In November 2003, Guqin was inscribed in the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, and in 2008, it was inscribed in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Throughout the course of Chinese history, the guqin has always held a significant position. It acts as a carrier of traditional Chinese culture alongside calligraphy, painting, poetry and literature. The guqin is the most representative solo instrument in China. People play the guqin not only for musical performance but also for self-enjoyment, contemplation, personal cultivation and intimate emotional exchange between friends.

From early literary works and archaeological discoveries, it is evident that the guqin has a history of over 3,000 years in China. Its performance symbolizes elegance and gentility, making it an elite art form among nobles and literati rather than mass entertainment. In fact, the history of the guqin is closely intertwined with that of Chinese literati. Guqin is one of the essential cultural accomplishments, known as the "Four Arts of the Chinese Scholar" (guqin, the strategy game of Go, Chinese calligraphy and Chinese painting), with the guqin being the foremost among them. The art of guqin incorporates a vast array of elegant tunes, with complex and exquisite playing techniques and unique notation methods. Much of the music is orally transmitted.

The Guqin has seven strings and thirteen marked pitch positions. Through ten different ways of plucking the strings, players can produce four octaves. There are three basic techniques in guqin performance: san (open string), an (stopped string) and fan (harmonics). San produces a strong and clear sound and is often used for the main notes in melodies; fan produces a light and flouting sound by lightly touching the strings with the left hand, mostly used in ornamental tunes; an involves pressing the strings with the left hand to change the effective length of the strings and thus alter the pitch. The same pitch can be played on different strings and marked pitch positions by using different techniques. Hence the variation of tone.

Translator: SHEN Ruixuan

Reviewer: PAN Wenrui