Chinese guqin
The ancient qin, also known as the yaoqin, yuqin, sitong, and seven-stringed qin, is a traditional Chinese plucked string instrument with a history of over three thousand years. In ancient China, the qin, along with chess, calligraphy, and painting, were collectively known as the Four Arts, which encapsulated the traditional culture of the Han ethnic group. The ancient qin, ranking first among the Four Arts, was regarded by literati as a symbol of elegance, serving as an accompanying instrument for their recitations and an important medium for expressing their emotions and aspirations.
Ancient books record legends such as Fuxi's making of Qin, Shennong's making of Qin, Huangdi's making of Qin, and Tangyao's making of Qin. It can be seen that the Chinese ancient Qin culture has a long history and is broad and profound. Hubei, a land with profound cultural heritage, is the important birthplace and inheritance of Guqin art.
In 2016, a qin from the early Spring and Autumn period of the Zeng state during the Zhou dynasty was unearthed at Guojiamiao in Zaoyang, Hubei. It is one of the earliest qins discovered through archaeology, dating back about 2,700 years. This discovery pushes back the history of qins with physical evidence in China by approximately 300 years.
The ten-stringed qin unearthed from the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng in Hubei also dates back over 2,400 years.
In 2003, the guqin was inscribed by UNESCO as one of the second batch of "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity"; in 2008, the guqin, as a representative of Chinese music, appeared on the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games. The history of the guqin is not only reflected in its tradition but also in its inheritance. The new generation of professional qin players have higher requirements and novel ideas for music, and they have injected youthful vitality into guqin music. These new qin players have not only inherited the traditional skills of the guqin but also boldly innovated in aspects such as playing techniques and composition, making guqin art closer to modern aesthetics while maintaining its unique cultural charm.