Yangqin
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The trapezoidal yangqin (揚琴; pinyin yángqín) is a Chinese hammered dulcimer originally from the Middle East (Persia (modern-day Iran)). It used to be written with the characters 洋琴 (lit. "foreign zither"), but the first character changed to 揚 (also pronounced "yáng"), which means "acclaimed." Hammered dulcimers of various types are now very popular not only in China, but also Eastern Europe, the Middle East, India and Pakistan. The instruments are also sometimes known by the names "santur" and "cymbalom."
The yangqin was traditionally fitted with bronze strings, which gave the instrument a soft timbre. This form of instrument is still occasionally heard today in the hudie qin (蝴蝶琴, lit. "butterfly zither") played in the traditional silk and bamboo genre from the Shanghai region known as Jiangnan sizhu (江南絲竹), as well as in some Cantonese music groups. The Thai and Cambodian khim is nearly identical in its construction, having been introduced to those nations by southern Chinese musicians. Since the 1950s, however, steel alloy strings (in conjunction with copper-wound steel strings for the bass notes) have been used, in order to give the instrument a brighter, and louder tone. The modern yangqin can have as many as five courses of bridges and may be arranged chromatically. Traditional instruments, with three or more courses of bridges, are also still widely in use. Strings are struck with two lightweight bamboo beaters (also known as hammers) with rubber tips. A professional musician often carries several sets of beaters, each of which draws a slightly different tone from the instrument, much like the drum sticks of western percussionists.
The yangqin is used both as a solo instrument and in ensembles.
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[edit] Origins
Historians offer several theories to explain how the instrument was introduced to China: 1) that the instrument may have been introduced by land, through the Silk Route; 2) that it was introduced by sea, through the port of Guangzhou (Canton); or 3) that it was invented without foreign influence by the Chinese themselves.
The word "yangqin" has historically been written in two different ways, using different Chinese characters for "yang". The "yang" in the earlier version was written with the character 洋, meaning "foreign." It was later changed, in 1910, to the character "yang" (揚), meaning "acclaimed" and is also the first character of the name of Yangzhou (揚州 or 扬州) which some Chinese linguistic scholars[citation needed] have stated was done because the latter term was more politically correct during a period when China was resisting foreign cultural influences.
[edit] Theory of introduction by land
The by land theory of yangqin being bought into contact with the Chinese is through Silk Road. At the glance of the trading route of China, the Silk Route stretching almost 4000 miles ending in Middle East, particularly Iran (Persia). The Iranian santur, a dulcimer, has existed since ancient times. If any dulcimer was to influence China by land, it is likely to be of this instrument.
The santur seems to be a likely predecessor of the yangqin. The instrument is somewhat smaller in size, is same in shape and is also played using two wooden mallets.
The technical structure of the santur is different in the way the tuning pegs are place, the bridges and the mallets. The yangqin's tuning pins are set in parallel instead of an angle 90 degree down at the side. The mallets of the santur also differ from those of the yangquin: they are made of wood with finger grip, designed to let the players perform by gripping the two mallets between their fore and middle fingers. The both modern and the earliest yangqin mallets did not include finger grips.
The bridge of the yangqin consist of long, single piece of wood with many stubs supporting the strings unlike the Santur which uses a number of small individual chesspiece-like bridges. The yangqin uses an individual bridge like the dulcimer instead of the santur.
[edit] Theory of introduction by sea
The seaport at Canton, Guangzhou attracts traders from all over Asia: from Japan, India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. The ships from this region bought back precious stones, slaves, exotic wares, fruits and spices etc. Along with commercial goods, thriving businesses, ideas, philosophies and scientific knowledge were exchanged including religion (principally Buddhism).
