bianqing

musical instrument

Also known as: p’yŏn’gyŏng

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Last updated

July 16, 2026

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The bianqing was an ancient Chinese percussion instrument made of stone or jade. It was used in Chinese music, particularly in courtly settings and for ceremonial occasions. Sound was produced by striking the qing pieces with a mallet.12

A bianqing consisted of a set of qing stones, which could range from 8 to 32 pieces. These stones were often shaped like an irregular chevron with a curved bottom edge and were engraved with inscriptions and animal figures. The bianqing was used in conjunction with other instruments, such as bronze bells, in ensembles performing yayue (elegant music). While its use declined after the Qing dynasty, the bianqing has seen a revival in modern Chinese orchestras.13

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qing
…Shang dynasty qing forming a bianqing (“group of qing”) also have been excavated, and the inscriptions thereon have been deciphered as yongqi, yongyu, and yaoyu (one interpretation is that these are the names of three pitches). From the period of the Western Zhou dynasty (c. 1046–771 bce) onwards, the form…
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…Shang dynasty qing forming a bianqing (“group of qing”) also have been excavated, and the inscriptions thereon have been deciphered as yongqi, yongyu, and yaoyu (one interpretation is that these are the names of three pitches). From the period of the Western Zhou dynasty (c. 1046–771 bce) onwards, the form…
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stone chimes
Sets of 16 stones (bianqing) were used in Confucian ritual orchestras and survive today in such groups in Korea, where they are called p’yŏn’gyŏng. A lithophone was built by an English stonemason in 1840 and enjoyed a brief concert life under the name rock harmonicon.
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Sets of 16 stones (bianqing) were used in Confucian ritual orchestras and survive today in such groups in Korea, where they are called p’yŏn’gyŏng. A lithophone was built by an English stonemason in 1840 and enjoyed a brief concert life under the name rock harmonicon.
Read More