The Development And Historical Characteristics Of The Structure And The Performing Of Ancient Chinese Pipa

The thesis research on the characteristics and developments of structure and performance in ancient Chinese Pipa’s history. This is an important part of music history research in the study of the history of Pipa. The study uses the historiography research which include collecting evidences both in literatures and antiques.In history, the developments of various structures of Pipa, is produced and evolved in a phase of history, a cross-linked regional cultural music and space-time overlap networks. The research divides Pipa into the form of Circular sound box-long handle harp Pipa and Pyriform Pipa were based on structural characteristics.The former is existed in Western regions Pipa and Han Pipa in the early development period of Pipa’s history, and they are differences between theirs structural characteristics and instrumental performances. Depends on the historical figures of Han and Wei Pipa, the research denied the argument that Pipa is originated on "Xian Tao(弦鼗)", and the production of Han and Wei Pipa is a creative reference of Western regions Pipa.The analysis of Pyriform Pipa is mainly regards the time axis among two Jin’s Southern and Northern Sui and Tang、Liao and Sung、Yuan and Ming dynasties, in terms of three aspects among Western Sinkiang Budda grottoes music. The Mogao Grottoes music and Central plains of Han music, began to discuss on Pipa’s structures and developments in which have different regional music cultural. To summarized three categories structures of five string Pipa in history.After Song dynasty, the structural development of ancient Chinese Pipa has gradually changed into the development of QuXiang(曲项) Pipa which is refers specifically Central plains of Han music. Afterwards, although there are some differences between size and part details of instruments,but it is remain within the structural development of QuXiang Pipa which used by Central plains of Han music, it is essentially different with the structural development of Pipa before mid-period of Tang dynasty. The important summary by sectional of structural development of Pipa in this chapter, refers to the attached evolution figures and the sectional end summaries of each part.Discussions on the performance gestures of Pipa in history. The contents include of the characteristic of holding gesture and the instrumental performing methods of pick-plucked and finger picking. The former puts forwards two standardizes by distinguish the holding gestures, overthrow the misty understanding which is defined as pick-plucked in horizontal holding. finger picking in vertical holding in the past the general thought.There are two way of horizontal holding Pipa in history. For vertical holding include fasten silk and without it. In the different periods, the two holding ways and those two performing techniques are not a simpler and direct corresponding relationship. Moreover, research relates the characteristics of Pipa’s performing gestures in three regional musical cultural, emphasis towards on introduce the holding way of QuXiang Pipa which is refers specifically central plains of Han music.The research of pick-plucked and finger picking is starting with antique pictures, organized the kinds of pick for different structural Pipa and two ways of finger picking in different periods. According to the word"Chou(搊)", began to discus on the historical performing phenomenon which used finger picking instead of pick-plucked in the first time of Tang dynasty.Based on the research of historical literatures, to analyse the relations between literature records and performing practice of Pipa in history. To organized the description terms of instrumental parts and material quality between different structural Pipa and congeneric Pipa in those literature records. Specially, example as Tang’s literature, discus to the typically characteristic of Tang’s four string QuXiang Pipa from the records of bridge,pick and string.To summarized five performing terms of Pipa in historical literature records:"Gu(鼓), Tan(弹), Chou(搊), Nong(弄), Zou(奏)". And the relations between five terms and Pipa’s performance, there are common in performing active, but also has theirs own emphasis. Through the analysis of Pipa’s structure and description within literature records, conclude the performing terms so that we can demonstrate the profound historical and realistic relations between the structure and performance of Pipa.