Konghou
The "konghou (simplified Chinese:箜篌; pinyin:kōnghóu Jyutping: Hung1Hau4 )" is a Chinese harp. In ancient china, konghou refers to three different musical instruments. Today's konghou usually refers to shu-konghou and the modern konghou improved in the last century. History. There are three types of konghou, they all look different. The "wo-konghou" (卧箜篌) or horizontal "konghou", was first mentioned in written texts in the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). Archeological finds show details of construction; for instance, the soundboxes were carved from diversiform-leaved poplar. It is one of the oldest Chinese musical instruments, similar to  guqin and se. The wo-"konghou" was used to play "yayue" (court music) in the Kingdom of Chu. During the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD) the "konghou" was used in the "qingshangyue" genre. This instrument first used the name of konghou, but it has nothing to do with harp. Today, the Chinese no longer use it. The "shu-konghou(豎箜篌)" or vertical "konghou" first appeared in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220 AD). It can be divided into big and small. The wo-"Konghou" playing was most prevalent in the Sui and Tang dynasties. It was generally played in rites and ceremonies and gradually  prevailed among the ordinary people. It is also the most common type of konghou in Chinese cultural relics,murals and poetry. The Chinese harp refers to this kind of shu-konghou. The phoenix-headed "konghou(鳳首箜篌)" was introduced from India in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317–420 AD). Beginning in the Sui Dynasty (581–618),It was also used in "yanyue" (banquet music). The instrument became extinct sometime in the Ming Dynasty. Modern konghou This is a new musical instrument which appeared in the 20th century and is different from the ancient konghou, but its shape is similar to Western concert harps. The main  feature that distinguishes the contemporary "konghou" from the Western harp is that the modern "konghou's" strings are folded over to make two rows, which enables players to use advanced playing techniques such as vibrato and bending tones. Paired strings on opposite sides of the instrument are tuned to the same note. They start from a tuning peg and beyond the playing area travel over two bridges on opposite sides of the instrument, and are then fixed at the far end to opposite sides of a freely moving lever so that depressing one of the string pairs raises the pitch  of the other. The two rows of strings also make it suitable for playing swift rhythms and overtones. Today, konghou is usually referred to as "shu-konghou" and modern "konghou". In other places. The konghou was adopted in the ancient times in Korea, where it was called "gonghu" (hangul: 공후; hanja: 箜篌), but it is no longer used there. The wo"-konghou" is called "kudaragoto" (百済琴 / くだらごと) and "shu-konghou was called kugo (箜篌 / くご)" in Japan. the "kudaragoto" or "kugo" of Japan was in use in some Togaku (Tang music) performances during the Nara period, but seems to have died  out by the 10th century. It has recently been revived in Japan, and the Japanese composer Mamoru Fujieda has composed for it. Tomoko Sugawara commissioned a playable "kugo" harp from builder Bill Campbell and earned an Independent Music Awards nomination for her 2010 album, "Along the Silk Road", playing traditional and newly written works for the instrument.