This is a list of contemporary players of the guqin of the 20th and 21st centuries. It attempts to list most notable players (i.e. if they are publicly known and/or have made a significant contribution to qin music).
Table guide Personal Names (English): Gives name(s) of person in English. If that person was born with a Chinese name, it is listed in Mandarin pinyin. If one has a Cantonese or other Chinese dialect name, the Mandarin pinyin takes priority over it in order listing. The names will be listed in alphabetical order. For the sake of tidiness, the Family name will go first. Personal Names (Chinese): Given name(s) of the person in traditional full Chinese characters. If that person does not have a Chinese name, it would be marked 'None'. Dates: Gives the year of birth and death of said person. If not known, then deceased (dec.) or active (act.) will be used instead. School or Base: The person's school or where they are currently active if known. Remarks: Any important information about this person, e.g. their occupation, experience, etc.
China, Taiwan and Hong Kong SAR Personal Names (English) Personal Names (Chinese) Dates School or Base Remarks Tsar Teh-Yun (Mandarin: Cai Deyun) 蔡德允 1905—2007 Hong Kong Head of the Deyin Qinshe of Hong Kong, oldest qin player in the last generation. Disciple of Shen Caonong. SBS (銀紫荊星章) Chen Changlin 陳長林 1932- Min/Lingnan Schools Transmitter of the Min School. As computer scientist and well-respected guqin player, he participated in the early phase of a "Digital Guqin" project and presented a version using C++, demonstrated a software for generating guqin notations on PC286 which runs on DOS, created in the early 1980s. 國家級非物質文化遺產項目(古琴藝術)代表性傳承人. Chen Leiji 陳雷激 1967- Shanghai Student of Gong Yi. Performed at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Chen Wen 陳雯 1961- Taiwan Cheng Gongliang 成公亮 1940—2015 Guangling School Professor of Guqin at Nanjing Conservatory of Music. Notable researcher and composer of guqin music. Dai Xiaolian 戴曉蓮 1963- Guangling School Professor of Guqin at Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Grand-niece of Zhang Ziqian. Ding Chengyun 丁承運 1944- Shu Ding Jiyuan 丁紀園 1942- Shu School Gong Yi 龔一 1941- Shanghai (Conservatory) Elite professional qin player previously from the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra. 國家級非物質文化遺產項目(古琴藝術)代表性傳承人. Guan Pinghu 管平湖 1897—1967 Jiuyi Revered master; dapued many qin scores such as Liu Shui and Guangling San. In 1977, his recording of Liu Shui (Flowing Water) was chosen to be included in the Voyager Golden Record, a collection of world music sent into space on the Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft. Guan Zhonghang 關仲航 1900—1970 Jiuyi School Gu Meigeng 顧梅羹 1899—1990 Shu School; Huayang Gu Zechang 顧澤長 1941—2018 Shu School Huang Mianzhi 黃勉之 1853—1919 Jiuyi School Li Fan 李璠 1913—2008 Shu School 國家級非物質文化遺產項目(古琴藝術)代表性傳承人. Li Feng 李楓 1961- Taiwan Plays on silk strings; has released a CD. Li Fengyun 李鳳雲 (act.) Tianjin Student of Zhang Ziqian. professor in Tianjin Conservatory of Music. She has published a solo CD album by Hugo. Li Kongyuan 李孔元 (act.) Li Mingzhong 李明忠 (act.) Xi'an, Shaanxi Qin scholar and maker. Li Xiangting 李祥霆 1940- Beijing (Conservatory) Elite professional qin player. Current president of the China Guqin Committee. Noted for improvisation. 國家級非物質文化遺產項目(古琴藝術)代表性傳承人. Li Yuxian 李禹賢 1937—2011 Mei'an School Lin Youren 林友仁 1938—2013 Guangling School Professor of Guqin at Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Transmitter of the Guangling school. 