Guzheng, as one of the most representative Chinese instruments, first appeared around the Warring States period (475 - 221 BC), then became extremely popular during the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907 AD) and spread to all neighboring areas ever since (e.g., Guzheng is the forefather of Japanese Koto). Guzheng was originally a rather simple instrument with only five strings. After all the years of evolution, today's Guzheng has twenty-one strings and is still widely used in all kinds of Chinese music. Guzheng has a unique, rippling sound character. The playing techniques developed for Guzheng are also unique and distinct, therefore set it apart from any other members in the world's zither family.
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