Shu konghou 竖箜篌 and 5-string pipa 五弦琵琶: "Lü Ye Xian Zong"《绿野仙踪》

A performance of "Lü Ye Xian Zong"《绿野仙踪》(Fairy Footprints in the Green Fields), a pop-style instrumental piece played on 5-string pipa/wuxian pipa (left) and reconstructed Tang-style shu konghou (right).

This piece, which was originally entitled "Pipa Yin"《琵琶吟》and composed by Ma Ke (马克), was originally recorded by the Chinese pipa player Ms. Zhao Cong (赵聪, b. 1976) and released on CD in April 2005. As arranged for xiao (箫, vertical bamboo flute) and piano and released on CD in April 2005 by the Chinese dizi/xiao player Ms. Chen Yue (陈悦, b. 1978), it was retitled "Lü Ye Xian Zong."

Personnel:
● Mr. Fang Jinlong (方锦龙, b. 1963) - 5-string pipa (五弦琵琶)
● Ms. Zhang Qian (张倩) of Guangzhou, Guangdong province, southern China - shu konghou (竖箜篌, angular harp)

Probably filmed in China, c. October 2016.

The shu konghou used in this performance, which has a skin-covered soundbox, was designed and built by Mr. Wong Wai Kee (黄袆琦; Mandarin: Huang Huiqi; b. 1939), a native of Hong Kong (with family background from Zhongshan, Guangdong province) who now lives and builds instruments in his workshop in the Nansha District of Guangzhou. Wong began building reconstructed Tang-style konghou in 2008, completing his first instrument in 2009, and many more since then. His instruments have notably been used in concerts of the "Impressions of Our Nation's Music"《印象·国乐》project, performed in various cities in China since 2014.

Wong's wife Xu Bilan (许碧兰), who is also a player and teacher of the guzheng (Chinese zither), develops and paints the designs on the soundbox of each of Wong's konghou, never repeating a design from instrument to instrument, and often drawing inspiration from elements such as dragon, phoenix, magpie, and red-crowned crane. In order to give the konghou she paints such beautiful clothing, she often traveled to lacquer exhibitions to study the items therein, whether these exhibitions are held in Guangzhou or Beijing; as long as she has the time, she will not miss such events.

More information about Wong Wai Kee and his konghou:
http://www.danansha.com/article/663

The identity of the maker of the 5-string pipa Fang is using in this performance is unknown.

"Lü Ye Xian Zong"《绿野仙踪》is the title of a novel written by the Chinese author Li Baichuan (李百川, c. 1719 or 1720-1771) during the Qing Dynasty. It is also, for some reason, the Chinese translation for "The Wizard of Oz."

綠野仙蹤。
五弦琵琶 - 方錦龍；
唐龜茲箜篌 - 張倩。
子羲Jessie的美拍

More information:
https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E7%90%B...
https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E7%BB%B...
https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E9%99%8...