Object
Musical instrument (qin) with inscription ‘zhonghua’
- Black lacquer
- China, Ming dynasty, 1641
- Collection of National Museum of China
This qin is a string instrument crafted in 1641 by Zhu Changfang (1608–1646). The back bears the inscription zhonghe (Capital peace), consistent with the records in the Qing dynasty’s Chibeioutan by Wang Shizhen, which notes that Zhu Changfang made many qins, including one inscribed with ‘zhonghe.’ The qin is embellished with malachite and babaohui, a mixture of eight precious stones and metals (including gold, silver, pearl, agate, coral, jade, carnelian, and malachite).
