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Guqin made by Zhang Ruixiu of Suzhou

Guqin

1584

China, Ming dynasty

(1368–1644)
Medium
Seven-string Asian long zither, chordophone, made from wood, lacquer, mother of pearl, and silk strings
Measurements
Overall: 4.5 x 18.1 x 123.5 cm (1 3/4 x 7 1/8 x 48 5/8 in.)
Credit Line
The Charles G. King Jr. collection; Gift of Ralph King in memory of Charles G. King Jr. 1918.371
Public Domain
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Did You Know?

The 13 studs in mother-of-pearl inlay indicate finger positions for sounding harmonics.

Description

China’s most prestigious instrument, the guqin can be traced to the Chu culture almost 2500 years ago. By the late Ming dynasty, Jiangnan was a center of high-end guqin production.

Coated in black lacquer, this elegantly crafted instrument is inscribed on the inside, stating it was made by Zhang Ruixiu of Suzhou for Mr. Tianchi of Haiyu, also known as Yan Cheng (1547–1625). Yan was a key figure in guqin music history and founder of the Yushan school in Suzhou. Zhang Ruixiu was a guqin maker, known for achieving a supreme tone quality. Ten instruments attributed to him are known, of which this guqin has the earliest date.
A guqin, an instrument across which seven strings run lengthwise, has a dark-lacquered body like a tapered plank of wood. Long, olive-gold silk tassels hang from the strings on the left. Thirteen small, white dots are inlaid in a row along the front edge. A fine network of cracks covers the dark surface. Small feet support the instrument as it rests horizontally, the form tapering to a rounded end on the right.

Guqin made by Zhang Ruixiu of Suzhou

1584

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)

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