| Classification | Bowed string instrument |
|---|---|
| Related |
The tiqin (Chinese: 提琴; pinyin: tíqín) is a name applied to several two-stringed Chinese bowed string musical instruments in the zh family of instruments.
Types
There are several types of zh:
- The zh used for zh opera
- The zh used for Cantonese music
- The zh used in Fujian and Taiwan
- An antiquated name for the sihu
Overview
The zh used in Cantonese music, also known as the is a member of the "hard bow" (硬弓) ensemble in Cantonese opera. Its neck is made of hardwood, often or zh (紫檀, red sandalwood). The zh's sound chamber is made of a very large section of bamboo (larger than that of the zh, another bowed string instrument used in Cantonese music). Instead of snakeskin, the face is made of a piece of zh wood (桐, Firmiana simplex) or palm wood (like the face of a zh). The back of the sound chamber is made of the natural joint in bamboo, with sound holes cut in it. The zh used today in Cantonese opera is tuned to 仜-士/Mi-La/E-A (the opposite of the zh, which is tuned A-E.)
The name also occasionally referred to what is now called the sihu.
Additionally, the term zh is used in Chinese as a generic term referring to Western bowed string instruments of the violin family:
- = violin
- = viola
- = cello
- = double bass