Chapter 52 Zhang Yetang/The Improver of Sanxian

The predecessor of Sanxian was the stringed instrument that appeared in the Qin Dynasty. However, Sanxian appeared very late in this kind of stringed instruments played in the arms.During the Han, Wei, and Six Dynasties, this kind of stringed instrument was mainly Ruanxian. After the Tang Dynasty, it was mainly the pipa. It was not until the Ming Dynasty that the sanxian became a relatively important instrument.Since then, Sanxian has become the most important or even the only accompaniment instrument for folk art in the north, especially for Gushu.In the process of improving the Sanxian, Zhang Yetang made the greatest contribution. He made the Sanxian's box smaller and re-tuned the strings to make it more beautiful in tone and richer in expression. The accompaniment instruments spread to the south and were adopted by many types of music in the south, including Kunqiang and Pingtan in the south.

Zhang Yetang is the son-in-law of Wei Liangfu, a famous composer. He himself is a very good composer. When Wei Liangfu reformed Kunqu Opera and created "Shuimo Opera", Zhang Yetang participated in the research and made great contributions.