胡琵琶【英】

Hu Pipa

定义

胡琵琶，即曲颈琵琶，四弦，四品，整个音箱若半梨形。南北朝时从西域(今新疆及其以西一带)流入中原，后与其它西来的拨弦乐器被统称胡琴，在当时颇为流行。演奏时横抱，用木拨子弹奏。

A Hu pipa is a curve-necked pipa with four strings. The body resembles a half-cut pear. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties it found its way into the Central Plains from the Western Regions (present-day Xinjiang and Central Asia). It was quite popular at the time, and when played, it was held in a horizontal position and plucked with a wooden plectrum. Later all plucked string instruments coming from the west were collectively called huqin (in ancient China, “Hu” referred to nomadic, tribal lands north or west of the Central Plains).