The guzheng, sometimes known as gu zheng or gu-zheng, is a famous musical instrument belonging to the Chinese folk tradition.

The instrument belongs to the family of harps, and there are many different models. They vary in the number of strings, which can range from a minimum of 16 to a maximum of 25. Playing it is not easy, as all fingers of both hands must pluck the strings.

Let’s explore the history, origin, and characteristics of this fantastic musical instrument.

Meaning of the name “guzheng”

In Chinese, the name of this instrument is composed of two characters: 古 and 筝, which are read as Gǔ and zhēng, respectively. The first means simply ancient and refers to the millennia-long history of the instrument, while the second means harp.
The term zheng, when it was coined, referred to any type of harp in Chinese. It only began to take on a more precise meaning after several centuries. Nowadays, the words zheng and guzheng are practically synonymous, referring exclusively to this particular instrument.

Origin

The official date marking the birth of this instrument is 476 BC. In fact, it is one of the oldest instruments in China. Over the centuries, it has evolved significantly, and many models with different numbers of strings have been created. The earliest versions had 16 or 18 strings, though the one that became most widely accepted has 21. In ancient times, the strings were made from handwoven silk, whereas modern models use metal wire wrapped in a thin nylon thread.

To fully understand the origin of the guzheng, we need to begin with an ancient folk saying. It states that the zheng is an instrument when horizontal, but becomes a weapon when vertical. While its meaning may seem profound, the reality is much simpler. The legend tells that during the Warring States period in China, a particular weapon called the zheng was used. It had the same shape as the musical instrument today, but it had no strings and was used to strike the enemy in battle.

It was held vertically like a sword or mace and was widely used by soldiers in the army. Someone had the idea of adding strings to the upper end, which, once pulled, could be plucked and played. The sound produced was so beautiful that it quickly became a widely used instrument throughout China. Its versatility was particularly appreciated, making it convenient to play in many different situations.

This is why the guzheng is a weapon when vertical, but a musical instrument when horizontal. For a short period, it retained both functions. Only when weaponry technology advanced, making weapons lighter and more maneuverable, was the combat version of the zheng finally abandoned. The musical function remained, making this instrument with enchanting sound one of the most popular in all of China.

History of the guzheng

The earliest fragments of guzheng found in northern China date back to between 475 and 221 BC. The oldest written record, found in an old manuscript, dates to 265 AD. It mentions a 12-string harp very similar to the modern guzheng. At the time, it was used as an entertainment instrument during noble banquets, and over the centuries, it has experienced periods of popularity interspersed with times when it was almost abandoned. Particularly, at the beginning of the Ming dynasty around 1368, when banquets started to be accompanied by other types of instruments, the guzheng was almost forgotten, remaining a popular folk instrument.

This change also had some positive effects. Since it was no longer tied to noble entertainment, the instrument diversified depending on the regions it spread to. Some models remained with 12 strings, while others had progressively more strings added until reaching a maximum of 25.

The history of this instrument took a turn around the middle of the last century. After the second civil war that struck China, ending in 1950, a great revolution took place in the country. It was decided that the identity of the country had been damaged by the upper classes, so all items symbolizing these social classes were confiscated and destroyed. It was the lower classes who had to rebuild the country, and one of the musical instruments symbolizing the poorest was the guzheng. Instruments like the qin, which symbolized sophistication, were soon set aside and forgotten. The guzheng, however, became very popular again and underwent a process of renewal and rediscovery that has continued to this day.

Characteristics and Features

The guzheng is highly appreciated for its ability to produce sounds that mimic natural phenomena such as flowing water in waterfalls, thunder in a storm, or the chirping of birds in the forest.

The functioning of this musical instrument is similar to that of a harp or zither. Despite this, there are many differences in its construction. The main body is a rectangular resonating box, almost always made of wutong wood. There is also a bridge placed at both ends of the strings. These strings are thus slightly raised. The bridge on the left is S-shaped, while the one on the right is straight and holds the tuning pegs used to tune the instrument. No fingerboard is present to hold the strings.

To play the instrument, both hands are used, not just one, to pluck the strings.

How to Play

The guzheng is played by plucking the strings. As mentioned before, both hands have the same purpose. A plectrum is attached to each finger, except for the pinkies. In this way, we have a total of 8 fingers with plectra to pluck the various strings. As you can easily guess, playing this instrument is not easy at all. The large number of strings and the use of both hands require a high level of concentration and control of movements, which can only be achieved after much practice in music schools.

The left hand, in addition to plucking the strings, presses them on the bridge. In this way, the strings can be tightened or loosened, producing not only the requested note but also allowing for more complex techniques like bending.
As already mentioned, the most common guzheng model has 21 strings. These are carefully tuned to 4 pentatonic scales made up of the notes C, D, E, G, and A. These are the typical sounds of traditional Chinese music, often used in folk songs.

It can also be said that the left hand is more important than the right. It has many more tasks and can play any semitone between the aforementioned notes. Each piece can therefore be personalized and interpreted freely without too much difficulty.
Today, there are many music schools in China that teach how to play this instrument, to then use it in orchestras for special occasions.

Where It Is Played Today

Due to its origins and the difficulty of playing it, it is very rare to find one here in Italy. Even in China, there are not many, and certainly it is not an instrument commonly found in homes. It is not even seen played in squares or streets, as it is almost exclusively used in musical ensembles that perform folk and traditional pieces. The musicians who play the guzheng are almost exclusively women. It is not an instrument particularly suited for orchestras, which is why it is often heard in solo performances.

Some famous melodies that feature the guzheng are: The Fisherman Sings at Night, Magpie Playing in the Water, and Fighting Against the Typhoon.
On the web, there are numerous videos of musicians playing the guzheng.

Legends Related to the Guzheng

There are some legends related to this particular musical instrument that try to explain its origin, even though the official version now seems verified. The most famous concerns Emperor Huangdì, also known as the Yellow Emperor. It is said that, after settling in his kingdom around 2600 BC, he was looking for someone who could entertain him. He fortuitously came across a woman who could play a harp with 50 strings. The emotion was so great that Huangdì ordered, for unknown reasons, to break the instrument in two, giving birth to the first guzheng with 25 strings. There are also other legends about this ancient instrument, although in many cases, they seem confusing and illogical.