yazheng
The yazheng (also spelled zha zheng or zha cheng) is a Chinese string instrument. It is a traditional zither similar to the guzheng but bowed by scraping with a rosined stick or a horsehair bow, (or plucked sometimes). The musical instrument was popular in the Tang dynasty, but is today little used except in the folk music of some parts of northern China, where it is called yaqin. • Illustration — Court musician playing a zhazheng (left)
Also recorded as ya zheng · ya cheng · yaqin
yazheng
bobistraveling · Ancient Musical Treasures from Central China MIM Museum Phoenix AZ 133916 · CC BY 2.0
- Name
- Zhazheng
- Field
- heterochord half-tube zither
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Documentary basis
Authority files
gnd · 1092504850 · wikidata · Q8050609 · wikipedia · Yazheng
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Zhazheng • Classification — *Bowed string instrument • Related — * Ajaeng (Korea)
Playing
Playing
The zhazheng is generally played while seated on the floor. It has a tone similar to that of a viola, but raspier. Some contemporary players prefer to use an actual horsehair bow rather than a stick, believing the sound to be smoother. The instrument is used in court, aristocratic, and folk music, as well as in contemporary classical music and film scores. The Korean ajaeng (hangul: 아쟁; hanja: 牙箏) is derived from the yazheng. In 2002, the People's Republic of China released a postage stamp featuring the instrument. The zhengni (筝尼) is a similar instrument used by the Zhuang people of the southern Chinese region of Guangxi. After passing to Japan, it became a Assō (nihongo: 軋箏, hiragana: あっそう) and Ryukyu, Japan, it became a teisō (nihongo: 提箏, hiragana: ていそう). In Vietnam, it became a nha tranh in Nhã nhạc.
Videos
Videos
• 轧琴 (bowed zither) from China • 夢裏相思 • 金鳳凰 • 黃福安 - 文枕琴 • - 箏族魅力系列 (2)
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Yazheng, revision 1333869918 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
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References
Citations
References
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General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 16 August 2026.
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