The gu zheng also called zheng is a Chinese plucked zither. It has 18-23 or more strings and movable bridges.The guzheng is the ancestor of several Asian zither instruments, such as the Japanese koto, the Mongolian yatga, the Korean gayageum, and the Vietnamese đàn tranh. The guzheng should not be confused with the guqin (another ancient Chinese zither without bridges).
The early types of guzheng emerged during the Warring States Period. It was largely influenced by the se, a plucked stringed instrument. It became prominent during the Qin period, and by the Tang Dynasty, the guzheng was arguably the most commonly played instrument in China
There are many techniques used in the playing of the guzheng, including basic plucking actions (right or both hands) at the right portion and pressing actions at the left portion (by the left hand to produce pitch ornamentations and vibrato) as well as tremolo (right hand). These techniques of playing the guzheng can create sounds that can evoke the sense of a cascading waterfall, thunder, horses' hooves, and even the scenic countryside. Plucking is done mainly by the right hand with four plectra (picks) attached to the fingers.
