Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Traditional stories - How many strings does the guqin haveThe strings of the guqin

How many strings does the guqin haveThe strings of the guqin

The guqin has seven strings, hence the name seven-stringed zither, and the names of these seven strings are called Gong, Shang, Jiao, Zheng, Fei, Wen, and Wu, respectively, in order from outside to inside. The guqin, also known as the yaoqin, jade qin, and seven-stringed qin, is a traditional Chinese plucked-string instrument with a history of more than 3,000 years and belongs to the silk of the eight tones. The guqin has a wide range of tones, a deep sound, and a long aftertaste.

The origin of the guqin string

The guqin was called "qin" and "yaoqin" in ancient times, and in modern times it is called guqin and seven-stringed qin. Ancient documents have recorded that the guqin initially had only five strings, symbolizing gold, wood, water, fire and earth. During the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, King Wen of Zhou added one string, called the Wen string, to mourn his son, Bo Yi Kao, and when King Wu conquered the Zhou Empire, he added another string, called the Wu string, to increase morale. Ying Shao (应劭), an Eastern Han Dynasty scholar, wrote in his book "The Seven Strings" that "The seven strings are the seven stars of the law, with the larger strings for the ruler and the smaller strings for the subjects, and King Wen and King Wu added two strings to harmonize the grace of the ruler and the subjects."

While the guqin has only seven strings, it is a string with multiple tones, and its range is as wide as four octaves. With the help of the thirteen "zither symbols" on the faceplate, it can be played with many overtones and press tones. The tone is subtle and deep, simple and elegant, the expression is rich in connotation and exceptionally rich, so it was listed as the first of "qin, chess, calligraphy and painting" by the literati in ancient times; and guzheng is basically a string of 1-2 tones, and moving the strings in the same string, it can be adjusted to the pitch, with a wide range of tones, a grand volume, and a simple and beautiful tone, which is melodious and pleasing to the ears. The sound of the guzheng has a wide range, a large volume, and a simple, beautiful, melodious and pleasant tone.

The guqin, the earliest written records of the qin are found in the Classic of Poetry and other canonical texts. During the Zhou Dynasty, the guqin was used for rituals in temples and temples, court meetings, ceremonies and other elegant music, but also flourished in the folk. The guqin is generally about three feet six inches and five inches long, symbolizing three hundred and sixty-five days a year. In order to fully vibrate, the panel is generally made of pine wood such as tung and cedar. Inward and outward in the shape of a tile arc, and the base plate is glued into the qin. The surface of the piano from the outside to the inside by the thick and thin bondage strings seven, ancient strings made of silk, now more steel strings.