5. Se

The se was one of the most important stringed instruments to be created in China, other than the guqin. The se was a highly popular instrument during the Western Zhou and Spring and Autumn period. Surviving examples have been excavated from Hubei and Hunan provinces, and the Jiangnan region of China. In Hubei, the tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng (in the late 400's BCE) was a treasure trove of ancient Chinese instruments, including a complete set of bianzhong (bronze bells), se, guqin (plucked zither), stone chimes, and a drum. His musical entourage of 21 girls and women were also buried with him.

It is said that the se already existed in the Xia Dynasty after the presence of silk. The traditional Chinese character Se whose upper part means silk and lower part means wood suggests that silk is essential to the making of se. This explains why the qin and se production reached its prime around the Qin Dynasty when the techniques of making silk strings was matured. Another speculation is that the se strings are related to those used by bows for hunting.

We Recommend:

First session of Visiting Program for Young Sinologists 2014 ends with success	Bikini show held at water park in Xi'an	Picturesque Qingcheng Mountain