Music, Stories, and History intertwine to bring us the amazing history of the Asian culture. In a time when expressing oneself was not encouraged, music provided the opportunity to tell stories about the past to share wisdom with future generations.

To create the music for the stories, many instruments were developed.

This ancient instrument was developed between 1046 to 256 BC. It’s thin and L-shaped with a hole at the top so it can be hung by a rope. It’s used in celebrations and was used in monasteries to summon monks to convene. The Shen Yun orchestra uses the Qing now during performances.

Two bells are struck together with two hands, and it produces a clear and lovely reverberating sound. It’s used in Buddhist meditation, as well as in Chinese folk songs and dances, traditional Chinese opera, and Chinese instrument ensembles.

This bronze instrument and is hung by a rope from the frame. When struck with a mallet, it creates a powerful, rich and resonant sound. It’s also used in Shen Yun’s orchestra, but a small and thinner version.

This is a double-reed woodwind instrument that has a wooden pipe with holes for the mouthpiece. It is played by playing fingers on the holes and blowing through the mouthpiece. It’s used in traditional Chinese folk rituals, weddings, funerals and commemorates abundant harvests in festivals.

Dizi is the most popular instrument in traditional Chinese music. It has an expressive range, giving the listener a lofty, sprightly feeling as if floating.

The Erhu is over 4,000 years old and conveys a wide range of emotions. It can imitate many different sounds, such as chirping birds or neighing horses.

The king of Chinese folk instruments is the Pipa. It can be seen in the hands of heavenly maidens in traditional paintings. It’s also an expressive Chinese instrument.

The musical instruments of China’s history bring us the wisdom of the stories past generations wanted to share with us. We recognize these powerful instruments and appreciate them greatly for all they have given us over the years.