How many strings does guqin have?

Guqin started with only five strings, representing gold, wood, water, fire and earth. During this period, two more strings, also called lyre, were added, representing literature and martial arts respectively.

Guqin, also known as Qin, lyre, four-way, is also called lyre because it has seven strings. It ranks first among the four major arts of traditional piano, chess, calligraphy and painting in China, and is known as the father of China music. It is the earliest flat stringed instrument in China.

The Origin and Development of Guqin

I. Origin

The origin of guqin can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period in ancient China. In this war-torn era, countries seek various ways to improve the morale of the army. Among them, music is considered to have inspiring power, so guqin came into being.

Its original form was banjo, and later it gradually evolved into seven-string, thirteen-string and sixteen-string forms. In the Han Dynasty, Guqin gradually became independent from military performance and became a unique musical instrument.

Second, evolution.

With the passage of time, guqin gradually evolved into various forms and schools. The Tang Dynasty was the peak period of the development of guqin, and the guqin in this period was exquisite in craftsmanship and beautiful in timbre, which became the heart of literati. At the same time, the Tang Dynasty was also an important period for the formation of Guqin schools, and many Guqin schools with local characteristics appeared.

In the Song Dynasty, the performance skills of Guqin were further improved and perfected, and the integration of skills and emotions was emphasized, forming many representative tracks. The production technology of guqin in Song Dynasty also reached a new height, and many precious guqin cultural relics appeared.