-stringed fiddle with coconut body, used primarily in Cantonese and Chaozhou music
*Daguangxian (大广弦) - fiddle used primarily by the Hakka, in Taiwan and Fujian
*Datong () - two-stringed fiddle used in the traditional music of Hunan
*Datongxian () - two-stringed fiddle used primarily in the traditional music of southern China and Taiwan
*Hexian (和弦) - large fiddle used primarily among the Hakka of Taiwan
*Huluqin (葫芦琴) - two-stringed fiddle with gourd body used by the Naxi of Yunnan
*Huluhu (zh-ts|t=葫盧胡|s=葫芦胡) - two-stringed fiddle with gourd body used by the Zhuang of Guangxi
*Maguhu (zh-tsp|t=馬骨胡|s=马骨胡|p=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
*Sihu () - four-stringed fiddle with strings tuned in pairs
*Sanhu (三胡) - 3-stringed "erhu" with an additional bass string; developed in the 1970s [http://www.soomal.com/gb/002/001/00000012.htm]
*Zhuihu (zh-ts|t=墜胡|s=坠胡) - two-stringed fiddle with fingerboard
*Zhuiqin (traditional: 墜琴; simplified: 坠琴) - two-stringed fiddle with fingerboard
*Leiqin () - two-stringed fiddle with fingerboard
*Dihu () - 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 () - 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 () - four-stringed bowed instrument modeled on the cello
*Paqin (琶琴) - modern bowed instrument
**Dapaqin (大琶琴) - bass "paqin"
*Dixianqin (低絃琴)
*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 two-stringed "horsehead fiddle"
*Xiqin (奚琴) - ancient prototype of "huqin" family of instruments
*Yazheng (simplified: 轧筝; traditional: 軋箏) - bowed zither; also called "yaqin" (simplified: 轧琴; traditional: 軋琴)
*Zhengni (筝尼) - bowed zither; used by the Zhuang people of Guangxi
*Aijieke (艾捷克) - four-stringed bowed instrument used in Xinjiang; similar to "kamancheh" [http://www.chinamedley.com/langyuan/aijieke/]
*Sataer (萨它尔) - long-necked bowed lute used in Xinjiang

truck

*Yangqin () - hammered dulcimer of varying strings struck using two bamboo hammers
*Zhu () - ancient zither, struck or plucked with a stick
*Jiaoweiqin ()

Bamboo ()

Bamboo mainly refers to woodwind instruments, which include:

Flutes

*Dizi () - transverse bamboo flute with buzzing membrane
**Bangdi (梆笛)
*Xiao (zh-ts|t=|s=; pinyin: xiāo) - end-blown flute; also called "dongxiao" (zh-ts|t=|s=)
*Paixiao (zh-ts|t=|s=; pinyin: páixiāo) - pan pipes
*Chi (; pinyin: chí) - ancient transverse bamboo flute
*Yue (; 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 (; pinyin: kǒudí) - very small transverse bamboo flute

Oboes

*Guan (zh-cp|c=|p=guǎn) - cylindrical double reed wind instrument made of either hardwood (Northern China) or bamboo (Cantonese); the northern version is also called "guanzi" () or "bili" (traditional: ; simplified: ) and the Cantonese version is also called "houguan" ()
*Suona (zh-ts|t=|s=) - double-reed wind instrument with a flaring metal bell; also called "haidi" ()
*Nazi (呐子) - "suona" reed and bocal played melodically, with or without amplifying horn

Free reed pipes

*Bawu (zh-tsp|t=|s=|p=bāwū) - side-blown free reed pipe with finger holes
*Mangtong (; pinyin: mángtǒng) - end-blown free reed pipe producing a single pitch

Wood ()

Most wood instruments are of the ancient variety:

*Zhu (zh-cp|c=|p=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 (zh-cp|c=|p=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 music
*Muyu (zh-tsp|t=|s=|p=mùyú) - a rounded woodblock carved in the shape of a fish, struck with a wooden stick; often used in Buddhist chanting
*Guban () - clapper made from two flat pieces of wood; used in "shuochang" and Beijing opera
*Paiban () - a clapper made from several flat pieces of wood
*Bangzi () - small, high-pitched woodblock

tone ()

The "stone" category comprises various forms of stone chimes.
*Bianqing (zh-tsp|t=|s=|p=biānqìng) - a rack of stone tablets that are hung by ropes from a wooden frame and struck using a mallet

Metal ()

