List of Chinese musical instruments
This is an introduction to and list of traditional instruments.
The Eight Sounds or Eight Tones
Chinese musical instruments were traditionally classified into 8 categories known as bayin (八音). The eight categories are: silk, bamboo, wood, stone, metal, clay, gourd and skin. There are other instruments which may not fit these classifications. This is one of the first musical classifications ever.
Silk (絲)
Silk instruments are mostly stringed instruments (including those that are plucked, bowed, and struck). Since ancient times the Chinese have used twisted silk for strings, though today metal or nylon are more frequently used. Instruments in the silk category include:
Plucked
Guqin (Chinese: 古琴; pinyin: gǔqín) – 7-stringed zither
Se (Chinese: 瑟; pinyin: sè) – 25-stringed zither with moveable bridges (ancient sources say 13, 25 or 50 strings)
Guzheng (古箏) – 16–26 stringed zither with movable bridges
Konghou (箜篌) – harp
Pipa (琵琶) – pear-shaped fretted lute with 4 or 5 strings