Erxian
Encyclopedia
The erxian is a Chinese
bowed
string instrument
in the huqin
family of instruments. It has two strings and is used primarily in Cantonese music
, most often in "hard string" chamber ensembles. In the 1920s, following the development of the gaohu
, the erxian experienced a decline and since the late 20th century has been little used outside the tradition of Cantonese opera
.
The erxian (called yi6 yin4 二弦 in Cantonese
) is often referred to as the yizai (二仔) amongst older Cantonese opera musicians. The neck of most erxian is made of hardwood
(often suanzhi (酸枝, rosewood
) or zitan (紫檀, rosewood
or red sandalwood
). The sound chamber is made of a large section of bamboo
with a dome-shaped ring of hardwood glued on the front end, making the actual playable face of the chamber about half the size of the entire face. The back of the sound chamber is not covered with any lattice work like those of erhu or gaohu. Erxian can be found with very ornate dragon
heads, ruyi (如意) heads, or a very plain box-cut stock head. Earlier erxian very closely resembled the jinghu of Beijing opera in size, construction, and playing technique.
Currently, the erxian is used for accompanying the singing of dai-hau (大喉) characters in Cantonese opera as well as all roles in gu-hong Cantonese opera (古腔粵劇). Other instruments used in conjunction with the erxian are the juktaikam/zhutiqin
(竹提琴), yueqin
(yuetkam), sanxian
(samyin), and doontong/duantong (短筒). Together, this grouping of instruments is called the "hard bow ensemble" (硬弓). The name "hard bow" comes from the fact that both the erxian and tiqin are/should be played with a bow made of a thick, hard piece of bamboo rather than a thinner and softer reed like modern huqin bows.
The erxian of earlier times came in two forms: one for playing bongjee/bangzi (梆子), and a slightly larger one for playing yiwong/erhuang (二黃).
Today, the bangzi erxian is more commonly used to play both bangzi and erhuang melodies. The heavy silk strings of the earlier erxian have largely been replaced with wound steel strings and some modern players have begun to use erhu bows instead of the heavier (and more uncomfortable) "hard bows."
While the erxian has experienced a decline in usage since the 1920s, it remains a staple instrument in any Cantonese opera orchestra and recently composed Cantonese operas like "新霸王別姬" and "林沖之魂會山神廟" are calling for its regular usage.
Similar instruments also referred to as erxian (constructed and played differently from the Cantonese erxian discussed above) are used in Chaozhou
music (where it is called touxian, 头弦, literally "leading string [instrument]") and in the nanguan music of the Fujian
province and Taiwan
.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
bowed
Bow (music)
In music, a bow is moved across some part of a musical instrument, causing vibration which the instrument emits as sound. The vast majority of bows are used with string instruments, although some bows are used with musical saws and other bowed idiophones....
string instrument
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
in the huqin
Huqin
Huqin is a family of bowed string instruments, more specifically, a spike fiddle popularly used in Chinese music. The instruments consist of a round, hexagonal, or octagonal sound box at the bottom with a neck attached that protrudes upwards...
family of instruments. It has two strings and is used primarily in Cantonese music
Cantonese music
Cantonese music may refer to:*The music of Cantonese-speaking peoples, especially the music of Guangdong, music of Hong Kong and music of Macau*Cantonese language music, especially Cantopop...
, most often in "hard string" chamber ensembles. In the 1920s, following the development of the gaohu
Gaohu
The gaohu is a Chinese bowed string instrument developed from the erhu in the 1920s by the musician and composer Lü Wencheng and used in Cantonese music and Cantonese opera...
, the erxian experienced a decline and since the late 20th century has been little used outside the tradition of Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera
Cantonese opera is one of the major categories in Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Cantonese culture. It is popular in Guangdong, Guangxi, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore and Malaysia. Like all versions of Chinese opera, it is a traditional Chinese art form, involving music, singing,...
.
The erxian (called yi6 yin4 二弦 in Cantonese
Standard Cantonese
Cantonese, or Standard Cantonese, is a language that originated in the vicinity of Canton in southern China, and is often regarded as the prestige dialect of Yue Chinese....
