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Chinese Music
Chinese String Instruments (Not bowed)
This page is devoted to all the other Chinese string instruments, but ones that are not normally played with a bow. These include all forms of: Zither, Lute, Harp, and Dulcimer

Our main information resource remains the very reliable Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_traditional_Chinese_musical_instruments
which is complimented by many others, as referenced below

For ease of reference we have divided Chinese instruments into four main categories:
• Strings
  • Bowed and 2-stringed
  • Other Strings, Lutes and Zithers (This Page)
Wind
Percussion
Other Instruments

Free music samples and downloads Comply with International Copyright criteria, and respect International Property Rights.

Note: Spelling
Most Chinese instruments are written as two Chinese characters (Mandarin). Pinyin is a standard way to write these characters in English. The Chinese would write these as one English word in lower case. Westerners tend to Capitalise the words. Other Western spellings sometimes exist, especially changing 'qin' to 'ching' etc. We use the standard letters as approved by Beijing, and generally Capitalised the first letters of both Chinese words (For correct syntax)

Other Stringed Instruments

Instrument Brief Description Listen
     
Dongbula    
Image: DongBula - Click for  larger image and more details The dongbula is a stringed musical instrument of the Kazak ethnicity in ancient China. The old and young members of Kazak families are all good at playing the instrument. In Turkic language, the name dongbula has special meanings. Dong describes the sound of the music, and bula means to fix the strings.

more...
No Link
DongBula    
     
     
Guqin    
Image: GuQin - Click for  larger image and more details The guqin, is a fretless seven-stringed zither, and is China's oldest stringed instrument, with a history of some 7, 000 years. Historically, the guqin has been viewed as a symbol of Chinese high culture, but today only a few thousand people can play it, and it is rarely seen in China. It is also a very quiet instrument, and suited to solo performances, or sometimes played in concert with a few other compatible instruments, or accompanied by voice.

Please visit our new Guqin page wich offers a full description with pictures, and many tracks for free download more...
External Link
   
     
     
GuZheng    
Image: GuZheng - Click for  larger image and more details The guzheng, also spelled gu zheng or gu-zheng (Chinese: 古箏; pinyin: gǔzhēng) or zheng (箏) (gu-, 古 means "ancient") is a traditional Chinese musical instrument. It belongs to the zither family of string instruments. The parent instrument of the guzheng is the se.

The guzheng should not to be confused with the guqin (another ancient Chinese zither but without bridges).

Please visit our new Guzhen page wich offers a full description with pictures, and many tracks for free download more...
No Link
   
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Hushtar    
Image: Hushtar - Click for  larger image and more details This is a hushtar, a traditional Uyghur stringed musical instrument.

Music has always been a significant element of Central Asian culture in what is now Xinjiang even before the Uyghur migration into Xinjiang from Mongolia began in earnest in the ninth century. Since ancient times, the most popular music in the Chinese Imperial Court was from Central Asia, along the ancient Silk Road. Several of the best-known traditional Chinese musical instruments, particularly stringed instruments, originated in Central Asia.

more...
No Link
Hushtar  
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LiuQin    
Image: LiuQin - Click for  larger image and more details The liuqin (柳琴; pinyin: liǔqín) is a four-stringed Chinese lute with a pear-shaped body. It is small in size, almost a miniature copy of another Chinese plucked instrument, the pipa. But the range of its voice is much higher than the pipa, and has its own special place in the Chinese music, whether in orchestral music or in solo pieces.

more...
External Link
LiuQin Link Source:
http://www.geocities.com/risheng99/instruments/liuqin_music.html
 
     
   
Pipa    
Image: Pipa - Click for  larger image and more details The pipa (Chinese: 琵琶; pinyin: pípá) is a four-stringed Chinese instrument (There are a few 5-stringed versions), belonging to the plucked category of instruments (弹拨乐器/彈撥樂器). Sometimes called the Chinese lute, the instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets ranging from 12-26.

Please visit our new Pipa page wich offers a full description with pictures, and many tracks for free download more...
Video Link
Pipa Link Source:
http://www.vpro.nl/programma/vrijegeluiden/afleveringen/40119551/items/41054501/

For modern music search YouTube for 12 Girls Band
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Ruan    
Image: Ruan - Click for  larger image and more details The ruan (阮, pinyin: ruǎn) is a Chinese plucked string instrument. It is a lute with a fretted neck, a circular body, and four strings. Its strings were formerly made of silk but since the 20th century they have been made of steel (flatwound for the lower strings). The modern ruan has 24 frets with 12 semitones on each string, which has greatly expanded its range from a previous 13 frets. The frets are commonly made of ivory.

more...
Audio Link
Ruan  
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YueQin    
Image: YueQin - Click for  larger image and more details The ruan (阮, pinyin: ruǎn) is a Chinese plucked string instrument. It is a lute with a fretted neck, a circular body, and four strings. Its strings were formerly made of silk but since the 20th century they have been made of steel (flatwound for the lower strings). The modern ruan has 24 frets with 12 semitones on each string, which has greatly expanded its range from a previous 13 frets. The frets are commonly made of ivory.

more...
Audio Link
YueQin Link Source:
http://resources.edb.gov.hk/musiceb/english/Instrument/chinese/yueqin/video/real/yi_chang.mp3
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China Expats are very happy to hear from anyone who can provide appropriate Audio and Video, or any music that is more suited for 'Western Ears'. Thank you

This information is as supplied by ourselves, and ably supported by our friends:

Wikipedia   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_traditional_Chinese_musical_instruments

Disclaimer:
As far as we are aware, all information and downloads are either reproduced here with expressed permission, or obtained from reliable free resources, and comply with International Property Rights.

Please contact us 'Now' if you think there is a problem, and we will rectify the situation immediately

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