|
China
Information
The Guqin |
The
Guqin – a Chinese
Musical Instrument that Helped Defeat an Army
The
guqin, or seven-stringed zither, is China 's oldest stringed
instrument, and as legend has it, its sweet sounds once helped defeat
an army. Now this ancient instrument experiences a modern-day
renaissance. This holiday season, NTDTV’s Holiday Wonders (live at the
Beacon Theater on Broadway, NYC, Dec. 19-24, 2006) brings a unique
opportunity to experience the magic of traditional Chinese culture,
using traditional and ancient instruments. The magnificence of the
backdrops, the abundant imagination, the marvelous music, the splendor
of the costumes, and the actors' great skill--altogether make for
outstanding entertainment reflecting China 's 5,000 years of
civilization and traditional culture--a culture full of myths and
legends.
The
first guqins were made about 3,000 years ago. They were very simple,
with just one or two strings. As aesthetic concepts flowered and
playing skills improved, the instrument changed. By the 3rd century the
guqin had seven strings, and was very similar to the instrument played
today.
Historically, the guqin has been viewed as a
symbol of
high culture, as well as the instrument most able to express the
essence of Chinese music. There is consequently a great deal of
symbolism surrounding the guqin.
In ancient China,
the guqin was
an instrument played mainly by those of noble birth. Among the 3,000 or
so guqin tunes that have been handed down, the majority are works by
the then ruling class, expressing their aspirations.
In
Chinese
history, there is a famous story called the “Empty City Trick” (Kong
Cheng Ji) in which the guqin played the key role in defeating an army
of thousands. The story of Kong Cheng Ji can be found in the famous
15th century novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
During
the
“Three Kingdoms” period (220-280 AD), the Kingdom of Shu underwent a
series of defeats by the Kingdom of Wei. On one occasion the Wei
general, Sima Yi, advanced with his armies to the gate of a Shu city,
unaware that there were no Shu soldiers within the city to protect it.
On
seeing the Wei army advance, rather than capitulating, the Shu military
adviser Zhuge Liang went to the gate tower and played a beautiful
melody on his guqin.
As he listened, Sima Yi, the
general of the
invading army, found himself in a quandary. He tried to tell from the
nuance of the music whether the city was truly empty, or if Shu
soldiers hid within it. Judging by the tranquil tones, he decided this
was a trick of Zhuge Liang 's to tempt his army into an ambush, and so
he ordered a retreat.
The ruse helped the Kingdom of
Shu to avoid another defeat and ultimate destruction.
You
may wonder what melody Zhuge Liang played. Nobody knows. This will
probably forever remain a secret shrouded in the mists of history.
Jason
Huang
Top
of page
|
China Information
The
Guqin – a Chinese
Musical Instrument that Helped Defeat an Army
|
|
|
Chinese Translators
Chinese Interpreters
Chinese Business Assistants
Chinese Manufacturers
Trade Shows China
China News
Business Help |
