liuqin

• Name — zh-Latn • Classification — *Plucked string instrument • Related — *Pipa • Ruan • Yueqin

• C — 柳琴 • P — liǔqín • Y — láuhkàhm • J — lau5 kam4 • C2 — 柳葉琴 • P2 — liǔyèqín • C3 — 土琵琶 • P3 — tǔpípá • Myr — lyǒu-chín • Myr2 — lyǒu-yè-chín • Myr3 — tǔ-pí-pā The liuqin is a three, four or five-stringed Chinese mandolin with a pear-shaped body. The range of its voice is much higher than other Chinese plucked string instruments, and it is used in both orchestral music and solo pieces in Chinese music. This has been the result of a modernization in its usage in recent years, leading to a gradual elevation in status of the liuqin from an accompaniment instrument in folk Chinese opera, to an instrument known for its unique tonal and acoustic qualities. The instrument is held diagonally like the Chinese ruan and yueqin. Its strings are elevated by a bridge and the soundboard has two prominent soundholes. Finally, the instrument is played with a pick with similar technique to both ruan and yueqin. Therefore, the liuqin is most commonly played and doubled by those with ruan and yueqin experience. Historically, the liuqin was commonly made of willow wood (literally meaning "willow"), while professional players used versions constructed with a higher-quality red sandalwood or rosewood. In contemporary versions, however, the front board is made of tong wood (桐木) and red sandalwood is used for the back.

The liuqin has gone by various names, firstly the liuyeqin (柳), meaning willow leaf-shaped instrument. This was the original term for the liuqin, which is an abbreviation of the term liuyeqin. The other reference to the liuqin is the tu pipa (土琵琶), literally meaning unrefined pipa, because of the diminutive size and resemblance of the liuqin to the pipa. Throughout its history, the liuqin came in variations ranging from two (which only had a range of one and a half octaves) to four strings. However, the earliest precursor of the modern four-stringed version of the instrument appeared and experienced popularity during the Qing dynasty. This version had two strings, and was only used for accompaniment purposes in traditional operas. The two-stringed liuqin remained in use for much of dynastic China from the Qing dynasty until the late 20th century. With the modernization of traditional Chinese music in the 1970s, the four-stringed liuqin was developed as an improvement to its musical range, and the body of the instrument was enlarged to allow players to handle the instrument with greater ease.

• Wang Huiran (王惠然, 1936-2023), esteemed "Father of the liuqin" • Wang Hongyi (王红艺), daughter of Wang Huiran • NiNi Music • Mei Han, guzheng who doubles on liuqin

• Canal Works of Happiness • Melody on a Moonlit River • Sing a Mountain Song of Love • Spring Comes to River Yi (春到沂河) • The Lark (Yun Que) Romanian Folk Music • Warrior Suite

• Sword Dance (劍器) • Beyond the Horizons (天地星空) • Courtyard After The Rain (雨后庭院)

On the instrument • Liuqin photographs (first row) • Liuqin • Liu Qin (a Mp3 recording available here as well) • Information on the liuqin (also includes information on other plucked-string instruments and notational description of instrumental tonal range) On players of the liuqin • Concert information on Wang Huiran • Press release on Wang Hongyi • Information on Wang Huiran and Wang Hongyi

• Liuqin Mp3s (click headphones to listen to individual tracks) • Liuqin Mp3s on Yahoo! GeoCities