Erhu

The Erhu is a two-stringed Chinese fiddle. It is played with the bow never leaving the strings. The Erhu has a small, hexagonal box for a body. It is about 26 inches. The Erhu was evolved from the xinqin. The erhu became popular by Liu T'ien-hua, a Chinese musician who studied western music.

Pipa

The Pipa is a Chinese lute. From the time of the Wei Dynasty, it became a popular form of entertainmentfor court banquets. The pipa comes in many sizes. The pipa was developed in central asia.

Qin

The Qin is a Chinese plucked zither. It is one of China's most ancient and important instruments. The strings of the Qin are stretched silk, and different sounds are made by the different tensions of the strings. The Qin is about 4 feet by 6 inches and 2 inches deep. There is evidence that the Chinese people have been playing the Qin for 3000 years.

Di

The Di is a side-blown flute from China. The Di's music is generated by a thin membrane that vibrates. It is used in Chinese Opera. The size of the Di varies. It originated during the Han Dynasty.

Sheng

The Sheng is a Chinese mouth organ. The Sheng consists of tongues that vibrate and create noise. It is an important part of Chinese opera. It is also used to accompany traditional folksongs. It is about 18 inches long. During the Tang Dynasty, the Sheng developed into what it is today.

Suona

The Suona is a double-reed woodwind instrument. Its first use in CHina was to inpire soldiers in battle. The Suona is used to accompany Chipnese Orchestra. The Suona is about 20 inches long. The modern day Suona was developed in the 15th and 16th centuries.

YueQin

The YeuQin, or Moon Lute, is a Chinese lute. Inside of its circular body, it has a metal tongue that rattles and enhances the tone of the instrument. It is popular among small opera troupes that use it to accompany songs. It is about 23 inches long. The YeuQin was derived from the ruan.

Go back to the School