Iterations of the sanxian are found among China's ethnic minorities as well, such as the Manchu, the Mongols, the Bai, the Yi, the Lahu, the Miao, the Dai, and the Jingpo. The sanxian is used in nanguan and Jiangnan sizhu ensembles, as well as many other folk and classical ensembles-such as Suzhou pingtan, and Beijing and Kunqu operas. It is primarily used as an accompanying instrument, as well as in ensembles and orchestras of traditional Chinese instruments, though solo pieces and concertos also exist. The larger sizes have a range of three octaves. The sanxian has a dry, somewhat percussive tone and loud volume similar to the banjo. The instrument was transmitted to other East Asian countries, for example to Japan as shamisen. The first record of the name "sanxian" may be found in a Ming dynasty text. Some thought that the instrument may have been re-introduced into China together with other instruments such as huqin by the Mongols during the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368), however, an image of a sanxian-like instrument was found in a stone sculpture dating from the Southern Song period (1217–79). Similar instruments may have been present in China as early as the Qin dynasty as qin pipa ( pipa was used as a generic term in ancient China for many other forms of plucked chordophones) or xiantao (弦鼗), which the Qinqin and Ruan also come from. ![]() ![]() It has been suggested that sanxian, a form of spike lute, may have its origin in the Middle East, and older forms of spike lute were also found in ancient Egypt. painting in the Mogao caves near Dunhuang―Grotto 46 Left interior wall, second panel. History Possible sanxian (left) and pipa, from a 762-827 A.D. The northern sanxian is generally larger, at about 122 cm (48 in) in length, while southern versions of the instrument are usually about 95 cm (37 in) in length. It is made in several sizes for different purposes and in the early 20th century a four-stringed version, the jiaxian sanxian (加弦三弦), was developed. It has a long fretless fingerboard, and the body is traditionally made from snake skin stretched over a rounded rectangular resonator. The sanxian ( Chinese: 三弦, literally "three strings") is a three-stringed traditional Chinese lute.
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