) is often referred to as the yizai (二仔) amongst older Cantonese opera musicians. The neck of most erxian is made of hardwood
Hardwood
Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees . It may also be used for those trees themselves: these are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen.Hardwood contrasts with softwood...
(often suanzhi (酸枝, rosewood
Rosewood
Rosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. All rosewoods are strong and heavy, taking an excellent polish, being suitable for guitars, marimbas, turnery , handles, furniture, luxury flooring, etc.In general,...
) or zitan (紫檀, rosewood
Rosewood
Rosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. All rosewoods are strong and heavy, taking an excellent polish, being suitable for guitars, marimbas, turnery , handles, furniture, luxury flooring, etc.In general,...
or red sandalwood
Sandalwood
Sandalwood is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. As well as using the harvested and cut wood in-situ, essential oils are also extracted...
). The sound chamber is made of a large section of bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
with a dome-shaped ring of hardwood glued on the front end, making the actual playable face of the chamber about half the size of the entire face. The back of the sound chamber is not covered with any lattice work like those of erhu or gaohu. Erxian can be found with very ornate dragon
Chinese dragon
Chinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Western and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs...
heads, ruyi (如意) heads, or a very plain box-cut stock head. Earlier erxian very closely resembled the jinghu of Beijing opera in size, construction, and playing technique.
Currently, the erxian is used for accompanying the singing of dai-hau (大喉) characters in Cantonese opera as well as all roles in gu-hong Cantonese opera (古腔粵劇). Other instruments used in conjunction with the erxian are the juktaikam/zhutiqin
Tiqin
The tiqin is a name applied to several two-stringed Chinese bowed string musical instruments in the huqin family of instruments.-Types:There are several types of tiqin:*The tiqin used for kunqu opera...
(竹提琴), yueqin
Yueqin
This article is about the Chinese Yuequin. The Vietnamese Đàn nguyệt is also often referred to as a 'moon guitar'.The yueqin is a traditional Chinese string instrument...
(yuetkam), sanxian
Sanxian
The sanxian is a Chinese lute — a three-stringed fretless plucked musical instrument. It has a long fingerboard, and the body is traditionally made from snakeskin stretched over a rounded rectangular resonator. It is made in several sizes for different purposes and in the late 20th century a...
(samyin), and doontong/duantong (短筒). Together, this grouping of instruments is called the "hard bow ensemble" (硬弓). The name "hard bow" comes from the fact that both the erxian and tiqin are/should be played with a bow made of a thick, hard piece of bamboo rather than a thinner and softer reed like modern huqin bows.
The erxian of earlier times came in two forms: one for playing bongjee/bangzi (梆子), and a slightly larger one for playing yiwong/erhuang (二黃).
- A bangzi erxian is tuned to 士-工/la-mi/A-e
- An erhuang erxian is tuned to 合-尺/so-re/G-d
Today, the bangzi erxian is more commonly used to play both bangzi and erhuang melodies. The heavy silk strings of the earlier erxian have largely been replaced with wound steel strings and some modern players have begun to use erhu bows instead of the heavier (and more uncomfortable) "hard bows."
While the erxian has experienced a decline in usage since the 1920s, it remains a staple instrument in any Cantonese opera orchestra and recently composed Cantonese operas like "新霸王別姬" and "林沖之魂會山神廟" are calling for its regular usage.
Similar instruments also referred to as erxian (constructed and played differently from the Cantonese erxian discussed above) are used in Chaozhou
Chaozhou
Chaozhou is a city in eastern Guangdong province of the People's Republic of China. It borders Shantou to the south, Jieyang to the southwest, Meizhou to the northwest, the province of Fujian to the east, and the South China Sea to the southeast...
music (where it is called touxian, 头弦, literally "leading string [instrument]") and in the nanguan music of the Fujian
Fujian
' , formerly romanised as Fukien or Huguing or Foukien, is a province on the southeast coast of mainland China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, and Guangdong to the south. Taiwan lies to the east, across the Taiwan Strait...
province and Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
External links
- Article about nanyue erxian (Chinese)
- Erxian photograph
- Photograph of nanguan erxian
- Erxian page (Chinese)
Video
- Cantonese erxian video by Chu Yung