Post by carol on Dec 10, 2013 19:39:12 GMT
The names of the guzheng frame tonewoods are often directly translated from
Chinese. Since they are direct translation, despite the common English
names, the translated names are misleading. Not to mention, a lot of the
Chinese names of the different frame woods are mis-labeled in Chinese already.
One very misleading term is the "sandalwood", which is a direct translation from
Chinese “檀 tan”. There are red sandalwood, black sandalwood, purple
sandalwood, little-leaf purple sandalwood and etc in Chinese terms. However, most of these woods belong to
the "Dalbergia" genus, that are commonly known as "rosewood" in English. They
have no relation with the sandalwoods that produce fragrance.
Also, sometimes, one common Chinese name refers to several different types of woods.
Buyer has no idea which specific wood he/she is buying by just the common
Chinese wood name.
Here are some common guzheng frame woods in common Chinese, common
English and scientific names.
红木 (hong mu), unspecified rosewood. Dalbergia or non-Dalbergia - The
unspecified light-weight (under 0.6g/cm3) rosewood are mostly used in basic-
intermediate grade models that the makers do not reveal the specific specie of
the frame wood that are used. When used on guzheng, it has a sweet sounding
character in general.
非檀木 (fei tan mu), African Padauk, Pterocarpus soyauxii - This is a softer
padauk(0.67g/cm3) that is used on the Dunhuang 696 models. A directly translation will be "African Sandalwood".
花梨木(hua li mu), Burma Padauk, Pterocarpus macrocarpus - This is a slightly
heavier padauk (0.72g/cm3) that is used on Dunhuang Yun's 896 models. Some
translated into "Pear wood".
缅酸枝(mian suan zhi), Burmese rosewood, Dalbergia bariensis or Dalbergia
oliveri - This is a medium density rosewood (0.6-0.8g/cm3) that is commonly
used on professional-grade instruments. e.g. Dunhuang 694 series, Tianyi
professional level 2 series. When used on guzheng, it has a sweet and clean
character.
黑酸枝/黑檀/老红木 (hei suan zhi/hei tan/lao hong mu), Burma Blackwood,
Dalbergia cultrata - This is a high density rosewood (0.86g/cm3) that is
commonly used on professional or concert grade instruments. Some translated
directly from Chinese into "Black Sandalwood or Aged Rosewood". When used
on guzheng, it has a rich and sweet character.
特式古夷苏木 (te shi gu yi su mu), Bubinga, Guibourtia.tessmannii - This is a
high density frame wood (0.89g/cm3) that is used on professional or concert
grade instruments. When used on guzheng, it gives a rich and deep sound.
金丝楠木(jin si nan mu), golden-thread Nanmu, Phoebe zhennan - Golden-thread
nanmu only grows in China, so there is not really a common English name for it.
It is a high density wood at 1.1g/cm3. It's famously known to be used as the
pillars of the forbidden palace. It is used on concert-collection grade guzheng
from Yangzhou. When used on guzheng, it gives a warm and earthy tone.
老红木/交趾黄檀 (lao hong mu/jiao zhi huang tan), Thailand Rosewood or Siamese Rosewood, Dalbergia
cochinchinensis - This wood, commonly translated as aged rosewood, is not really
an "aged" rosewood, but an expensive rosewood from Southeast Asia. Chinese
called it "aged" rosewood to distinguish this exotic wood from the lighter
rosewood species. It has high density at 0.90g/cm3. It's commonly used on
concert-collection grade guzheng. e.g. Dunhuang 695 and Dunhuang Yun 895
series. When used on guzheng, it gives a mellow sweet and rich tone.
红檀 (hong tan), Pau Rosa, Bobgunnia fistuloides - This wood is commonly
translated as "red sandalwood" from directly Chinese translation. The common
English name is Pau Rosa. It is not a Dalbergia genus. It grows in Africa and has
a very high density at 1.03g/cm3. It's commonly used on concert-collection grade
guzheng. When used on guzheng, it gives a melting sweet and clean very
focused tone.
