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The konghou (Chinese: 箜篌; pinyin: kōnghóu) is an ancient Chinese harp. The konghou, also known as kanhou, went extinct sometime in the Ming Dynasty, but was revived in the 20th century. The shape of the modern version of the instrument does not resemble the ancient one.
The main feature that distinguishes the contemporary konghou from the Western concert harp is that the modern konghou's strings are folded over to make two rows, which enables players to use advanced playing techniques such as vibrato and bending tones. Paired strings on opposite sides of the instrument, tuned to the same note, are fixed on the far end to a freely movable lever so that depressing one of the pairs raises the pitch of the other. The two rows of strings also make it suitable for playing swift rhythms and overtones.
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The wo-konghou, or horizontal konghou, was first mentioned in written texts in the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). The su-konghou, or vertical konghou first appeared in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220AD). The phoenix-headed konghou was introduced from India in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420 AD).
The konghou was used to play yayue (court music) in the Kingdom of Chu. During the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD) the konghou was used in qingshangyue (a music genre). Beginning in the Sui Dynasty (581-618), the konghou was also used in yanyue (banquet music). Konghou playing was most prevalent in the Sui and Tang dynasties. It was generally played in rites and ceremonies and gradually prevailed among the ordinary people.
The instrument was adopted in the ancient times in Korea, where it was called gonghu (hangul: 공후; hanja: 箜篌), but it is no longer used there. There were three subtypes according to shape:
Similarly, the kudaragoto (also called kugo, 箜篌) of Japan was in use in some Togaku (Tang music) performances during the Nara period, but seems to have died out by the 10th century. It has recently been revived in Japan, and the Japanese composer Mamoru Fujieda has composed for it.[1] Tomoko Sugawara commissioned a playable kugo harp from builder Bill Campbell and earned an Independent Music Awards nomination for her 2010 album, Along the Silk Road, playing traditional and newly written works for the instrument.
| Silk (string) | Plucked | Guqin · Se · Guzheng · Konghou · Pipa · Sanxian · Ruan · Liuqin · Yueqin · Qinqin · Duxianqin |
|---|---|---|
| Bowed | Huqin · Erhu · Zhonghu · Gaohu · Banhu · Jinghu · Erxian · Tiqin · Tihu · Yehu · Tuhu · Jiaohu · Sihu · Sanhu · Zhuihu · Zhuiqin · Leiqin · Dihu · (Xiaodihu · Zhongdihu · Dadihu) · Gehu · Diyingehu · Laruan · Matouqin · Yazheng | |
| Struck | Yangqin · Zhu | |
| Bamboo (woodwind) | Flutes | Dizi · Xiao · Paixiao · Koudi |
| Oboes | Guan · Suona | |
| Free-reed pipes | Bawu · Mangtong | |
| Gourd (woodwind) | Sheng · Yu · Hulusi · Hulusheng | |
| Percussion | Wood | Muyu · Paiban · Guban |
| Stone | Bianqing | |
| Metal | Bianzhong · Fangxiang · Luo · Yunluo | |
| Clay | Fou | |
| Hide | Daigu · Bangu · Paigu · Tanggu | |
| Others | Xun · Gudi · Lusheng · Kouxian | |
