SAN-HSIEN

Pinyin Sanxian, any of a group of long-necked, fretless Chinese lutes having three strings, a square resonator with snakeskin front and back, and a curved-back pegbox with three lateral, or side, tuning pegs. The instrument, a chordophone usually played with a broad plectrum, is popular in theatrical accompaniment, ballad-singing accompaniment, and the orchestra. The largest san-hsien is about 1.2 m (4 feet) long, has a compass of three octaves, and is plucked with the fingernails of the right hand. San-hsien performance is characterized by powerful resonant rolls and chords and large glissandos on the fingerboard. In the 20th century, the musicians Bai Feng-yan (18991975) and Li Yi (b. 1932) elevated the san-hsien to an important solo instrument.