The "qin" in the so-called "qin, chess, calligraphy and painting" is one of the oldest playing instruments in the history of our country, and is now called the guqin or lyre. The production of Guqin has a long history, and many famous qin have texts to test, and they have wonderful names and magical legends. The most famous among them are Duke Huan of Qi's "Honor Bell", King Zhuang of Chu's "Round Liang", Sima Xiangru's "Lvqi" and Cai Yong's "Jiaowei". These four pianos are known as the "Four Famous Qins".

Now, the "Four Famous Qins" that have spread all over the world have become a relic of history, but their influence on future generations has not disappeared.

1. Bell

The "horn bell" is a famous qin of the Zhou Dynasty. The sound of this violin is loud and loud, like a bell, and the horn is blaring, which is deafening. Legend has it that Boya, an outstanding qin master in ancient times, once played the "horn bell" qin. Later, the "bell" was passed to Duke Heng of Qi. Duke Heng of Qi was a wise monarch of the state of Qi, who knew the rhythm. At that time, he collected many famous pianos, but especially cherished this "horn" piano. He once ordered his subordinates to play the horns and sing to help the music, and he played the "horn" to echo it. The sound of the horns, the mournful singing, and the sad melody of the "bell" made the waiters on both sides moved to tears.

2. Around the beam

There is a saying in today's people that "the lingering sound will linger around the beam for three days". Its language originates from a story in Liezi: During the Zhou Dynasty, the famous Korean female singer Han E went to Qi State. Her mournful singing revolved in the air like a lone geese croaking. Three days after Han E's departure, her singing still echoes between the beams of the house, which is unforgettable. The name of the qin is "around the beam", which shows the characteristics of the timbre of this qin, which must be the constant reverberation. It is said that "Lean Liang" was a gift from a man named Hua Yuan to King Zhuang of Chu, and its production date is unknown. King Zhuang of Chu has been playing the qin and making music all day since he got the "round beam", intoxicated by the qin music. On one occasion, he did not go to court for seven days in a row, leaving the country's affairs behind. Wang Fei Fan Ji was very anxious and persuaded King Zhuang of Chu: "Your Majesty, you are too immersed in music! In the past, Xia Jie loved 'Mixi' so much that he was killed; And lost the country and the country. Now, the king loves the harp so much that he does not come to the court for seven days, is he willing to lose his country and his life?" King Zhuang of Chu heard the words and fell into contemplation. He couldn't resist the temptation to "wrap around the beam", so he had to reluctantly cut his love and ordered someone to beat the qin with Tie Ruyi, and the qin body was broken into several pieces. From then on, the famous qin "around the beam", which is envied by thousands of people, has never been heard.

3. Luqi

"Lvqi" is a qin played by Sima Xiangru, a famous literati in the Han Dynasty. Sima Xiangru was originally from a poor family with only four walls, but his poetry was very famous. King Liang asked him to write a fu, and Xiangru wrote a "Ruyu Fu" as a gift. This poem is magnificent and has an extraordinary charm. King Liang was very happy, so he gave back the "Lvqi" qin that he had collected. "Lvqi" is a famous qin handed down from generation to generation. There is an inscription on the inside of the qin: "Tongzi Hejing" is the essence of the combination of paulownia wood and zinc wood. It is like getting "green beauty", like getting a treasure. His superb piano skills coupled with the wonderful timbre of "Lvqi" made the "Lvqi" famous for a while. Later, "Lvqi" became another name for Guqin. Once, Sima Xiangru visited a friend, and the wealthy Zhuo Wangsun held a banquet for him. When the wine was in full swing, everyone said, "I heard that you play 'Lvqi' very well, please play a song, so that my generation can enjoy it." Xiangru had long heard that the daughter of Zhuo Wangsun, Wenjun, was very talented. He is proficient in the art of violin and admires him very much. Sima Xiangru played the qin song "Feng Qiuhuang" to court her. After listening to the qin, Wen Jun understood the meaning of the qin music, and couldn't help blushing and fascinated. She is devoted to Xiangru's literary talent, and in order to reward her "confidant encounter", she runs to Xiangru's residence at night and concludes a good relationship. Since then, Sima Xiangru used the qin to pursue Wenjun, which has been passed down through the ages.

4. Coke tail

"Jiaowei" is a qin made by Cai Yong, a famous writer and musician in the Eastern Han Dynasty. Cai Yong rescued a section of sycamore wood from the fire when he was "destroying to the river and sea and leaving the Wuhui far away". He made a lyre according to the length and shape of the wood, and it really sounded extraordinary. Because there are still scorch marks on the tail of the piano, it is named "Jiaowei". "Jiaowei" is famous all over the world for its pleasant tone and unique production method. At the end of the Han Dynasty, after Cai Yong was tragically killed, the "Jiaowei" qin was still well preserved in the imperial internal library. More than 300 years later, when Emperor Qi Ming was in power, in order to appreciate the superhuman qin skills of Wang Cuxiong, a master of guqin, he specially ordered someone to take out the "Jiaowei" qin that had been stored for many years and play it for Wang Zhongxiong. Wang Zhongxiong played for five consecutive days, and improvised the "Song of Annoyance" dedicated to Emperor Ming. In the Ming Dynasty, Wang Fengnian, a native of Kunshan, still kept the "Jiaowei" made by Cai Yong.