國家級非物質文化遺產項目(古琴藝術)代表性傳承人. Liu Chicheng 劉赤城 1938—2019 Mei'an School 國家級非物質文化遺產項目(古琴藝術)代表性傳承人. Lau Chor-wah (Mandarin: Liu Chuhua) 劉楚華 1951- Hong Kong One of the top players in Hong Kong. Liu Jingshao 劉景韶 1903—1987 Mei'an School Liu Shaochun 劉少椿 1901—1971 Guangling School A player of the Guangling School, noted for his eccentric style and interparation. Liu Zhengchun 劉正春 1935—2013 Jinling Lo Ka Ping (Mandarin: Lu Jiabing) 盧家炳 1896—1980 Hong Kong Has released a CD of his recordings. Long Qinfang 龍琴舫 1886—1959 Shu School Mei Yueqiang 梅曰強 1929—2003 Guangling School Pang Yuzhu 龐雨珠 1935- Mei'an School Pei Tiexia 裴鐵俠 1884—1950 Shu School Peng Zhiqing 彭祉卿 1891—1946 Shu School Pu Xuezhai 溥雪齋 1893—1966 Beijing The cousin of the last emperor of China, Puyi. An artist of Chinese painting. Rao Zongyi (Jao Tsung-I) 饒宗頤 1917—2018 Lingnan School Famous Sinologist, Professor Emeritus and lecturer at CUHK. Rong Tianqi 容天圻 1936—1994 Guangdong Shen Caonong 沈草農 1891—1973 Fanchuan School, Shanghai Sun Shaotao 孫紹陶 1879—1949 Guangling School Sun Yuqin 孫毓芹 1915—1990 Taiwan Tong Kin-woon (Mandarin: Tang Jianyuan) 唐健垣 1946- Hong Kong Guqin player and teacher, chief editor of Qinfu 琴府, a composite volume of ancient scores (not to be confused with the Qin Fu of Ji Kang). As well, a virtuoso of the guzheng and nanyin (a singing style). Wang Di 王迪 1926-2005 Jiuyi School Female student of Guan Pinghu, did a cross country survey of qin players in 1956, tape recorded qin players using magnetic tapes. These recordings are now in Shanghai. Cecilia Lindqvist was a student of hers. Wang Duo 汪鐸 1938—2025 Suzhou Guqin player of the Wumen Qinshe of Suzhou. Head of Guqin Research Centre of Suzhou University of Science and Technology. Special research topics include: silk strings, Dapu, Taoist Guqin music, Guqin master player and musician in the "Digital Guqin" project entitled "Zebrafish". Wang Huade 王華德 1922—2008 Shu School Wang Lu 王露 1879—1921 Zhucheng School Founder of the 德音琴社 in Jinan. Wang Peng 王鹏 1966- Founder, Juntianfang. Beijing Guqin maestro and master artisan. Wang Peng made the guqin (an exact replica of a 1,000-year-old guqin from the Tang Dynasty) that was used in the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics. His expertise has been formally recognised by the Chinese Government as an 'asset of China's intangible cultural heritage'. Wang Peng has now repaired and restored more than 180 historic guqin made during China's imperial period. His Jun Tian Fang (钧天坊) complex on the outskirts of Beijing has also been recognised as an "asset of China's intangible cultural heritage." It houses a studio for guqin research, development and manufacture (using traditional techniques); a guqin museum; a guqin teaching academy; a state-of-the-art performance theatre and recording studio; a guqin literature, research and publications collection; and a design studio. Wang Peng is also a virtuoso performer, and has performed across Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as in Canada and the United States. He has authored seven books, contributed to four others, written numerous journal articles, and spoken at several leading universities both within China, and in the Europe and the U.S. Wang Shengxiang 王生香 1902—1975 Jinling, Shandong Wang Yanying 王燕卿 1867—1921 Zhucheng and Mei'an Founder of the Mei'an School. Wang Yongchang 王永昌 1940- Mei'an School Wang Youdi 王悠荻 (act.) Hong Kong Guqin performer, Guqin teacher at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), and Guqin tutor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Enlightened by Prof. Gong Yi; Bachelor of Arts degree from the Central Conservatory of Music in 2010, Supervisor: Prof. Zhao Jiazhen; Master of Music degree from HKAPA in 2012, instructed by Dr. TSE Chun-Yan. Winner of the Gold Medal of the Second National Guqin Competition in 2009. Guqin music design and performance in Three Kingdoms (TV series). Wei Zhongle 衛仲樂 1908/9—1998 Shanghai A virtuoso of many Chinese instruments, including the pipa and dizi, and important figure in Jiangnan Sizhu. Weng Yucang 翁瘦蒼 1916—2002 Yushan School Wu Jinglüe 吳景略 1907—1987 Yushan School Elite master noted for his prominent role in the modernization and professionalization of the instrument. Wu Jinyang 吳浸陽 1882—? Sichuan Wu Lansun 吳蘭蓀 1883—1960 Yushan School Wu Wenguang 吳文光 1946- Yushan School Elite professional qin player; son of Wu Jinglue and transmitter of the Yushan school. 