The Pipa

   The Pipa or the Chinese lute is a four to five stringed instrument. This instrument has been played in China for over 2000 years and is one of the most popular played in China right now. It is believed to date back to the Qin dynasty. In China, there are many different types of this instrument. Most of the information we have about the history of the Pipa is from the Jin dynasty. Some of the texts from the Tang dynasty include many famous Pipa players. One of the most famous stories tells about a Pipa battle between Kang Kunlun and a monk named Duan Shanben. Surprisingly, the Pipa has, also, been used in rock music. In the 20th century the Pipa was used by many artists. This instrument is very well known for playing national music and was played by Sun Yude and Li Tingsong, who have played traditional music for their country using the Pipa.