Resources
Chaozhou School

    Chaozhou Guzheng is originated in the Chaozhou area of Canton Province.  It’s considered
    as the leader of the southern style guzheng music.  Chaozhou Guzheng Music also has
    great influence on the Vietnamese Dan Tranh music.  


    Chaozhou Guzheng music is played on steel-stringed guzheng.  Generally, 16-stringed
    guzheng is used, but 18-stringed or 21-strigned instruments are seen.  The characteristic of
    a steel-stringed guzheng is that it has long sustention after plucking.  Therefore, detailed
    vibration is applied to one pluck to express the subtleness of the music.  This is known as
    “One sound many tone”.   The left hand vibrating technique is considered more important
    than the right hand plucking.  Left thumb is often used along with the other 3 fingers to push
    two or three strings at the same time.


    Traditionally, Chaozhou Guzheng Music uses 2-4 notation.  It’s a unique music notation
    system that Chaozhou people adopted from western notation.  Although the 2-4 notation is
    no longer used, many Chaozhou music terms came from this 2-4 notation.  


    The scale of 2-4 notation is two three four five six seven eight, which equals to 5 6 1 2 3 5 6
    (so la do re mi so la )in the numeric notation currently used.  6(la) and 7(si) share “three”; 3
    (mi) and 4(fa) share “six”.  Therefore, tune such as “heavy six” means push all 3(mi) on the
    notation into 4(fa).         


Types of Chaozhou Tunes











    Often the same song can be played in different tune for the desired effects.

    The masters of Chaozhou Guzheng Music are Lin Maogen, Guo Ying, and Chen Leishi.  
    Famous music pieces include “A Young Lady Named Liu Qing”, “Pink Lotus”, “Winter Duck
    Playing the Water”, and “Sand Wash”.

Sound of China
Guzheng Music Promotion Center
Tune
Playing Method
Characteristics
Light Six
No Push on 3(mi)
For Lively Music
Heavy Six
Push  3(mi) to 4(fa)
For Passionate Music
Lively Five
Heavy vibration on 2(re)
For Sad Touching Music
Light Three Heavy Six
No Push on 6(la), and push on 3(mi)
For Loving Music