Founded: 1958

Region: Shanghai, China

Website: http://dunhuangguoyue.com/

Related Names and Websites:

上海民族乐器一厂 Shanghai No. 1 National Musical Instrument Factory

上海敦煌乐器有限公司 Shanghai Dunhuang Musical Instruments Co., Ltd.

http://shop.dunhuangguoyue.com/

http://www.sh-dunhuang.com/

Fun Facts

• Patent holder for the S-bridge, 21-string design.

• Close relationship with Shanghai Conservatory

• One of the most prevalent brands

Model Number Guide (Basic)

Most Dunhuang models combine numbers, letters, and names.

• Numbers indicate the product line, the wood type, and suggest a quality level.

• Letters indicate the style of decoration or techniques used to decorate the head and tail of the guzheng.

• Names have two parts: the family and the specific artwork used.

Example: 694T [天真元韵] 烟雨江南 (694T Innocent Yuan Yun, Misty Rain South of the River).

The 6 in “694” indicates it is main Dunhuang line; “694” means "African Rosewood' such as Bubinga; “T” indicates bone powder inlays. “天真元韵” (Innocent Yuan Yun) is the name of the ‘family’ of guzheng, and “烟雨江南” (Misty Rain South of the River) is the designation for that particular style. Compare that to 694T [天真元韵] 书法, “Calligraphy”. Same technique, different artwork.

Letter Codes for Dunhuang Decoration Types

The letter(s) at the end of a model number indicates the physical type of decoration used on the head and tail of the guzheng. More complex or fancier Dunhuang add additional letters to the end of the name. As of 2017, each letter roughly indicated the processes used.

Example, the 695DL “梅庄琴韵”

This guzheng model uses a thin grafted cutout (D) that surrounds some Mother of Pearl inlays (L).

Repeating Letters

Repeating letters mean the materials and techniques used are of a higher quality relative to others in that series. For example, this 698F, a bas-relief, shows artwork that just barely rises above the surface. The 694FF shows a more complex style of decoration with multiple levels of carving.

Multiple Letters = Multiple Artistic Techniques

Since multiple letters can be mixed, it is possible to have some letters repeated while others are not. For example, 7698JBB has a mix of both silver wire inlays (J) and a highly emphasized painting (BB). Not all techniques are documented in the product designation; as you can see 7698JBB also has excellent woodwork and some other inlayed materials.

Model Number Guide (Advanced)

Generally, the more complex a Dunhuang guzheng’s designation, the fancier/higher quality it will be.

Prefixes, suffixes and substitutions can be added to the number and letters. I don’t know the meanings of all of these but for your reference:

• The numbers 5,6,7,8, and 9 can be placed in front of a model number to indicate… something I don’t fully understand yet. It does appear multiple of these can be placed, for example, the 89698JJ.

• Letters can be added to the end after a dash. I don’t this significance but one example is the 9694LC-C。

• Phrases can prefix the number, for example “9DH” in 9DH9698PP.

• The letter “S” can replace the “6” in the wood designator, for example S98JBB.

• Numbers can be appended to the end of the artwork letters, such as 9694OX100, a travel size measuring 100cm long, and 9DH995F70, whose “70” I don’t know the significance of.

Name complexity has a rough correlation with price. 695O would be $1,400-ish (polished wood) vs a 695OOO for $3,600-ish (polished wood inlayed in geometric pattern) vs 5698JJJM-Y ($13,000, winning design from the Dunhuang National Instrument Making Competition).

The catalog changes constantly. Families and artwork available change every production run. Some letters are relatively uncommon in general (A, I, U, V, and Y for example)

Dunhuang Yun

The last detail to call out is the use of “8” to designate the guzheng is made by the Yun factory, a high quality establishment. From Carol Chang:

“1993 - Shanghai #1 Factory established a formal guzheng production factory, which is officially named Shanghai Dunhuang Musical Instrument Company, commonly known as Yun factory. The guzheng makers in these period are the famous Master Xu Zhengao, Master Tian Jianzhen, Master Yuan Changping, etc.

This Yun factory makes two lines. The dunhuang line with the fairy lady logo is for domestic sales. The yun line with the "yun" character logo is for export sales. Both are identified as dunhuang guzhengs with big "dunhuang" characters in the front. The export quantity is small back then. The yun ones are just the good ones selected out from the production. They don't want to loose face to the foreigners.
2003 - Yun line is officially introduced to the China domestic market as a high-end line of Dunhuang.

(And as of 2011): Yun factory makes the yun line. The production line is led by Master Tian Jianzhen.”

And about the wood designations:

“
896 - Burma Padauk 花梨木
894 - Bubinga or Burma Blackwood 特氏古夷苏木或黑酸枝
895 - Thailand Rosewood 老红木
898 - Indian Rosewood 紫檀
8898 - Madagascar Rosewood 紫檀

689 - Laminated (Imitation) Burmese Rosewood 仿酸枝
691 - Teak
693 - Black Walnut 黑胡桃
694 - Burmese Rosewood or Bubinga 缅酸枝/特氏古夷苏木
695 - Thailand Rosewood 特选印尼黑酸枝（老红木)
696 - African Padauk 非檀木
698 - Indian Rosewood 特选阔叶黄檀木 (紫檀)
9698 - Bois de Rose 玫瑰檀
”

Sources

Much of the info and inspiration for this work comes from Carol Chang’s 2014 post series on her forum. I found corroborating sources, scientific names of woods, and added further detail to the decoration styles. Some of this included: this 2018 article from bj-tygy.com (北京-琴枫雅轩) and example of different dunhuang designs from Zhihu. The table about numbers, letters is produced by Dunhuang; this particular render came from xinaiqin.com (北京新爱琴). Source on multiple letters is a blog post on sina.com.

Originally published Aug 22, 2020