1. Introduction to Zheng 古箏
A Chinese musical instrument
Zheng can be called GuZheng, too. Gu means “ancient” in Chinese.

2. Live performance Title: Spring Sprouts (春苗)
Composed by Jian Lin(林堅) in 1986
Based on Miao(苗) tribe’s folk tune

3. 箏 Origin Unknown: Legends
Legend 1: comes from Se(瑟), 25-string instrument
Legend 2: comes from Zhu(筑)，5 strings on bamboo;
Artifact from Han Dynasty
(168 BC)

4. Evolution 12-string: Warring States Period (446 BC ~ 221 BC)
Popular during Chin(秦) dynasty (221 BC ~ 206 BC):
13-string,Tang dynasty ( AD)
Silk string
Played with real finger nails

5. Painting from Dun Huang Cave -- a Buddism Treasure Cave

6. Evolution 13-string, 14-string, 16-string, 21-String, Chaozhou:
Tang ( AD):
14-string,
Ming (10-15th century)
16-string,
Ching ( 1636 ~ 1911):
21-String, Chaozhou:
21-String, 1961, S shape mount

7. Experimental: not popular yet
25 strings, Experiments:
Butterfly
Experiments:

8. Japanese Koto
Introduced in 7th-8th century from China
13 strings

9. Korean Gayaeum (가야금 /伽倻琴)
1st century BC: 12 strings
Evolved into 13, 17, 18, 21, 25 strings too.

10. Zither
Belongs to zither family

11. Poems 聽箏 李端 鳴箏金粟柱，素手玉房前． 欲得周郎顧，時時誤拂弦． The Zitherist by Li, Duan
聽箏　李端
鳴箏金粟柱，素手玉房前．
欲得周郎顧，時時誤拂弦．
The Zitherist　by Li, Duan
How clear the golden zither rings
When her fair fingers touch its strings!
To draw attention of her lord,
She strikes now and then a discord.

12. Description
Resonant cavity made from Wu Tong wood (Paulownia tomentosa ). Other parts from other woods, e.g. red wood.
Movable bridges.
21 strings (23, 25 are not popular yet).
The strings used to be silk, but nowadays most are metal wound with nylon, some made of steel.

13. Playing Styles Plunking (彈撥)
By picks attached to fingers (fake nails).
Picks are from tortoise shell or plastic
Pentatonic scale: Do Re Mi Sol La,
other notes by left hand pressing
Tremolo (搖指)
Slide (滑音)

14. Playing Style Cascading waterfall (eg 高山流水)
Used to be court instrument, or in lady’s chamber--> sad songs (漢宮秋月)
New techniques from western instruments
Arpeggio from harp
Both hands from piano
With great potential as a solo instrument

15. Dance of Yao Tribe(傜族舞曲)
Based on Yao Tribe’s dance tune
Tells the happiness and joy of the Yao Tribe people when they celebrate the festival

16. Spring’s coming in Lhasa(春到拉薩)
Based on Cang(藏) tribe folk tune (Tibet)