19th Century 14-String Zheng

From the Royal Museum of Art and History in Brussels, Belgium we have this Carmentis record of a 14-stringed zither made sometime before 1900, coming in at 141.2cm or ~55 inches in length.

I don't know enough to date the instrument, but its style dates from before the modern changes and seems to be closer to the Tang Dynasty style, though it's proportionally closer to the Japanese koto. An earlier black and white photo shows this particular instrument before its strings broke, at which time it had 14 visible bridges.

Source: Royal Museum of Art and History, Brussels, Belgium

ZhengJ BNovember 30, 2017HistoricComment

16-String, Steel, Exposed Tuning

This zheng was purchased around 1985 in a less developed area of Taiwan before being brought to Canada. It spent most of its years in storage and is visually in excellent condition.

It has 16 steel strings, two of them being bass strings wound in copper. Its fixed bridges are both straight. Instead of a hinged compartment holding tuning pins, this instrument's head is just part of the frame. The tuning pins are actually posts on the tail of the instrument. A wooden handle is needed to turn them; that is what is attached to the case's lid. Taken together with the instrument's straight backboard, it appears this instrument was built in an older style, but there is much yet to learn. Have you seen anything like this? Let me know!

Photographed by GZA in 2017. Used with permission of owner.

ZhengJ BNovember 30, 2017Taiwanese Comments

16-String, Steel, Hidden Tuning

The original source and age of this zheng is unknown as its current owner purchased it at anonymous auction, but a flyer in its tuning pin compartment advertised a concert in Taipei in 1988.

This instrument has two straight fixed bridges and 16 strings of steel with 2 of the bass strings wound with copper. The backboard is curved but appears to be made of very thin plywood. The tuning pins are inside a hinged compartment. The moveable bridges have holes in their center and are threaded together on a string.

Photographed by GZA in 2017. Used with permission of owner.

ZhengJ BNovember 30, 2017TaiwaneseComment

1963-65

In 1963 Zhāng Kūn (张昆), a zheng maker at the Shenyang Musical Instrument Factory, created the first functional modulated Key-Changeable zheng. Mechanisms near the head of the instrument, by the player's right hand, could change the tension of strings. Unfortunately the action also changed other aspects of the sound and not in a good way; the instrument was never mass produced. Alas, I have no photograph of it!

In 1964 or 65 Zhāng Kūn released an updated version of his modulated zheng with a smoother action. It had 22 metal strings and could shift the instrument through all 12 musical keys by shortening the length of the strings. It was dubbed Model 65 and was put into production - however the added mechanical action detuned strings more quickly than other zhengs and added significant weight.

In that same span of time the Yingkou Manchuria Musical Instrument Factory releases three modulated instruments: First was the Dōngfāng hóng (东方红, translated as Oriental Red, or "The East is Red") in 1964. Then in 1965 came the 5-mode 35-A and the 6-mode 35-B. All three modulated pitch by changing the length of the string, bringing with them similar problems as previous zhengs.

Image: The Model 65 key-changeable zheng from Han 2013

ZhengJ BNovember 30, 2017Modulated TimelineComment

1972-1974

In 1972 Zhāng Kūn's factory released another modulated zheng, this one called Model 72. It had a somewhat flatter soundboard which made it easier to play, and featured a simpler modulating mechanism.

in 1974 Yingkou Musical Instrument Factory releases another modulated zheng, this one providing buttons for the performer to press rather than levers to move as had been the case in earlier models. It was lighter than previous modulating zhengs, but was still heavier than the soon-to-be ubiquitous Dunhuang guzheng.

Image: Dr. Han's Yinkou modulated zheng. Source: Han 2013

ZhengJ BNovember 30, 2017Modulated TimelineComment