Zhang Qianziwen was an outstanding diplomat, traveler, explorer in ancient China, and a pioneer of the "Silk Road". When Zhang Qian went to the Western Regions, he introduced many species from the Western Regions, such as sweat and blood horses, grapes, and flax, which were not found in China. Among them, there is also a musical instrument. What is more interesting is that after the introduction of this instrument to our country, it was also learned by our neighbors and carried forward to form an important musical culture carrier. What is this instrument? And which neighbor did you learn it? Next, let Xiaobian reveal the secret for you:
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Zhang Qian was a Lang official in the imperial palace of the Han Dynasty, and in 138 BC, Emperor Wu of Han sent Zhang Qian to lead a team to the Great Moon Kingdom in the Western Regions in order to eliminate the Xiongnu. Zhang Qian set out from Chang'an, which lasted 13 years and twice sent envoys to the Western Regions. Zhang Qian's envoy not only opened up the famous "Silk Road" in later generations, but also promoted political, economic, military and cultural exchanges between China and many countries in Central Asia. In terms of cultural exchanges, Zhang Qian brought back an instrument, which is a thin waist drum.
The slender waist drum originated in ancient India, called Damalu in Hindi. The thin waist drum was first transmitted to the Western Regions, and later, through the hand of Zhang Qian, it was transmitted to China. What does a thin waist drum look like? Today, the Palace Museum in Beijing has a collection of ceramic thin waist drums from the Tang Dynasty. The whole of this thin waist drum is a drum cavity, oblong-cylindrical, the two ends of the drum are thick, and the middle waist is thin. Hence the name Thin Waist Drum. This ceramic thin waist drum is 60 cm long and the diameter of the drum face is 22.2 cm. It has a black glaze throughout and irregular blue spots on it, which is very beautiful.
After the thin waist drum was introduced to the Central Plains, it soon developed into the conductor role of the orchestra. Especially after the Han Dynasty, the thin waist drum was quickly carried forward. Therefore, in the murals of many subsequent dynasties, there are images of thin waist drums, and in some tomb burial utensils, the music trick of playing thin waist drums has also become an indispensable role. For example, in the mural "Music and Dance Hundred Plays" excavated in Inner Mongolia and Lingle Han Tomb in 1971, we can see the thin waist drum in the mural painting in Cave 71 of Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes. Excavated in 1960 in Tomb No. 336 in Astana, Turpan, there are two thin-waisted drumming tools made of mud.
The thin waist drum was not only very popular in China, but also attracted the attention of other countries during the Tang Dynasty, and even was brought to foreign countries. Among them, the most representative are Goryeo and Dongying.
The thin-waisted drum spread to Goryeo and developed into an indispensable instrument for local music players- the cane drum, in which the skin of the drum is leather, and one side is large and one side is small, and the large side is required to be white raw horse skin. Different drum surfaces, the way they are played is also different. Usually, the large noodles are slapped with the left hand, and the small noodles are struck with drumsticks.
The thin waist drum also spread to Dongying during the Tang Dynasty, and it is still used today. However, the thin waist drum that spread to Dongying was called Wu Drum. Locally, the thin waist drum is divided into one drum, two drums, three drums and four drums according to size. One of the drums is the smallest and the four drums are the largest. In terms of playing method, at first, the left hand slaps the drum surface, and the right hand hits another drum face with a drumstick. Later, it gradually evolved into only hitting with a drumstick in the right hand, and holding the bandage of the drum with the left hand. Interestingly, to this day, the second and fourth drums of Dongying have been lost, and only one drum and three drums remain.
The drum is a symbol of the spirit, a manifestation of strength. Today, it has formed an independent and well-established drum culture. Moreover, the Chinese drum presents a variety of states. In terms of shape, the north uses large drums, and the south uses small flower drums. And the more famous, such as the mighty gong and drum, taiping encouragement, Anse waist drum and so on. Comparatively speaking, the thin waist drum has not been further developed, so it behaves as a general.
However, in any case, as an orderly and highly expressive instrument, the thin waist drum will always be an important part of the history of human music, and it is worth our continuous exploration, continuous promotion, and let this ancient art be carried forward again.