Chinese percussion is multifaceted in character. Percussion instruments play a very important role in temple ceremonies and folk customs. They can be divided into four groups, according to the materials on which they are based: 1) Metal: ‘鈸 ba’ (a flat plate of metal struck with a mallet) and ‘鑼 luo’ (a gong). 2) Hide:…
The bowed instruments constitute an important part of the orchestra. They were introduced to China during the Han Dynasty (202 BC to 208 AD) by the Hu people, hence the name ‘hu qin’ (‘qin’ means ‘stringed-instrument’). The huqin is a large family of instruments, which all have in common the fact that they have two…
These instruments have a punctiform acoustic and the sound is marked by a large amount of tone modulation, which reflects the sonorous characteristics of the Han language. 琵琶 Pipa The pipa is sometimes referred to as the Chinese lute. It has four strings, which are plucked by false nails taped to the musician’s fingers. The…
笛子 Dizi – bamboo flute: Made from bamboo. The exact origin of this instrument is unknown. The dizi sound is created from the vibration of a membrane at the blowing hole made from a thin shaving of the vascular bundle of the bamboo stem. The dizi is often used to accompany traditional Chinese opera, including…