What kind of percussion instrument is the Zhuang copper drum?

Bronze drum is a percussion instrument in southern China, created by the Pu people and the Yue people *** with. It is a treasure in the treasure house of Chinese art, with a history of more than 2,700 years, with the largest number and widest distribution in Guangxi. Initially, copper drums were used as drinking vessels and later evolved into percussion instruments. Regardless of the purpose of the bronze drum school, as a comprehensive art appreciation, its attribute of integrating the aesthetic sense of the Luo and Yue people is unchanged.

The ancient Zhuang had a high level of smelting and casting, and were able to cast ring knives, swords, spears and other sharp weapons. They were especially good at making bronze drums. According to Pei Yuan's "Guangzhou Record" and Liu Yao's "Spirit Table Lu Yi," Zhuang copper drums were "wide" and other copper drums were "more than two minutes thick. "They are covered with insects, fish, flowers and grass" and are very fragile.

The appearance of the bronze drums is a fine piece of plastic art in itself, with a deep, bottomless stomach that is empty, a curved waist and a bulging chest, giving a sense of stability and fullness. The surface of the drum is the key decorative part, the center is often decorated with sun stripes, and the periphery is decorated with a halo. The ring band near the drum's edge is cast with beautifully carved circular decorations, mostly frogs, followed by knights, skis, turtles, birds, and so on. Exaggerated, strong, powerful, stately and striking. There are many decorative paintings on the chest and waist. The drums are struck empty leaving the bottom of the elements, producing a dense and a void that complement each other. These images are carved or embossed on the mold blanks, using the line relief technique. The portraits are vivid and simple with strong lines. Portrait decoration is divided into two kinds of physical decoration and pattern decoration.

There are sun motifs, deer-soaring motifs, deer motifs, dragon boat races, and feather dance motifs; they are decorated with cloud and thunder motifs, circles, money, and cushions. These figurative decorations often appear in repetitive or alternating images and compositions, producing a strong overall artistic effect and showing a reasonable decorative layout. The image of the drum chest decoration band is a long scroll, while the pattern of the drum waist decoration band is a separate piece that repeats week after week.

Based on the shape and decoration of the drums, they can be categorized into eight types. Different types of drums have different decorative styles. Generally speaking, Lengshui drums have complex surfaces decorated with circular carvings and abstract objects; Beiliu copper drums have thick patterns; Zhai's stone copper drums are lifelike and beautifully modeled. The patterns on various copper drums were familiar to the ancient Luoyang people. On the one hand, it shows the scene of their life; on the other hand, it shows their unique aesthetic sense, full of strong romantic flavor, and also shows their confidence in overcoming nature.