凤首琵琶【英】

Pipa with Phoenix Head

定义

敦煌莫高窟第392窟(隋)藻井四周有16身精彩的飞天乐伎，每壁各4身，其中3身为舞伎，一身为乐伎，每壁左侧1身均为乐伎，排列对称、规范。更为有趣的是4身乐伎都持奏的是凤首琵琶，音箱修长，似直颈琵琶形状，但琴头均为凤首造型，甚为独特美观，乐伎均为右手持琴体，琴头向下，左手未见持拨，似用手指演奏。用凤首琵琶为舞伎伴奏，颇有特点。另外，第329窟(隋)中也有凤首琵琶出现，形状如同第392窟，演奏者也是用手指弹奏。

Around the sunk panel of Cave No.392 (Sui Dynasty), there are totally sixteen Apsaras on the four walls, with Apsaras on each wall. Among the four Apsaras on each wall, three are dancing and one on the left is playing musical instrument. These Apsaras are symmetrically arranged. The four Apsaras are all playing Pipa with Phoenix Head, which has a long and thin sound box. Generally, this kind of Pipa is similar to Zhijing Pipa. But it is decorated with a phoenix head, which makes it unique in appearance. The musicians all hold it with the right with its head downward, and as there is no pick in their hands, they seem to pluck with their hands. These musician Apsaras are playing the Pipa with Phoenix Head to accompany the dancing Apsaras. Also, there are images of Pipa with Phoenix Head in Cave No.329 (Sui Dynasty) which resemble those in Cave No.392 and are played by musicians with fingers.