qin (long zithers)
- Scope note
- Chinese long zithers of great antiquity, consisting of a slightly convex, shallow, lacquered box over the length of which are stretched seven silk strings of equal length, each twisted from a different, fixed number of threads. Thirteen discs of ivory or mother-of-pearl are inlaid along one edge to indicate the string divisions. They are traditionally the most honored of Chinese musical instruments, having strong associations with court and Confucian ritual, philosophy, and scholarship.
- Date of creation: 18-Nov-2024
Accepted term: 18-Nov-2024