Guqin: Lute or Zither?

According to the physical descriptions, the qin is clearly a type of zither. However, the best known book in English on guqin history and ideology calls it a lute. This book, R.H. van Gulik, Lore of the Chinese Lute,² is an essential English language source on the qin, and otherwise highly admirable. As a result, Van Gulik's use of the word 'lute' for qin has been very influential, even though it is incorrect.

Van Gulik explains why he calls the qin a lute, rather than a "cither", as follows.

"It is quite true that the shape of the psaltery (a cither) resembles that of the Chinese ch'in, while our Western lute rather resembles the Chinese pear-shaped mandolin, the p'i-p'a. In my opinion, however, the shape of an Oriental musical instrument should not constitute the first consideration when selecting an English equivalent; the spirit of the music produced by an instrument and the place it occupies in the culture of its native country are as important factors as its shape and structure. This point holds true especially in the case of the Chinese ch'in, which occupies so unique a position in antique and modern Chinese life. In selecting 'lute' as translation of ch'in, my object was to convey to the general reader something of the cultural significance of this instrument and its music. Since the word 'lute' is associated by Westerners with poetry and refined enjoyment, it adequately suggests the atmosphere that surrounds the ch'in, while 'psaltery', on the other hand, suggests an instrument doomed to obsolescence since many centuries." (Lore, p. ix, f.3) For perhaps similar reasons, as well as to fit the meter, translators of Chinese poetry also often use incorrect words for qin, including "harp", "lyre", "guitar", and so forth. Unfortunately this causes a lot of confusion, making it even more difficult to gain a sense of the original intended imagery and feeling.

To my mind it is unfortunate that van Gulik popularized the incorrect term "lute" for "qin". In his day in certain groups there may have been some justification, but few people today have the associations van Gulik mentions for either lute or zither. One might just as well say that the image "lute" evokes is of a musician wearing tights, with a balloon-like garment around his waist. In any case, the main result has been an increase of confusion when reading translations.

Footnotes (Shorthand references are explained on a separate page)

1. Categorization of Musical Instruments

Musicologists have classified music instruments according to the way their sounds are produced. This classification is outlined in Music Instrument Categories and their Chinese translation on the glossary page.
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2. Tokyo and Rutland, Tuttle, 1969 (2nd ed.). Long out of print but reissued in 2008 by Orchid Press.
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Return to the Guqin ToC, to miscellanea or to ideology.