During the 16th century, the Age of Exploration in Europe reached it climax and soon trade was established between China and Europe. Historians state that Portuguese, and later, English and Dutch ships, had brisk trade with China. Portuguese trading in Chinese waters began in the 1500s according to historians. Music historians report[citation needed] that the the salterio, a hammered dulcimer, was played in Portugal, Spain, and Italy during this period. Historians say[citation needed] it is possible that the yangqin originated when the Portugese, the English or the Dutch brought a dulcimer player to China who performed for locals.
[edit] Possible relationship to clavichord
Some historians have stated[citation needed] that European clavichord is another possible precursor to the yangqin. These historians state[citation needed] that Italian missionary Matteo Ricci had brought a clavichord from Europe to China and that the Chinese court had many clavichords and harpsichords in the palace, which were given as gifts by various European nations.
[edit] Theory of invention within China
Some music scholars support[citation needed] the theory that the Chinese dulcimer, yangqin was developed within China itself, devoid of all foreign influence. These historians state[citation needed] two possible explanations for the instruments native origins, which are: the yangqin is a development from an ancient string instrument called zhu （筑）. Or that the yangqin originated from Yangzhou （扬州 or 揚州）, China itself.
[edit] Relationship to the zhu
Some music scholars state[citation needed] that the yangqin developed from the ancient music instrument zhu (筑). The zhu is shaped like the guqin, rectangular with one side wider than the other. It had 12 to 13 strings (earliest variant only had 5 strings), assumed to have been made of silk or gut with resemblance to the guqin. It was performed using techniques quite similar to the guqin, one hand pressing the strings while the other pluck. However in the case of the zhu, instead of plucking the strings, it was struck by using a slender bamboo hammer. Like many string instruments, zhu is made of silk or gut.
[edit] The Yangzhou theory
Another theory supported[citation needed] by some music scholars is that the yangqin was developed in Yangzhou, a city in Jiangsu Province. According to one yangqin thesis written by Mr Chew in 1921, "Yangqin was named Yangqin because it was invented in Yangzhou, different variants came about after it was introduced into Guangzhou."[citation needed]
[edit] Construction
As yangqin is a type of hammered dulcimer, many constructions is similar:
[edit] Strings
Modern yangqin usually have about 200 strings in total, with each note running in courses, up to 5 strings in a single courses, in order to boost the volume and dynamic. The strings come in variety thickness, and are tied at both end by screws instead of tuning peg, and are covered during playing
[edit] Bridges
There are usually four to five bridges on a yangqin. From right to left, they are: bass bridge, "left bridge", tenor bridge, "right bridge", and the chromatic bridge. During playing, it is suppose to hit the left side of the bridges. However, the "left bridge" can be hit on both sides of the bridge.
[edit] Beaters
The beaters is made of bamboo shoots, and at one end have a half covered by rubber. due to the unique construction, there are to ways to play: Play with the rubber side for softer melody, and play it with the bamboo side, producing a more percussive sound
[edit] Cylindrical nuts
On both side of the yangqin, aside from the tuning screws, are numerous cylindrical metal nuts that can be moved for fine tuning the strings, and rise the string slightly, which eliminate buzzing that occur. More modern designs also have moveable ball-shaped nuts that can be adjusted on the fly by fingers, which provide some microtuning and additional dynamics during performances.
[edit] Scale
The yangqin is a chromatic instrument. The middle C is located at the tenor bridge, third section from the bottom.
若想要找出一組七聲音階，可從中央C往上二個碼，找出前三個全音（Do、Re、Mi）。而七聲音階要求第三及第四個音（Fa）是半音關係，中碼左側不可能存在半音，所以須移動至左碼右側找尋。當找出Fa後，它與第五（Sol）、第六（La）、第七（Si）音由於也是全音關係，所以就在上面，等到找到高八度的Do時，又需要至左碼左側找尋.
This arrangement makes it easy for a yangqin player to transpose, if needed. Usually, if you just move up one section, the entire music piece will be transposed up one half-step.
In the playing of traditional Chinese music, most Chinese yangqin players use a numerical notation system called jianpu, rather than Western staff notation.
