The liuqin (Chinese: 柳琴; pinyin: liǔqín) is a Chinese musical instrument with three, four, or five strings. It has a body shaped like a pear. Its sound is much higher than other Chinese plucked string instruments, and it is used in both orchestral music and solo performances. This change happened because of recent updates in how the instrument is used, which helped raise its importance from being a background instrument in folk Chinese opera to being known for its special sound and quality. The liuqin is held diagonally, like the Chinese ruan and yueqin. Its strings are supported by a bridge, and the soundboard has two large soundholes. The instrument is played with a pick, using techniques similar to those used for the ruan and yueqin. Because of this, the liuqin is often played by people who also play the ruan and yueqin.

Historically, the liuqin was made from willow wood (柳; liǔ, meaning "willow"), while professional players used versions made from higher-quality red sandalwood or rosewood. In modern versions, the front part of the instrument is made from tong wood (桐木), and the back is made from red sandalwood.

History

The liuqin has been called by different names. One name is liuyeqin, which means "willow leaf-shaped instrument." This was the original name for the liuqin, and "liuqin" is a short form of "liuyeqin." Another name for the liuqin is tu pipa, which means "unrefined pipa." This name comes from the instrument's small size and its similarity to the pipa, a larger stringed instrument.

Over time, the liuqin had different designs. Some versions had two strings and could play notes within one and a half octaves, while others had four strings. The earliest version of the modern four-stringed liuqin became popular during the Qing dynasty. This early version had only two strings and was used to support singing in traditional operas.

The two-stringed liuqin was used for much of China's history, from the Qing dynasty until the late 20th century. In the 1970s, as traditional Chinese music modernized, a four-stringed version of the liuqin was created. This new design improved the instrument's musical range, and the body was made larger to make it easier for players to handle.

Playing technique, tones and range

The playing method of the liuqin is like that of the mandolin. It uses a plectrum and often employs the tremolo technique. The strings are either tuned in fifths, G-D-A-E (as with a mandolin or violin), or in a mix of fourths and fifths, such as G-D-G-D, which is the more common tuning used by most liuqin players. This tuning makes the liuqin sound the same as the zhongruan, which is tuned an octave lower. Because of this, players of the liuqin or ruan can often play both instruments.

The liuqin has a bright, cheerful, and soft sound.

The modern liuqin has four steel strings. Like the ruan, the number of frets on the liuqin increased from 7 to 29 during the 20th century. These frets are spaced in half-step intervals. On all Chinese lutes, the frets are positioned high, so the player’s fingers do not touch the instrument’s body. This is different from Western fretted instruments. This design allows for better control of tone and pitch but makes playing multiple notes at once (such as double, triple, or quadruple stopping) more difficult.

Notable players of theliuqin

• Wang Huiran (王惠然, 1936-2023), respected as the "Father of the liuqin"
• Wang Hongyi (王红艺), daughter of Wang Huiran
• NiNi Music
• Mei Han, a guzheng musician who also plays the liuqin

Liuqinrepertoire

• Canal of Happiness
• Melody on a Moonlit River
• Mountain Love Song
• Spring Comes to River Yi (春到沂河)
• The Lark (Yun Que) – Romanian Folk Music
• Warrior Suite

• Sword Dance (劍器)
• Beyond the Horizons (天地星空)
• Courtyard After the Rain (雨后庭院)