Chinese musical instruments are divided into which categories

Ancient Chinese musical instruments are generally categorized as pipa, erhu, chime, xiao, flute, serpent, qin, ocarina, sheng and drum.

1, the pipa is known as the "king of plucked instruments", belonging to the plucked string category of stringed instruments. The earliest musical instrument known as "pipa" appeared in China around the Qin Dynasty, "pipa" two words in the "Jue" means "two jade touch each other, make a pleasant The word "jue" in the word "pipa" means "two pieces of jade touching each other, making a pleasing sound".

2. The erhu, which began in the Tang Dynasty, is known as the Xiqin and has a history of more than a thousand years. The term huqin appeared in the Tang Dynasty, when the western and northern peoples were called hu people, huqin for the western and northern peoples of the imported musical instruments of the common name. After the Yuan Dynasty, during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, huqin became the common name for stringed instruments, and it was only in modern times that huqin was renamed erhu.

3, chimes, ancient Chinese large percussion instrument, rose in the Western Zhou Dynasty, flourished in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States until the Qin and Han. China is the earliest country to manufacture and use chimes.

Chimes cast in bronze, by the different sizes of flat round bells in accordance with the order of pitch, hanging in a huge bell frame, with a d-shaped mallet and long rod were struck by the bells, can send out different music, in accordance with the music score to strike, you can play a wonderful music.

4, xiao, divided into cave xiao and qin xiao, are single-barreled, vertical blowing, is a very old Han wind instrument, suitable for solo and repertoire. In Zhejiang Hemudu site, archaeologists found a bone articulator, identified as a bone whistle, which is the predecessor of the xiao, more than 7500 years ago.

It is generally made of bamboo, the blowhole is at the upper end, there are six-hole xiao and eight-hole xiao points. The sound of the xiao is quiet and elegant, evocative, and suitable for playing low and gentle tunes, sending a quiet and distant reverie, and often expresses delicate and rich emotions.

5, the flute is the oldest Han Chinese musical instruments found so far, but also the most representative of the Han Chinese musical instruments with the most national characteristics of the wind instrument. One of the commonly used horizontal blowing woodwind instruments in traditional Chinese music, the Chinese bamboo flute, is generally divided into the southern qu flute, the northern bang flute and the alto flute in between. The range can generally reach two octaves more two.

6, Thur

Thur, the ancient Han stringed instrument, **** twenty-five strings. The ancient form of the same shape, the body of more than one whole wood hacked into the Thur, Thur surface slightly raised, hollow body, body under the embedded base plate. Thur face the first end of a long Yue Shan, tail end of three short Yue Shan. The tail end is equipped with four pegs to tie the strings. There are holes for the strings on the outside of the first and last yakkasan.

There is also a wooden post, which is applied under the strings. Zenghouyi tomb **** unearthed twelve sets of ceramics, mostly beech or catalpa wood hacked, the total length of about 150 to 170, about 40 centimeters wide. Body lacquer painting, color and lustre.

7, qin

Qin, commonly known as the guqin, a seven-stringed no product of the ancient plucked-stringed instruments. The qin, as a special culture, summarizes and represents the ancient and mysterious oriental thought.

8, ocarina

Ocarina is a closed mouth wind instrument unique to the Han nationality, the tone of the sound of a simple and awkward hold Su alone for the music of the earth is the closest musical instrument to the Taoist music of heaven. It is the closest musical instrument to the Taoist music. It occupies an important position in the history of primitive art in the world.

9, sheng

Sheng, is the origin of China's Han ancient wind instruments, it is the world's first use of free reed instruments, and the development of Western musical instruments has played a positive role in promoting.

10, drum

The drum is a percussion instrument, in the solid and generally barrel-shaped drum body on one or both sides of a piece of tensioned membrane. Drums can be struck by hand or with a pestle and mortar to produce sound. The drum is an important instrument in African traditional music as well as in modern music, with some bands consisting entirely of drum-based percussion instruments. In addition to being a musical instrument drums were used in many ancient civilizations to spread messages.

Reference: Baidu Encyclopedia - Ethnic Musical Instruments