Konghou

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Konghou

Konghou, also called Kanhou, is an ancient plucked stringed instrument in China. There are mainly three kinds of Konghou: one is played lying flat, one is played upright and another one is the phoenix-headed Konghou.
As early as the Spring and Autumn (770-476BC) and Warring States (475-221BC) period, there appeared the rudiment of Konghou played lying flat in the Chu Kingdom in southern China.
Konghou was originally used in Yayue (court music), and was used in Qingshangyue (a music genre) in the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD). It was used in Yanyue (music played in court banquets) in the Sui Dynasty (581-618), and gradually prevailed among the ordinary people and in places inhabited by ethnic minorities.

Konghou played upright appeared in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and got popular in the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) dynasties. It was generally played in rites and ceremonies.
The phoenix-headed Konghou was introduced from India to the Central Plains of China in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317-420), and was prevalent in the Sui and Tang Dynasties.
Konghou, with its sweet tamber and wide diapason,

can be used to play not only cantus but also chord and has many advantages in both solo and tutti performances. It was an indispensable instrument in China's ancient royal courts. From basso-relievo in the Yungang Grottoes of Datong and Dunhuang murals we can see persons playing Kouhou. This shows that Kouhou playing was very popular in China a long time ago.

中国的竖琴——箜篌

箜篌，又名坎侯。箜篌是中国古老的弹拔乐器，箜篌有三种样式，卧箜篌、竖箜篌、凤首箜篌。
远在春秋战国（公元前770——公元前221）之时，中国南方楚国就已有了卧箜篌的雏形。

箜篌最初用于雅乐，在汉代（公元前206——公元220）用于清商乐。隋代（公元581——公元618）用于燕乐，并逐步流行于民间和少数民族地区。

竖箜篌，又叫胡箜篌，竖头箜篌和立箜篌，东汉时期（公元25——公元220）由波斯经西域传入中国，盛行于隋唐时代（公元581——公元907），一般多用于仪仗音乐中。

凤首箜篌原是印度弓型竖琴“维纳”，在东晋时经天竺传入中国中原地区。在中国隋唐时代（公元581——公元907）使用广泛。

箜篌，音色明亮、音域宽广，不仅能演奏旋律，也能演奏和弦，在独奏与合奏中有着更多的优越性，是中国古代皇室中不可缺少的乐器，从我国大同云冈石窟的浮雕上和敦煌壁画中的许多乐舞场面都可以看到弹奏箜篌的人像。可见在中国流传之广、之久。

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