qinhanzi

The qinhanzi, also known as the qin pipa, is a four-stringed Chinese lute with a skin-covered round body and a straight neck featuring 12 frets. It developed from a rattle drum during the time of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China.1

Historically, the term pipa was used broadly for various plucked string instruments. By the late 20th century, four types were identified: the qinhanzi, the ruan, the wuxian, and the quxiang. The qinhanzi eventually evolved into the ruan, which has a longer neck and 13 frets.1

The qin is a separate, fretless Chinese zither with seven strings, traditionally symbolizing celestial and earthly concepts. It has been a favored instrument of Chinese intellectuals for centuries. The yangqin is a Chinese dulcimer, or struck zither, introduced in the 17th century and played with beaters.23