Skip to Main Content

Guqin made by Zhang Ruixiu of Suzhou

Guqin

1584
(1368–1644)
Seven-string Asian long zither, chordophone, made from wood, lacquer, mother of pearl, and silk strings
Overall: 4.5 x 18.1 x 123.5 cm (1 3/4 x 7 1/8 x 48 5/8 in.)
The Charles G. King, Jr. Collection. Gift of Ralph King in memory of Charles G. King, Jr. 1918.371
Location: not on view
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Download, Print and Share

Did You Know?

The 13 studs in mother-of-pearl inlay indicate finger positions for sounding harmonics.

Description

China’s most prestigious instrument, the guqin can be traced to the Chu culture almost 2500 years ago. By the late Ming dynasty, Jiangnan was a center of high-end guqin production.

Coated in black lacquer, this elegantly crafted instrument is inscribed on the inside, stating it was made by Zhang Ruixiu of Suzhou for Mr. Tianchi of Haiyu, also known as Yan Cheng (1547–1625). Yan was a key figure in guqin music history and founder of the Yushan school in Suzhou. Zhang Ruixiu was a guqin maker, known for achieving a supreme tone quality. Ten instruments attributed to him are known, of which this guqin has the earliest date.
Guqin made by Zhang Ruixiu of Suzhou

Guqin made by Zhang Ruixiu of Suzhou

1584

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)

See Also

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.