The Guzheng
The guzheng is a Chinese plucked zither and a close cousin of the Japanese koto, with around twenty-one strings over movable bridges. Its shimmering, cascading tone makes it a favourite in calm and meditative East Asian music.
弾 Play it yourself
Play the guzheng
Play the guzheng right here, from recorded notes; the line under the board says exactly which recording you hear. Nothing plays until you touch it.
More from the Chinese scholar’s garden: Guqin · Erhu · Dizi · Pipa. All seven, Japanese and Chinese, are in East Asian instruments.
The guzheng is a Chinese plucked zither and a close cousin of the Japanese koto, with around twenty-one strings over movable bridges. Its shimmering, cascading tone makes it a favourite in calm and meditative East Asian music.
Its voice
Shimmering and fluid, the guzheng produces rippling runs and glassy cascades, with expressive pitch-bends and vibrato from the pressing hand. It can sound like rain, water, or wind, which is why it suits calm, atmospheric music so well.
The guzheng (古箏) is a Chinese zither with a long wooden body and, on the modern instrument, twenty-one strings raised on movable bridges. It is an ancestor-relative of the Japanese koto, sharing the same basic design and playing idea.
It is one of the oldest Chinese instruments, with a history of more than 2,500 years: the zheng emerged around the Warring States period (475–221 BCE), and the oldest specimen found so far carried thirteen strings. String count grew over the centuries — thirteen by the Tang dynasty, sixteen by the late Qing — before settling on the twenty-one of the modern instrument. Players pluck with picks on one hand while the other presses the strings to bend and colour the notes.
How the guzheng differs
Same family as the koto — but longer, brighter, and strung with about twenty-one strings.
Good to know
What is a guzheng?
The guzheng is a traditional Chinese plucked zither with around twenty-one strings over movable bridges. It has a bright, shimmering tone and is closely related to the Japanese koto.
What is the difference between a guzheng and a koto?
They share a common ancestor and look alike, but the guzheng is Chinese and usually has twenty-one strings, while the koto is Japanese with thirteen. Their tunings and repertoire also differ.
What does a guzheng sound like?
Glassy and cascading, often compared to flowing water or rain, with expressive slides and vibrato created by pressing the strings.
Is the guzheng good for relaxation?
Yes. Its flowing, atmospheric tone is widely used in calm, meditative, and study music across East Asia.
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