黑檀(hei tan), African Blackwood, Dalbergia melanoxylon - Often referred as "black sandalwood, this wood has a very
high density at 1.27g/cm3. It's commonly used on concert-collection grade
guzheng. When used on guzheng, it giver a very focused, deep and muscular
tone.
紫檀(zi tan), East Indian Rosewood, Dalbergia latifolia - This wood is one of the
famous "zitan purple sandalwood". It is a high density rosewood at 0.86g/cm3. It's used on Dunhuang 698 and Dunhuang Yun
898 series concert-collection grade guzheng. When used on guzheng, it gives a
clean and rich sound.
紫檀(zi tan), Madagascar Rosewood, Dalbergia baronii - This is another type of
"zitan purple sandalwood" in Chinese term. It is sometimes called the "big-leaf
zitan". It is a high density rosewood at 0.93g/cm3. It's used on most collection
grade "zitan" models from Yangzhou, and certain high-end Dunhuang 698 and
Yun 998 series. When used on guzheng, it gives a clear and delicate tone with a
full and deep bass.
玫瑰檀(mei gui tan), Bois de Rose, Dalbergia louvelii - This is commonly translated
as "rose purple sandalwood". It is a also a high density (0.93g/cm3) rosewood
from Madagascar. It is used on the very high-end instruments such as
Dunhuang's 9698 series and Dunhuang Yun's 8898 series. When used on
guzheng, it gives a clear and delicate tone with a hint of sweetness and a
powerful deep bass.
小葉紫檀(xiao ye zi tan), Red Sander, Pterocarpus santalinus - Commonly
translated as "little leaf zitan purple sandalwood", Red Sander is a highly valuable wood in China. It has
very high density at 1.26g/cm3. When used on guzheng, it gives a tight clean and
very focused sounding.
巴西紫檀(ba xi zi tan), Brazilian Rosewood, Dalbergia nigra - Brazilian
Rosewood is considered probably the best sounding wood on musical instruments in the
western world. It has high density at 0.9g/cm3. It is rarely used in Chinese
guzheng. The only maker who I know that uses this wood on guzheng is Songbo.
He got some old stock from Yamaha Guitar. Since this wood is under CITES protection and is illegal to
export from Brazil, it is unlikely to see more of this wood used on guzheng.
Chinese. Since they are direct translation, despite the common English
names, the translated names are misleading. Not to mention, a lot of the
Chinese names of the different frame woods are mis-labeled in Chinese already.
One very misleading term is the "sandalwood", which is a direct translation from
Chinese “檀 tan”. There are red sandalwood, black sandalwood, purple
sandalwood, little-leaf purple sandalwood and etc in Chinese terms. However, most of these woods belong to
the "Dalbergia" genus, that are commonly known as "rosewood" in English. They
have no relation with the sandalwoods that produce fragrance.
Also, sometimes, one common Chinese name refers to several different types of woods.
Buyer has no idea which specific wood he/she is buying by just the common
Chinese wood name.
Here are some common guzheng frame woods in common Chinese, common
English and scientific names.
红木 (hong mu), unspecified rosewood. Dalbergia or non-Dalbergia - The
unspecified light-weight (under 0.6g/cm3) rosewood are mostly used in basic-
intermediate grade models that the makers do not reveal the specific specie of
the frame wood that are used. When used on guzheng, it has a sweet sounding
character in general.
非檀木 (fei tan mu), African Padauk, Pterocarpus soyauxii - This is a softer
padauk(0.67g/cm3) that is used on the Dunhuang 696 models. A directly translation will be "African Sandalwood".
花梨木(hua li mu), Burma Padauk, Pterocarpus macrocarpus - This is a slightly
heavier padauk (0.72g/cm3) that is used on Dunhuang Yun's 896 models. Some
translated into "Pear wood".
缅酸枝(mian suan zhi), Burmese rosewood, Dalbergia bariensis or Dalbergia
oliveri - This is a medium density rosewood (0.6-0.8g/cm3) that is commonly
used on professional-grade instruments. e.g. Dunhuang 694 series, Tianyi
professional level 2 series. When used on guzheng, it has a sweet and clean
character.
