Guqin, the Ancient Zither of China

(headline image: Guqin)

The guqin is a seven-stringed plucked zither. It is a long, narrow instrument formed by two planks of wood glued together. As one of the oldest Chinese musical instruments, the guqin is the most revered of the Chinese “long zithers.” With a history of over 3,000 years, the guqin has a repertory which is the most refined in Chinese music. It demands of the solo performer the highest knowledge, skill, and musicality.

The body of the guqin is made of hardwood, primarily paulownia or China fir (Cunninghamia). The sound board is typically made of Chinese parasol wood (Firmiana simplex), and the bottom is made of Chinese catalpa (Catalpa ovata).

The guqin’s strings are made of silk, metal, or nylon. Meanwhile, the ornaments may include inlaid dots of mother-of-pearl or other materials.

Leading Guqin Performers

Li Xiangting, Chen Leiji, Zhao Xiaoxia, Gong Yi, Xu Jian, Zheng Minzhong, Chen Changlin, Wang Fei, Liu Li, Shin-Yi Yang, Lu Peiyuan, and Haiqiong Deng.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list, and there are many other gifted guqin players out there.

Organizations

Chinese Guqin Societies

Beijing Guqin Yanjiu Hui, Peking University Guqin Society, Songfeng Qinshe, Shenyang Guqin Yianjiuhui, Tongshan-Xian Guqin Xuehui, Jinyu Qin Society, Bozhou Guqin Yianjiuhui, Guangdong Guqin Yianjiuhui, Foshan Guqin Society.

Taiwanese Organizations

Taiwan Qin Society and Taiwan Guqin Association.

North American Guqin Organization

The North American Guqin Association (NAGA) is a nonprofit cultural arts organization devoted to the public presentation, preservation, and development of the art of the guqin

Boston Qin Society

The Boston Guqin Society is a group of individuals focused on the dissemination and education of the art of guqin.

Guqin Books

• Collection of Guqin Music Score (Three Volumes) by Li Xiang Ting, 2009
• Standards of the Guqin by Juni Yeung, 2018
• The Study of Guqin by David D Wong, 2021

Guqin Recordings

• Guqin Music: The Utopia Empathy Of Past And Present by Shuishan Yu
• Guqin Music: Vibrant Rhythm of Ancient Heroes by Shuishan Yu
• Guqin by Gong-Liang Cheng
• Prelude to the Divine Realm – Pipa & Guqin by Gao Hong and Zhao Xiaoxia

Author: Angel Romero

Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.