Archive | 2021
The Story of the “Qiulai” Gin Unraveled by Radiocarbon Dating, Material Characterization and Chinese Written Sources
Abstract
\n An ancient table zither qin, an emblematic stringed instrument of traditional Chinese music, has been rediscovered in the museum collection of the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers (inv.4224, CNAM collection), Paris. This instrument named “Qiulai” qin, whose origin is poorly documented, can claim to be one of the oldest qin preserved in European collections; its state of conservation is exceptional. A thorough examination was carried out based on an innovative approach combining museum expertise, material characterization analyses (optical microscopy, VIS/IR/UV imaging, X-ray fluorescence, SEM-EDS, Raman) and advanced radiocarbon dating technology (ECHoMICADAS). Our results highlight the great coherence with the traditional manufacturing practices mentioned in early Qing dynasty qin treatises and poems, in particular the collection of materials with highly symbolic meanings referring to the qin sound, nature and the universe. They also confirm the antiquity of the Qiulai qin in Europe by indicating that it was most likely made in a small interval of about 30 years at the turn of the 18th century.