Playing The Pipa

A Garden To Linger In, Suzhou

The pipa, a four-stringed lute, is a very early instrument in China, whose form and technique of playing were modified by foreign influence via the Silk Road. When turning a corner in the garden, the visitor can hear the sound of these instruments and be transported to another time and place.

As with most performances in China, the musicians are very skillful and, in this case, probably conservatory-trained.