黑酸枝/黑檀/老红木 (hei suan zhi/hei tan/lao hong mu), Burma Blackwood,
Dalbergia cultrata - This is a high density rosewood (0.86g/cm3) that is
commonly used on professional or concert grade instruments. Some translated
directly from Chinese into "Black Sandalwood or Aged Rosewood". When used
on guzheng, it has a rich and sweet character.
特式古夷苏木 (te shi gu yi su mu), Bubinga, Guibourtia.tessmannii - This is a
high density frame wood (0.89g/cm3) that is used on professional or concert
grade instruments. When used on guzheng, it gives a rich and deep sound.
金丝楠木(jin si nan mu), golden-thread Nanmu, Phoebe zhennan - Golden-thread
nanmu only grows in China, so there is not really a common English name for it.
It is a high density wood at 1.1g/cm3. It's famously known to be used as the
pillars of the forbidden palace. It is used on concert-collection grade guzheng
from Yangzhou. When used on guzheng, it gives a warm and earthy tone.
老红木/交趾黄檀 (lao hong mu/jiao zhi huang tan), Thailand Rosewood or Siamese Rosewood, Dalbergia
cochinchinensis - This wood, commonly translated as aged rosewood, is not really
an "aged" rosewood, but an expensive rosewood from Southeast Asia. Chinese
called it "aged" rosewood to distinguish this exotic wood from the lighter
rosewood species. It has high density at 0.90g/cm3. It's commonly used on
concert-collection grade guzheng. e.g. Dunhuang 695 and Dunhuang Yun 895
series. When used on guzheng, it gives a mellow sweet and rich tone.
红檀 (hong tan), Pau Rosa, Bobgunnia fistuloides - This wood is commonly
translated as "red sandalwood" from directly Chinese translation. The common
English name is Pau Rosa. It is not a Dalbergia genus. It grows in Africa and has
a very high density at 1.03g/cm3. It's commonly used on concert-collection grade
guzheng. When used on guzheng, it gives a melting sweet and clean very
focused tone.
黑檀(hei tan), African Blackwood, Dalbergia melanoxylon - Often referred as "black sandalwood, this wood has a very
high density at 1.27g/cm3. It's commonly used on concert-collection grade
guzheng. When used on guzheng, it giver a very focused, deep and muscular
tone.
紫檀(zi tan), East Indian Rosewood, Dalbergia latifolia - This wood is one of the
famous "zitan purple sandalwood". It is a high density rosewood at 0.86g/cm3. It's used on Dunhuang 698 and Dunhuang Yun
898 series concert-collection grade guzheng. When used on guzheng, it gives a
clean and rich sound.
紫檀(zi tan), Madagascar Rosewood, Dalbergia baronii - This is another type of
"zitan purple sandalwood" in Chinese term. It is sometimes called the "big-leaf
zitan". It is a high density rosewood at 0.93g/cm3. It's used on most collection
grade "zitan" models from Yangzhou, and certain high-end Dunhuang 698 and
Yun 998 series. When used on guzheng, it gives a clear and delicate tone with a
full and deep bass.
玫瑰檀(mei gui tan), Bois de Rose, Dalbergia louvelii - This is commonly translated
as "rose purple sandalwood". It is a also a high density (0.93g/cm3) rosewood
from Madagascar. It is used on the very high-end instruments such as
Dunhuang's 9698 series and Dunhuang Yun's 8898 series. When used on
guzheng, it gives a clear and delicate tone with a hint of sweetness and a
powerful deep bass.
小葉紫檀(xiao ye zi tan), Red Sander, Pterocarpus santalinus - Commonly
translated as "little leaf zitan purple sandalwood", Red Sander is a highly valuable wood in China. It has
very high density at 1.26g/cm3. When used on guzheng, it gives a tight clean and
very focused sounding.
巴西紫檀(ba xi zi tan), Brazilian Rosewood, Dalbergia nigra - Brazilian
Rosewood is considered probably the best sounding wood on musical instruments in the
western world. It has high density at 0.9g/cm3. It is rarely used in Chinese
guzheng. The only maker who I know that uses this wood on guzheng is Songbo.
He got some old stock from Yamaha Guitar. Since this wood is under CITES protection and is illegal to
export from Brazil, it is unlikely to see more of this wood used on guzheng.