In Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou, there’s a permanent exhibition of a collection of an ancient string instrument called Qin 琴. One of the most precious was a Tang Dynasty musical instrument that can still be played today, producing one of the most wonderful tonal qualities that modern qin cannot replicate.
Luoxia-style “Colourful Phoenix Singing in the Qishan Mountain” Guqin 落霞式「彩凤鸣岐」七弦琴
Musical Instrument (Wood) | Tang dynasty (618-907) | Dimensions – L: 124.8cm, W: (Head) 16.3cm, (Shoulder) 18.8 cm, (Rear) 12.5cm, Thickness: 12.5cm | Zhejiang Provincial Museum, Donated by Xu Fu in 1953. 乐器 (木)｜唐 (公元618年-907年)｜琴长124.8厘米，有效弦长116.3厘米，额宽16.3 厘米，肩宽18.8厘米，尾宽12.5厘米，厚5.4厘米｜浙江省博物馆，1953年徐桴捐赠
This originally chestnut-coloured guqin (string instrument) was painted with red lacquer by later generations. “Made by Lei Wei in the 2nd year of the Kaiyuan Period in the Tang Dynasty” (大唐开元二年雷威制) is carved inside the dragon pool. Its name is auspicious. The Lei family was an important instrument maker during the Tang Dynasty in ancient Shu 蜀 (modern day Sichuan).
The name of the guqin, Luoxia-style “Colourful Phoenix Singing in the Qishan Mountain” Guqin 落霞式「彩凤鸣岐」七弦琴 (the “Phoenix” guqin), is intricately engraved on the back of the instrument. Yang Zongji 杨宗稷 (1864—1931), a renowned guqin musician, believed that the calligraphy was by Xu Hao 徐浩 (703－782), a distinguished calligrapher during the Tang Dynasty.
《国语•周语上第一》记载：“周之兴也，鸑𬸦鸣於岐山”。鸑𬸦，凤之别名。岐山，在今陕西省岐山县北，相传周古公亶父迁此而兴。后以“鸣岐”作为吉祥之兆，又称“凤鸣岐山”。
It used to be under the collection of late Qing Dynasty Prince Pu Xu 清末定慎郡王溥煦 (1828-1907). During the chaos by the Eight-Power Allied Forces, it was lost and later collected by Yang Zongji. In 1920, Pu Xu’s son Yu Lang 毓朗 (written as 舆朗 on the back of the instrument) saw it and authenticated its origin.
This “Phoenix” guqin tonal quality resembles the sound of Zhongqing (a musical instrument made of stone in ancient China) 钟磬金石, and was one of the three favourite guqin belonging to Yang Zongji. After mounting the strings, the guqin produced an incredible sound with deep tonal quality.
「彩风鸣岐」具备雷琴“岳高弦低”的典型特征，岳山高而弦面低，无抗指之弊，使得高音清润宽大，清越之音十分突出，“一二弦如洪钟，六七弦如金磬，四弦五徽以上如羯鼓”，十分难得。
This “Phoenix” guqin and other guqins under Yang Zongji’s collection was sold just before his death to fellow collector and Ningbo banker, Xu Fu 徐桴 (1882-1958). To avoid the Japanese invasion, these guqins were sent to Xu Fu’s holiday home in Ningbo called Tazhi Garden 塔峙圃 and kept in secret. He left for Taiwan with the Nationalist in 1949, and his family donated the guqins to the Zhejiang Provincial Government in 1953.
These guqins are an important part of the Chinese culture that can be traced back to Zhou Dynasty, when it was appointed as an important part of the Rites of Zhou 周礼. The instrument is held in high regards by the Confucianists and became a must-learn by scholars and elites. Along the river of history, these guqins are preserved and passed on from generations to generations. Let’s hope that these guqins will last for eternity.
About Chinese National Treasure Series
中華國寶系列 Chinese National Treasure series feature specific artefacts and relics from museums all around the world that are historically significant to be considered a National Treasure. The series covers the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation from Neolithic periods before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) to modern day.
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