Yazheng

Zhazheng

Classification	Bowed string instrument
Related instruments
Ajaeng (Korea)

The yazheng (simplified Chinese: 轧筝; traditional Chinese: 軋きし箏そう; pinyin: yàzhēng; also spelled zha zheng or zha cheng) is a Chinese string instrument. It is a traditional zither similar to the guzheng but bowed by scraping with a rosined stick or a horsehair bow, (or plucked sometimes). The musical instrument was popular in the Tang dynasty, but is today little used except in the folk music of some parts of northern China, where it is called yaqin (simplified Chinese: 轧琴; traditional Chinese: 軋きし琴きん).

Court musician playing a zhazheng (left)

Playing

The zhazheng is generally played while seated on the floor. It has a tone similar to that of a viola, but raspier. Some contemporary players prefer to use an actual horsehair bow rather than a stick, believing the sound to be smoother. The instrument is used in court, aristocratic, and folk music, as well as in contemporary classical music and film scores.

The Korean ajaeng (hangul: 아쟁; hanja: 牙きば箏そう) is derived from the yazheng.

In 2002, the People's Republic of China released a postage stamp featuring the instrument.

The zhengni (筝尼) is a similar instrument used by the Zhuang people of the southern Chinese region of Guangxi. After passing to Japan,it became a Assō (nihongo: 軋きし箏そう, hiragana: あっそう) and Ryukyu, Japan, it became a teisō (nihongo: 提つつみ箏そう, hiragana: ていそう). In Vietnam, it became a nha tranh in Nhã nhạc.

See also

• Guzheng
• Traditional Chinese musical instruments

External links

• Yazheng page (Chinese)
• Ya qin page

Videos

• 轧琴 (bowed zither) from China
• 夢ゆめ裏うら相思そうし
• 金きむ鳳凰ほうおう
• 黃き福ぶく安やす - 文ぶん枕まくら琴きん
• - 箏そう族ぞく魅力みりょく系列けいれつ (2)