*Bianzhong () - 65 to 100 bronze bells hung on a rack, struck using poles
*Fangxiang (zh-tspw|t=方響|s=方响|p=fāngxiǎng|w=fang hsiang) - set of tuned metal slabs (metallophone)
*Nao () - may refer to either an ancient bell or large cymbals
**Shangnao (商鐃) - ancient bell ^{[http://images.china.cn/attachement/jpg/site1000/20080226/000802e406ec092db1c005.jpgphoto]}
*Bo () - cymbals
*Luo (zh-ts|t=|s=; pinyin: luó) - gong
*Yunluo (zh-ts|t=|s=) - literally "cloud gongs"; 10 or more small tuned gongs in a frame
*Shimianluo () - 10 small tuned gongs in a frame
*Chun (; pinyin: chún) - ancient bell ^{[http://www.cq.xinhuanet.com/2006-09/20/xin_030903201046687401111.jpgphoto]}
**Weichun () - ancient hanging bell
*Bronze drum ()
*Laba () - long, straight trumpet without valves

Clay ()

*Xun (zh-cp|c=|p=xūn) - ocarina made of baked clay
*Fou (zh-cp|c=|p=fǒu) - clay pot played as a percussion instrument

Gourd ()

*Sheng (zh-cp|c=|p=shēng) - free reed mouth organ consisting of varying number of bamboo pipes inserted into a gourd chamber with finger holes
*Yu (zh-cp|c=|p=yú) - ancient free reed mouth organ similar to the sheng but generally larger
*He (zh-cp|c=|p=he) - ancient free reed mouth organ similar to the sheng but smaller
*Hulusi (zh-ts|t=|s=; 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 (zh-ts|t=|s=; pinyin: húlúshēng) - free-reed mouth organ with a gourd wind chest; used primarily in Yunnan province

Hide ()

*Daigu - (大鼓) - large drum played with two sticks
**Huapengu (花盆鼓) - flowerpot-shaped large drum played with two sticks
*Huzuo Dagu (虎座大鼓)
*Huzuo Wujia Gu (虎座鳥架鼓)
*Jian`gu (建鼓)
*Bangu () - small, high pitched drum used in Beijing opera
*Biangu () - flat drum, played with sticks
*Paigu () - set of three to seven tuned drums played with sticks
*Tanggu () - medium-sized barrel drum played with two sticks
*Huagu (花鼓) - flower drum
*Yaogu (腰鼓) - waist drum
*Zhangu (战鼓) - war drum; played with two sticks
*Bajiao gu () - octagonal tambourine used primarily in narrative singing from northern China [http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%85%AB%E8%A7%92%E9%BC%93]
*Yanggegu (秧歌鼓) - rice planting drum
*Bofu () - ancient drum used to set tempo
*Jiegu () - hourglass-shaped drum used during the Tang Dynasty
*Tao (; pinyin: táo) or "taogu" (鼗鼓) - a pellet drum used in ritual music

Others

*Gudi () - an ancient flute made of bone
*Lilie (唎咧) - reed wind instrument with a conical bore played by the Li people of Hainan
*Lusheng (zh-ts|t=蘆笙|s=芦笙; pinyin: lúshēng) - free-reed mouth organ with five or six pipes, played by various ethnic groups in southwest China and neighboring countries
*Kouxian () - Jew's harp, made of bamboo or metal
*Muye (木叶) - tree leaf used as a wind instrument

Playing contexts

Chinese instruments are either played solo, or 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, or use of musical scores or tablature whilst in performance. Music was generally learned orally and memorized by the musician(s) beforehand, then played without aid, meaning totally accuracy and teamwork is required. But nowadays, music scores can be used, or a conductor if the number of musicians is large enough for that need.

References

*Lee, Yuan-Yuan and Shen, Sinyan. "Chinese Musical Instruments (Chinese Music Monograph Series)". 1999. Chinese Music Society of North America Press. ISBN 1-880464039
*Shen, Sinyan. "Chinese Music in the 20th Century (Chinese Music Monograph Series)". 2001. Chinese Music Society of North America Press. ISBN 1-880464047
*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 7800050173.

External links

* [http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/MusicOffice/MusicTool/chi_eng_main.html Chinese Musical Instruments] Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong
* [http://www.chime.com.cn Chime] A look at ancient Chinese instruments
* [http://www.e56.com.cn/minzu/Musical/Musical_main.asp Chinese musical instruments] (Chinese)
* [http://www.chineseinstruments.org Chinese Instruments Website] (English)
* [http://www.chinakongzi.com/2550/eng/music/yq/index.htm Chinese musical instruments]
* [http://resources.edb.gov.hk/musiceb/ The Musical Instruments E-book]
* [http://www.woim.net/ World of Instrumental Music]

ee also

*Music of China
*Traditional Korean musical instruments
*Chinese art
*Chinese instrument classification