In modern times, the Bianzhong is widely used in Korea and Taiwan in Confucian religious celebrations. The smaller the Zhong’s volume, the higher the pitch it produces. The general range of a Zhong height is around 5.9”-15.7” (15-40cm), but there are those as small as 3.5” (9cm) and as big as 60” (153cm) in height. However, the arrangement of these Zhong bells into Bianzhong was only developed in the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BCE) with between 13 and 64 bells in the arrangement.īack then, the Bianzhong was a special instrument only owned by upper-class nobles and is widely regarded as the symbol of success and wealth.Ī complete ceremonial set of Bianzhong, consisting of 65 Zhong bells in a near-perfect state was excavated in the tomb of Marquis Yi, the ruler of Zeng, present-day Hubei province (who died around 430BCE). There’s the big Jian Gu (large mounted drum), which is also popular in the Chinese orchestra setting as well as in ceremonies. The Ban Gu or Bangu �鼓 (translated single-headed frame drum) is widely used in Peking opera. The pitch or tone produced will depend on the size of the drum’s body, the part of the drum skin being hit, and the strength of the player.Ĭhinese drums come in different sizes with different sound characteristics. The drum is played with two wooden sticks. The basic structure of the Chinese drum is very simple and consists of only two major parts: the body, mainly wooden, and the drum skin which is mainly made of animal skin. Historically, Chinese drums have been used in various traditional and religious celebrations and also in a conflict like during warfare to command armies. The Chinese drum is one of the oldest percussive instruments in ancient China, and we can trace its history as far back as 4,000 years ago from the period of the Shang dynasty. Photo by Garry Knight from Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |