Minneapolis Institute of Art

Junzhong (zither)

China

Date

5th century BCE

Medium

Lacquer over wood core

Department

Asian Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This junzhong (均鐘), a five-stringed instrument constructed from a single piece of wood, is remarkable for its state of preservation and vivid colors. Popular since the time of Confucius (6th century BCE) and still played today in various forms, the junzhong , and its more common relative known as the qin (see an example in Gallery 216), is arguably the oldest continuous musical tradition in the world. Its unique notational system, which records detailed finger techniques that indicate tonal subtleties, has persisted since at least the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE). China, Asia

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