What is the instrument??

[novemberfog]

So I recently saw a film called "Hero" with Jet Li, Tony Leung(??spelling?? sorry!! ), Zhang Ziyi, et al. In the beginning of the film, there is a fight scene between Jet Li and a guy with a spear. It is at a chess house. During the fight, there is a blind old man playing a stringed instrument that looks like a small version of a koto. But the sound is very different, very wonderful.

Does anyone know what the name of that instrument? Is it used in a certain style of music? Is it a solo instrument? If it is a solo instrument, does anyone know of any recordings of it? Any place on the Internet I can find information on this instrument? I was really taken away by the sound of that instrument.

Thanks in advance!

[skylee]

koto = 琴 (japanese kanji) = 箏/古箏 (zheng/guzheng in hanyu pinyin)

a koto (琴)

a guzheng (古箏)

a song played by guzheng -> http://www.yqjd.com/jwwj_upload/2003711170155.mp3

for more -> http://mp3.baidu.com/m?f=ms&rn=&tn=baidump3&ct=134217728&word=%B9%C5%B9%7E&lm=-1

[skylee]

Or perhaps it is the 7-stringed 古琴 (guqin in hanyu pinyin) ->

a song played by guqin -> http://www.tn.edu.tw/content/music/sound/chn2/water-7.mp3

for more -> http://mp3.baidu.com/m?f=ms&rn=&tn=baidump3&ct=134217728&word=%B9%C5%C7%D9&lm=-1

[skylee]

ok, it should be guqin, because the music in the OST is called "棋館古琴" (In the Chess Court).

Listen -> http://play.100du.com/123/6621-03/v55/0349/7.wma

[novemberfog]

Thank you skylee, I knew it couldn't be a regular 13-string koto. I've attended several koto performances here in Japan before, and it is way too big to played on the lap. So it must be the 7-string guqin, I shall look into this more. What a beautiful sound it has! Thanks again! Yes, that is the song too. I really like it.

[bill]

Just in case anyone is interested, by fiancee actually teaches the guqin here in Beijing, around the guomao area.

If anyone out there is interested in studying, private message me to let me know.

She's fluent in Japanese and Chinese (from Chongqing) so you can improve your languages at the same time...

[deezy]

Anyone happen to know where to find an mp3 of that song in the opening scene? Do you have the soundtrack, skylee?