The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-01-28

were punished with death. And vet
many people 1isked their lives in hiding
their instruments and books in the walls
OF houses and in the ground.''
| "What monster he must have been -
| said Maud.
| mot IN all respects; he built the great
wall Of China, which was good thing
for the country replied Uncle Hsrberf
"But did the Chinese have many books
! about music9'' inquired Arthur.
"They had and have more than anv
other nation. They have whole librar,e
OF musical books. In the library of Pc
kin, there are four hundred and eighty
two strictly musical books, and hundreds
which are partially musical. I donr
mean books OF music, but histories ana
essays. Hundreds of years after Tchi-
CHI CA. D. 640), The Emperor Tay-tsan9
searched vigorously for the books and
musical instruments which had been
buried and concealed, and tried to recev-
er some of the old style of music. He
didn't succeed altogether, and the Chi
nese have very little of their ancient
music nowadays. They think that the
old music must have been very beautiful,
and use at their greatest feasts whatever
they have of it,
"But what instruments do they usea'
asked the mother. care they at all like
| ours2"
''That is the most curious part of all.
In their instruments they seem to have
anticipated the invention OF many of our
instruments, by some thousands of wears,
but, having once invented them, they
| never seem to have tried to perfect them.
1t is characteristic of these people, to
the organ, for example; the Chinese knew
the principle of the reed-organ GOD
| years ago, and to-day know no more than
they did then" e.
"What is there organ hke9" eagerly
| like asked Aurthur.
"l'll show you. But don't expect to
see large church organ And Uncle
Herbert went up stairs to his room.
whence he Immediately returned with D
bundle of papers. "Here is drawing
OF the Chinese organ or cheng. 1t has
usually twenty-four pipes Of bamboo
which are inserted in the gourd of cal
abash. In each Of those pipes is reed
or tongue of gold or copper, which by
It's vibration, causes the sound, as in or
cabinet organs; beneath this reed a hole
is made in the bamboo, and when his
hole is left open the air rushes out
through it without making any soundk
but when it is closed by placing a finger
upon it, the breath is forced up the tube,
compelling the reed to vibrate, and give
out an agreeable sound"
"Do they use pianos!" asked Arthur.
| 'They have an instrument whose tones
| are somewhat like those of piano OF
harp. 1t is called the kin, and consists Of
sllken cords, stretched along sounding
board. There are various sizes of thi6
instrument, the largest If which is called
the che; it is sometimes nine feet long,
and has twenty-five strings
"Do they play in church the organ
that you showed us?" asked Maud
"Oh, mol they like the organ to dance
by the best. Their grandest religious
ceremony is usually accompanied by sew
eral instruments: but the most import.
ant of these is al expensive Instrument
called the King. 1t is made of stones
cut in proper shapes and FINELY polished;
these are hung on frame and struck
with wooden mallet. The stones, which
are very valuable and of beautiful colGra
are found near the rlver-banks in thu
province of Yun-nan. A man practicinR
on the king might remind one of the
Swiss bell ringer Louis @. Elson, h,
st Nicholas for January.