Guqin in Chinese Paintings
By admin on 2015-01-14

Guqin, also called the seven-stringed zither, is China's oldest stringed instrument with a history of some 3,000 years. Its profound knowledge and its deep influence on Chinese people made it one of the greatest treasures in Chinese culture.

Guqin music is calm, simple, soft, and elegant in style. Yet, it is often misinterpreted by those first-listeners as motionless. In fact, Guqin music sounds most wonderful in the dead of night, when its peaceful beauty is given a vivid display.

To understand this music fully, one should not simply pay attention to its tunes, but comprehend it on spiritual level as well. Guqin music is formed and evolved under the deep influence of both Confucianism and Daoism. It values elegant and orthodox music while demeaning folksongs and obscene music. This well reflects the Confucian doctrine of mean and morality. At the same time, it also pursues the ideal of dao based on Lao Zi's philosophy. This is embodied in the charm of this music, which is simple, extricated, and edifying.

In fact, the spirit of Guqin music gives expression to the soul of the Chinese nation. It, together with other national treasures of China, adequately reflects the true composition of the people and the culture. No matter literary classics, music, or painting, they all possess a unique soul, i.e., the soul of China. So it’s not hard for one to witness the essential charm and beauty of Guqin music in the traditional Chinese paintings of all ages.