Throughout its long history, the guqin has been celebrated not merely as an instrument of exquisite musical beauty but as a “ritual vessel” imbued with the spirit of self-cultivation, reverence, and ceremonial propriety. As early as the Zhou Dynasty—captured in the saying (a)“A gentleman scholar should not part with his qin and sè for no good reason.” (Book of Rite)—scholar-officials used the guqin’s resonant tones for introspection and social communion, forging a vital bridge between the individual and the wider world. With the decline of feudal structures, however, the everyday rituals associated with this noble practice gradually faded, leaving modern society seemingly bereft of such ceremonial contexts.
Yet, the essence of ritual has not vanished; it has evolved. In the digital age, people approach electronic devices—with their blinking indicator lights, layered circuits, and activation switches—with a near-reverent attitude. Much like early synthesizer pioneers who, akin to modern-day priests, explored unknown sonic realms through knobs, circuits, and oscilloscopes, the electrified guqin challenges us to reexamine what truly matters in guqin culture.
Electric guqin and traditional guqin (Ming Dynasty):
Image from the collection of Cecilia Lindqvist (1932–2021, Stockholm), acquired in Beijing in 1962.
Reference: C. Lindqvist, Qin, Beijing, 2017, p.33.
Guqin is known for its quiet volume. To enhance the instrument, allowing it to accompany other instruments, I implemented a dual pickup system: a piezoelectric pickup on the right captures the clear, direct tone of plucked strings, while a coil pickup on the left end isolates its iconic overtones. This configuration allows for distinct stereo channel assignments, supports simultaneous recording of two independent audio tracks for varied processing, and permits individualized control over the two sound profiles. Moreover, the use of a solid walnut board to craft a striking flat body eliminates the traditional need for external support, enhancing both visual impact and functional versatility on stage and in the studio.
This is a section of Liangxiaoyin (良宵引) performed by Ella Xu. The signal was processed through an equalizer, an subtle octave effects unit, a compressor, chorus, and reverb before finally being output through a Fender amplifier. The above three audios are different combinations of equalizer , effect units, reverb and amphead settings.
I looked back to the earliest writing about guqin in the Book of Songs (11th to 7th cent. BC)—where phrases like
(c)“ In patches grows the water mallow;
To left and right one must gather it.
Shy is this noble lady;
With great zither and little we hearten her.”
-Guan ju
and
(d) “I have here admirable guests;
The lutes are struck, and the organ is blown [for them] .”
-Lu ming
The lutes are struck, and the organ is blown [for them] .”
-Lu ming
*guqin was translated as zither and lute in those songs
illustrate the guqin’s role in both solemn gatherings and joyous celebrations—we now face the possibility of reintroducing the guqin’s folk vitality into modern contexts such as pop and folk music. This transformation does not diminish the instrument’s profound cultural heritage; rather, it opens new avenues for musical expression, bridging the ancient with the contemporary and inviting a harmonious dialogue between past and future.
(a)Book of Rite, 5th cent.-221 BC
“士无故不彻琴瑟” 《礼记》
Qin and sè referred to guqin and another ancient plucked zither with 25-50 strings of Chinese origin
(b) Zuo Zhuan, late 4th century BC
“君子之近琴瑟，以仪节也，非以慆心也” 《左传》
(c) Guan ju, Book of Songs, 11th to 7th centuries BC
“参差荇菜，左右采之。窈窕淑女，琴瑟友之。”《关雎》
(d) Lu ming, Book of Songs, 11th to 7th centuries BC
“我有嘉賓，鼓瑟吹笙。”《鹿鸣》
This instrument was originally created in spring 2022, underwent a re-setup in spring 2025, and was subsequently photographed and recorded.
Model: Ella Xu Photography: Yichen Li