The modern Konghou is very different from its ancient namesake which was basically a type of lyre introduced to China through the Silk Road and that fell out of use centuries ago. The modern Konghou is a combination of Western harp with elements from existing Chinese string instruments, primarily the Guzheng.
Sorry, but the ancient konghou had three different types, and not one of them was a lyre. 1. The shu konghou (or chien konghou) was an upright played angular harp (a true harp as it was known from the Assyrians, later in Persia) 2. The fengshou (phoenix-headed) konghou, an arched harp, it came probably from India to China 3. The wo konghou (a zither type) The shown in the video isn’t ancient at all, but a very modern developed instrument of the late 20th century.
This is not a Konghou ! But a French harp disguised with chinese features . Konghou were smaller, tiner, simpler and not really appreciated, reason what it disapeared since the 16th century
Took some random online quiz to see which instrument matches my personality and found myself here. Glad I did because I’d never heard of this instrument before
Actually this instrument was invented quite recently in 20th century AD. There were however a few different harp-like instruments in chinese history which were also called konghou.
According to Wikipedia, the konghou was mentioned in Chinese literature from as far back as 700 BC, and that the konghou was revived in the 20th century. The konghou in 700 BC looked different from the konghou of the 20th century. The konghou now uses space-age polymers, special electronic pick-ups, and a vast array of psychedelic lights and synthesized sounds. The konghou in 700 BC didn't have these things.
It'a not even a harp at all (it has bridges and the strings run along the sides of the soundbox). It's actually a sideways guzheng with a neck that imitates the western harp.
A western harp crossed with blues guitar! She's pressing the strings on one side to bend the pitch. The music is pretty darned different too. There is less of a distinction between the right/melody hand and the chord/left hand than you'd get with a classical or romantic piece from Europe.
Nothing authentic! This is not a Konghou ! But a French harp disguised with chinese features . Konghou were smaller, tiner, simpler and not really appreciated, reason whyit disapeared since the 16th century...
You should check your facts before you rudely dismiss others' comments as "nonsense". The earliest evidence for harps is in Mesopotamia, and as far back as 3500 BCE. Its gradual spread from there to the Iranian plateau, then to Central Asia, and then finally many centuries later into China is well documented in art and literature. I know of no serious organologist who disputes that fact. Even angular harps, the specific class to which the ancient konghou belongs, go back to 1900 BCE.
no, i told about the differences of the "Kungfu hustle" guqin and a guzheng. Not a real guqin :) but the one in KH seems like a combination of guzheng and guqin, cuz i saw it has bridges :-?
nono you have it the other way round. a guzheng is very long, mine is about 160 cm and has 23 string. a gu qin is short and only has 5 strings. the one seen in kung fu hustle is a giant gu qin lol~
What's the other one called? The one in kung fu hustle that the two blind dudes were playing. I'm really interested in finding out and if I know more about it, I'm thinking of getting one myself.
This is not a Konghou ! But a French harp disguised with chinese features . Konghou were smaller, tiner, simpler and not really appreciated, reason what it disapeared since the 16th century
what evidence is there that the konghou (original) was imported from the west? that's nonsense. the modern konghou obviously, but the original instrument dates as far back as the 700s BC
I'm a harpist and I looked at the details of this instrument. It imitates the western harp in so many ways that there's no way you can claim it's not a derivative. The name "konghou" may have referred to something else centuries ago. This one is a modern blend of western harp and guzheng.
The earliest harps and lyres were found in Sumer, 3500 BC, and Konghou appear in China in Han Dynasty. Like erhu and pipa, they are all imported from west, and almost all the "two characters" instruments in Chinese are imported from the west. But they lived and be greatly modified in China and become an important part of Chinese culture. Why you are so mad about "We invent every thing" and not be happy with the facts.
From Wikipedia, _"The konghou was "revived" in the 20th century and this instrument resembles a Western concert harp."_ So yeah, a form of vertical harp does exist in ancient China, but the modern one, like in this video is intentionally modelled after the modern western harp.
this is not the traditional way of music, the red color cloth , the girl who is playing the instrument, and the way how she play and feeling could not be feel as elegance. no sense of beauty
