Playing the Pipa: Traditional Music Outdoors

Gabriela Pipa cover The pipa is one of China’s oldest and most famous plucked string instruments, with a history of more than 2,000 years. It has the most difficult fingerings and playing techniques among Chinese instruments, earning it the title “King of Chinese Traditional Music”. Shaped like a half-pear, it has a wooden body, a long neck, and four strings. Performers wear five artificial fingernails on their right hand to pluck the strings, producing a clear, bright, and highly expressive sou