Fangxiang

The fangxiang (also fang xiang, fang hsiang; Template:Lang-zh; also known in the West as the Chinese chang) is an organized-suspended (bianxuan) Chinese metallophone that has been used for over 1,000 years. It was first used in the Liang dynasty (502—557 CE), and then standardized in the Sui and Tang dynasties mostly for court music.

Construction and design

A fangxiang consists of 16 tuned rectangular iron, bronze, or jade tuned slabs with 16 different chromatic pitches, laid in a frame in two rows. The slabs are struck with a hammer and played melodically. Unlike the metallophone today, Chinese changed the thickness of the metal plates to obtain different pitches. Each of the slabs is of the same length and width but they are of graduated thickness, with the thicker slabs producing lower tones and the thinner slabs producing higher tones. The method of playing is to beat with a Template:Tlit (hangul: , hanja: ) in both hands.

History

In ancient times, the Template:Tlit was a popular instrument in Chinese court music. It was introduced to Korea, where it is called Template:Tlit (hangul: ; hanja: ) and is still used in the court music of Korea. A similar instrument used in Japan is called Template:Tlit (kanji: ). The Template:Tlit first appeared in China in the Liang dynasty, one of the Northern and Southern dynasties (502–557). During the Sui and Tang dynasties (581–840), the instrument became a popular court instrument. There were many famous Template:Tlit performers at that time, including Xianqi Ma and Bing Wu. Also at that time, many poets created sets of lyrics intended to be accompanied by Template:Tlit.

Here are two Tang-era poems about the Template:Tlit:

Fangxiang Song (Fangxiang Ge)

by Li Yan (Tang dynasty)

Fangxiang

by Lu Guimeng (Tang dynasty, ?-881)

Music contribution

In the 1980s, the Template:Tlit was expanded to include 51 keys. The keys were arranged based on 12-tone equal temperament and double scale arrangement. On the top lane, it is the C# scale, and on the bottom lane it is the C major scale ranging from f to C₄. The shelf used for holding those keys can rise up and fall down for the convenience of performing. The new design of the Template:Tlit sounds clear and melodious, and it is really good for accompaniments in the Chinese traditional orchestra music. For example, in the music "The Great Wall Capriccio", it is used to sound like a bell.

International development

The Template:Tlit was used by the American composer Lou Harrison in his Music for Violin with Various Instruments: European, Asian and African (1967, revised 1969). Harrison had taken research trips to Japan and South Korea (1961) and Taiwan (1962).