六弦琴【英】

Six-string Lute

定义

六弦琴因六弦、六轴而得名，明显是在琵琶、五弦基础上发展的，实质上是琵琶、五弦的变体，琴体似琵琶、五弦，琴头尖形或方头状，出现在初唐和盛唐壁画上。一件出现在第322窟(初唐)，由飞天乐伎演奏，琴头尖形，音箱边厚，腹宽。另一件出现在第386窟(盛唐)经变乐队中，琴头为方形，琴体呈梨形状。六弦琴比琵琶多两根弦，比五弦多一根弦，音域相对增宽。这两件六弦琴为敦煌乐器增添了新的品种和新的色彩。

It is so called for it has six strings and six tuning pegs. In fact, it is a variation of five-string Pipa as its body is similar to Pipa or Five-string. The head is sharp or square. It can be found in frescoes of Early Tang or Flourishing Tang Dynasty. One in Cave No.322 (Early Tang Dynasty) is played by the flying Apsaras, which has a sharp head, thick-edged sound box and broad bell. Another one in Cave No.386 (Flourishing Tang Dynasty) is among the sutra illustration band. The latter one has a square head and pear-shaped body. Six-string Lute has two more strings than Pipa and one more string than Five-string Lute, so it is broader in pitches. The two Six-string Lutes has made Dunhuang musical instruments more colorful.