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How did the sanxian travel from China to Japan and develop into the samisen?
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Chinese music
Twelve pitches of Chinese music as produced by overblowing the lü, bamboo tuning pipes (starting for ease of comparison from Western C).
The Japanese samisen (or shamisen) is a long-necked, fretless lute that evolved from the Chinese sanxian. The instrument did not travel directly from China to Japan; rather, it arrived in Japan in the mid-16th century by way of the Ryukyu Islands as an instrument known as the sanshin.12
The sanshin featured an oval body covered in snakeskin, a design clearly derived from the Chinese sanxian. Upon its introduction to Japan, the instrument underwent significant physical modifications to suit local musical traditions:2
- Body and Materials: The body was reshaped into a rectangular form, and the skin covering was changed from snakeskin to cat or dog skin.12
- Plectrum: Influenced by the Japanese biwa lute tradition, the talonlike pick used in the Ryukyus was replaced by a larger, wooden or ivory plectrum called a bachi.2
- Acoustics: A groove was added near the upper bridge to allow the lowest string to touch the fingerboard, creating a characteristic buzzing sound known as sawari, which is reminiscent of the biwa.12