Pipa

A Chinese plucked string instrument. It is a lute with a fretted neck, a teardrop shaped body, and four strings. Its strings were formerly made of silk but since the 20th century they have been made of steel. The instrument can be played using a set of five acrylic nails that are affixed to the fingers tips with tape to enhance the sound produced.

A musical instrument bearing a close resemblance to the Pipa being played by musicians from the distant past can be seen in early Persian and Arab painting and sculptures. Although the instruments in question are usually referred to as lutes, they differ in form from the European lute and appear more like early versions of the Chinese Pipa. There are examples of pottery decorated with image showing musicians riding on camels bearing an instrument belonging to the lute family similar to the Pipa along the Silk Road to China during the Tang dynasty (618 - 907 A.D.).

The Chinese Pipa is a lute-like instrument with a history of more than 2000 years. During the Qin and Han Dynasties (221 B.C. - 220 A.D.), instruments with long, straight-necks and round resonators with snakeskin or wooden soundboards were played with a forward (second finger) and backward (thumb) plucking motion that sounded like "pi" and "pa" to fanciful ears. Hence, all plucked instruments in ancient times were called "Pipa."

During the Tang dynasty, the introduction of a crooked neck lute with a pear-shaped body contributed to the Pipa's evolution. This instrument is one of mankind’s great cultural treasures. The Pipa underwent continuous remodeling during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and further changes were made to the instrument especially during the 1950s and 60s. These changes contributed to the popularization of the instrument, which is now in common use throughout China.

Today's instrument consists of 26 frets and six ledges arranged as stops and its four strings are tuned respectively to A, D, E, A. The Pipa's many left and right hand fingering techniques, rich tonal qualities and resonant timbre give its music expressiveness and beauty that are lasting and endearing.