Chinese instruments

War drums (pinyin: Zhàngǔ) are of different sizes, and are divided by the diameter of the drum surface. There are five sizes of 27, 33, 40, 46 and 54 cm, and their drum bodies are 17, 20, 24, 30 and 34 cm high respectively. The material used for making war drums is the same as that of Tanggu, but the drum body can also be made of basswood, with 2-4 drum rings in the middle. Play with a wooden hob. War drums were used on the battlefield in ancient times to send orders and boost morale. In modern times, they are mainly used in folk instrumental ensembles, dances, lantern festivals, acrobatics and gongs and drums.

It has a long history. As early as the era of Genghis Khan (1162-1227), war drums have been widely used in the court and military. "The Secret History of Mongolia" contains: "Suwei is in charge of flags, drums, and weapons."

Since the Ming Dynasty, the war drum has changed from the old system to an oblate shape. The drum frame is mostly made of wood, such as chun, se, birch, mulberry, and poplar. Both sides are covered with cowhide, and the leather edge is fixed with a single row of drum nails.