Guqin
The guqin is the oldest plucked string instrument in China. Crafted with a soundboard usually made of the Chinese parasol tree (firmiana simplex) wood and strings made of silk, the instrument has an elegant appearance and produces a distinctive sound that is deep, lingering, ethereal, and calming. It has long been considered an instrument of great subtlety and refinement. In the early 20th century, it was named as such to differentiate it from the piano, which arrived from the West.
The culture of the guqin in China has a history that spans over 3,000 years. According to ancient books, the invention of the guqin was associated with tribal leaders in ancient China. Legend has it that Fuxi and Huangdi (Yellow Emperor) were involved in its creation, while Zhong Yi, a musician of the Western Zhou period (1046-771 B.C.), is the earliest recorded professional player. The story of musicians Yu Boya and Zhong Ziqi in the Warring States period is a popular legend about music and friendship. The two musicians made their acquaintance and developed their friendship through the guqin pieces Lofty Mountains and Flowing Rivers. The guqin table, as a result, has been regarded as a symbol of friendship.
The guqin has long been regarded as the crown of all musical instruments in traditional Chinese culture, topping the list of the four essential arts that Chinese scholars were expected to master, the other three being chess, calligraphy, and painting. The pure, serene, elegant and refined character of guqin music reflects the literati's extraordinary and unique approach to life. It spread to other East Asian countries during the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) dynasties and has since further spread throughout the world with the more recent migrations of the Chinese. In 1977, as a quintessential art form in traditional Chinese music, a piece of guqin music was taken aboard the Voyager 2 spacecraft sent by the United States into space, spreading the elegant sound of Chinese classical music throughout the vast universe. In 2003, the guqin and its music were inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
古琴
古琴是中国最古老的一种弹拨乐器，一般由梧桐木做箱体，用蚕丝做弦，造型优美，音域宽广，音色深沉，余音悠远，代表高雅之趣。20世纪初，为了与西方传入的钢琴相区别，才被称作“古琴”。
中国古琴文化源远流长，距今有3000多年历史。古籍记载琴的创制与上古时期部落联盟首领有关，有伏羲作琴、黄帝造琴等传说。西周时期的钟仪是现存记载中最早的专业琴人。战国时期音乐家俞伯牙和钟子期“《高山》《流水》觅知音”的故事，成为广为流传的佳话美谈，琴台也被视为友谊的象征。
琴是中国古代文化地位最崇高的乐器，位列“琴、棋、书、画”四艺之首，自古以来一直是许多文人必修的知识技能。古琴因其清、和、淡、雅的音乐品格寄寓了文人超凡脱俗的处世心态。隋唐时期，古琴传入东亚诸国；近代又伴随着华人的足迹走向世界各地。古琴音乐作为中国古典音乐的精髓和人类代表性艺术成果，曾铸刻在1977年美国“旅行者”号行星探测器的镀金唱片里，在茫茫宇宙中传播中国古典音乐的高雅之声。2003年，“古琴艺术”列入联合国教科文组织人类非物质文化遗产代表作名录。
