To play the zither, it is mostly performed by women. The bigger ones can be placed on a specially made piano stand or table case; the smaller ones are supported by the player's left hand (the fingers are inserted into the sound holes of the bottom plate), and the piano body is placed diagonally across the left arm or in front of the left chest, and the right hand holds the violin. The bow is played on the string section on the right side of the column, and the strings are rubbed for pronunciation.

The bigger ones use the thumb, index finger, middle finger and ring finger of the left hand to press the strings on the left side of the piano post. Eight-string Xiaoya Zheng is tuned according to the four- or three-tone scale. The usual tuning is: c1, d1, g1, a1, c2, d2, g2, c3 or g, c1, d1, g1, c2, d2, g2, c3, The range g-c3 has two octaves plus a fourth.

The ten-string Zhongya Zheng is tuned according to the pentatonic scale. The usual tuning is: c, d, g, a, c1, d1, e1, g1, a1, c2, and the range is c-c2, with two octaves. The ten-string Daya zheng is tuned according to the pentatonic scale. The usual tuning is: D, G, A, c, d, e, g, a, c1, d1, and the range is D—d1, with two octaves. The timbre is round and broad, especially in the mid-range of Xiaoyazheng and the high-pitched range of Dayazheng, the sound is bright and soft.

The bowing methods of Yazheng include pulling the bow, pushing the bow and alternating bow, etc. Pulling the bow from the front to the back has a strong pronunciation, and pushing the bow from the back to the front has a weaker pronunciation. One note and one bow are alternate bows. Even and coherent. The playing skills of Yazheng include pushing, pressing, trembling, rubbing, etc., and the most characteristic is vibrato.

Vibration is when the right hand is pulling the string, and the index finger and middle finger of the left hand are close together on the string to vibrate up and down. Sometimes through the traditional "force pressing" playing method, the pronunciation can be raised by a major second or minor third and then returned to the original sound, which has a unique style and effect. It can be used for solo, folk instrumental ensemble or as accompaniment for song and dance, Korean opera.

It is most suitable for playing slow and lyrical Korean folk music Sanqu or ancient music. In recent years, yazheng has been used less and less in the Korean music life.