國家級非物質文化遺產項目(古琴藝術)代表性傳承人. Wu Zhao 吳釗 1935— Beijing Former president of the Beijing Guqin Society; has published books and research on the qin. 國家級非物質文化遺產項目(古琴藝術)代表性傳承人. Wu Zhaoji 吳兆基 1908—1997 Hunan Transmitter of the Wu style. Wu Zonghan 吳宗漢 1902—1991 Mei'an School Xia Yifeng 夏一峰 1872—1963 Jinling Xie Daoxiu 謝導秀 1940—2019 Lingnan School Tse Chun-Yan (Mandarin: Xie Junren) 謝俊仁 (act.) Hong Kong One of the top players in Hong Kong. Xie Xiaoping 謝孝苹 ?—1998 Yushan School Xu Jian 許健 1923-2017 Beijing Qin scholar who wrote the Qinshi Chubian. Xu Kuanghua 徐匡華 1917—2007 Zhejiang Founder of the Xihu Qin Society. Appeared in the film, Hero. Died Feb 13, 2007. Xu Lisun 徐立孫 1897—1969 Mei'an School Xu Shaoying 徐曉英 1937—2016 Zhejiang school Xu Yuanbai 徐元白 1893—1957 Zhejiang school Xu Zhongwei 徐忠偉 1920— Yushan School Yang Xinlun 楊新倫 1898—1990 Lingnan School Yang Zongji 楊宗稷 1865—1931 Jiuyi School Founder of the Jiuyi School, compiler of the Qinxue Congshu. Yao Bingyan 姚丙炎 1921—1983 Zhejiang school Dapued (transcribed) the classic version of Jiu Kuang in triple-time rhythm. Yao Gongbai 姚公白 1948— Zhejiang Yao Bingyan's second son. 國家級非物質文化遺產項目(古琴藝術)代表性傳承人. Yao Gongjing 姚公敬 1955— Yao Bingyan's third son. Ye Mingpei 葉名佩 1929— Zhe School Yu Bosun 俞伯蓀 1922—2013 Shu School Yu Qingxin 余青欣 1956－2015 Beijing 古琴协会秘书长， 国家一级演员， 國家級非物質文化遺產項目(古琴藝術)代表性傳承人. Yu Shaoze 喻紹澤 1903—1987 Shu School Transmitter of the Shu School. Yue Ying 樂瑛 1904—1974 Jiuyi School Zeng Chengwei 曾成偉 1958— Shu School; Chengdu Highly regarded guqin maker as well as transmitter of the Shu School. Zha Fuxi 查阜西 1895—1976 Yushan School Great researcher and player of qin music, specialising in qin songs. Zhan Chengqiu 詹澂秋 1890—1973 Zhucheng School Teo Kheng-chong (Mandarin: Zhang Qingchong) 張慶崇 (act.) Hong Kong Guqin player and researcher from Singapore, musician in sound properties of the guqin instrument, has developed a bright style of guqin playing. Participated in the "Digital Guqin" project entitled: "Pale Ink". Teacher of guqin, and scholar researcher of guqin music. Zhang Lu 张璐 1992 Beijing Started learning at 11 years of age. Graduate of the Central Conservatory of Music. Has performed on Chinese television as well as internationally (Australia, New Zealand, England, Russia, Peru, USA). Zhang Qingji 張清治 1940— Taiwan Zhang Youhe 張友鶴 1895—1940 Zhucheng School Zhang Zhisun 章志蓀 1885—? Taiwan Zhang Ziqian 張子謙 1899—1991 Guangling School Revered master of the Guangling School.Zhao Jiazhen赵家珍 (act.) Beijing Student of Wu Wenguang and professor at the China Conservatory of Music; Wu Na was a student of Zhao. Zhao has explored film music with guqin and has set up the Zhao Jiazhen Guqin Art Centre (赵家珍古琴艺术中心) in Beijing. Zhao Xiaoxia 赵晓霞 Beijing Virtuoso who plays internationally (ex: Tan Dun's piece at UNESCO in Paris (Concert Music for Water, March 22, 2013), and teacher at Beijing Central Conservatory of Music. Zheng Minzhong 鄭珉中 1923—2019 Jiuyi School; Beijing Student of Guan Pinghu, well-respected player, specialist in guqin connoisseurship in Palace Museum, Beijing. 國家級非物質文化遺產項目(古琴藝術)代表性傳承人. Zheng Yunfei 鄭雲飛 1939—2021https://www.sohu.com/a/469561690_121023820 Zhejiang school Originally from Hangzhou, Zhejiang; studied with Xu Yuanbai beginning in 1955; National-Level Representative Inheritor of the Intangible Cultural Heritage item of Guqin Arts (Zhejiang school)
United States