The most unique part of the guqin probably lies in performance etiquette. Before a performance, players take a shower and burn incense in the room. They are to keep their minds peaceful and concentrated to ward off evil spirits.

According to guqin master maker Wang Peng, the melodies of guqin are gentle, pure and free from vulgarity, which echo with the Zheng (uprightness) of Confucianism, the Qing (softness) of Taoism, and He (harmony) of Buddhism. So, the guqin is a representative instrument of traditional Chinese musical culture.

The best known guqin repertoire is High Mount and Flowing Water, which is also a metaphor for friends who can communicate their spiritual pursuits. During the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C.), there was a man called Yu Boya, who was a famous music master at that time. He happened to meet Zhong Ziqi.

Whatever Yu Boya played, Zhong Ziqi could understand very well and so they became real friends even like brothers. They decided to meet again the next year. But unfortunately Zhong Ziqi died before they could meet. Yu Boya played at Zhong's graveyard for the last time and crashed his Qin. He decided never to play the Qin any more to show his deep friendship with Zhong Ziqi and how difficult to meet an understanding friend.

High Mount Flowing Water played by Boya was divided into two parts later, with one being High Mountains, and the other Flowing Water. When America sent out two spacecraft on August 20, 1977. In case the craft reached life on other planets, the spacecraft carried a gold-painted bronze record consisting of 27 pieces of world famous music. Flowing Water was chosen to represent Chinese music in that record.

Se

The guqin is accompanied by the se, a 25-string zither with moveable bridges and a range of up to five octaves. In ancient poetry, the music of the two instruments was compared to harmony between friends or a couple.

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