Matouqin
The one exception in the whole bowed-string family — its bow does not sit between the strings
Related
Across this section we have written nine bowed strings — the erhu, banhu, jinghu, gaohu, zhonghu, gehu, zhuihu, yehu and sihu. They share one property, and this page is the first to name it: their bow hair sits between the two strings.
「拉奏方法也与其它拉弦乐器不同，⭐⭐ 琴弓的弓毛不夹在里 · 外弦之间，而是在两弦外面擦奏」
⭐⭐ Main line 57: the one exception in the whole bowed-string family — the bow is outside the strings.
⭐⭐ One exception, worth a whole page
One sentence separates it from the others: in those nine the hair passes between the strings; in the matouqin it grazes outside them.
| Class | Assignment |
|---|---|
| HS class | Chordophone · bowed (friction with a bow) · with definite pitch |
| Sub-type | bowed (trapezoidal box · ⭐ skinned on both the front and the back faces (horsehide / sheepskin → python / paulownia board / white pine face) · hardwood frame · head carved as a galloping or standing horse · two strings, each a sheaf of dozens to 100+ filaments · ⭐ the bow hair does not pass between the strings but grazes outside them) · tuned g–c¹ (common, a fourth apart) · also d¹–a or d¹–g |
| Family | China · bowed strings (Mongolian · developed from the Tang-dynasty xiqin · Mongolian names「潮尔」/「胡兀尔」; in northeast Inner Mongolia also「潮尔」· schools include the Horqin and Torghut styles) |
| Bayin | leather (the box is skinned) |
| The other nine | ⭐ Matouqin | |
|---|---|---|
| ⭐ Bow hair | between the two strings | ⭐ not between — it plays outside them |
| Bowing | the bow is held by the strings on both sides | ⭐ only one side bears on the strings |
| Tone | each its own | ⭐ 「柔和 · 浑厚而深沉」「洪阔 · 低沉而豪放」, with a steppe character |
| What it buys | — | ⭐ because the bow is outside, it can sound two pitches at once |
⭐ That last row is the real dividend of being an exception: with the hair outside, both strings can be grazed at once. The other instruments have to work for double stops — the sihu splits its bow hair in two, the erhu presses the hair against both strings. The matouqin needs no special technique at all: it can do it by nature.
⭐⭐ Skin on two faces — the second exception
「它最突出的特点是，琴箱的面 · 背两面都蒙皮膜，这与一般的拉弦类乐器有显著的不同。」
⭐⭐ Another exception. In all those other instruments the skin covers only the front opening (the back carries a sound hole). The matouqin is skinned on both faces.
| The others | ⭐ Matouqin | |
|---|---|---|
| Skin | front opening only | ⭐ both the front and the back |
The consequence is audible: sealing a smaller box makes the sound thicker and darker — which is exactly where its 「浑厚 · 深沉」 comes from. Form decides tone; this is not a coincidence.
⭐⭐ "Calling it two strings is not quite accurate"
「⭐ 习惯上称它为两根弦是不确切的，因为每根弦都是由数十根至百余根组成的一撮弦……一般高音弦可用 90 根尼龙丝，低音弦可用 130 根，⭐ 过多则硬，过少则软，都会影响马头琴的音色。」
⭐⭐ It has only two strings, but each is a bundle of dozens to over a hundred filaments. Every other instrument here has a single string per note; the matouqin rings a sheaf of silk.
⭐ And the count matters: too many and it is hard, too few and it is soft — not a free parameter but one that must be tuned.
The strings themselves have moved through horsehair → nylon → metal; the reform 「用尼龙丝弦代替了马尾弦，将定弦提高了四度音程，扩大了音域，在保留原有柔和 · 深厚的音色的同时，增加了清晰 · 明亮 · 富有力度的特点」.
马头琴属拉弦弦鸣乐器（弓擦 · 弓毛不夹在两弦之间 · 在两弦外侧擦奏）。定弦有多种：反四度 g · c¹（常用）· 正四度 d¹ · a · 正五度 d¹ · g。本图按常用的反四度取 G3–D5 示意，常用音区在中音区。记谱即实音。
⭐⭐ Holding it: the little finger reaches under
Posture: seated, the box clamped between the legs, neck inclined to the left.
Left hand: the thumb steadies the neck; in the low position the index and middle fingers press with the roots of their nails and the ring and little fingers press with their tips — and here is the detail unique to this instrument:
⭐⭐「小指在演奏中非常重要，它常从外弦下面伸进去顶里弦」
In the high position all fingers use their tips. Right hand: the tiger's mouth grips the handle, index and middle on the stick, ring and little controlling the hair.
⭐⭐ And the crucial sentence comes last:
「⭐ 运弓中，弓毛和琴弦要保持直角状态。」
⭐⭐ Why? Because the hair is outside the strings — it rests beside them rather than being held by them, so the angle has to be managed by the player. In the other instruments the hair is trapped between the strings; here it is set against them from outside.
⭐⭐ Three reforms, two of them forced by the weather
| Round | Year | What changed | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| (teacher) | 1962 | a 5-chi instrument shortened to 80 cm; cowhide replaced; a pitch post added | 「没有音准，也没有音量」 |
| ⭐ 1st | 1973 | snare-drum skin → python skin | ⭐⭐ A downpour. Performing in the Xilingol steppe, 「天空突降倾盆大雨，而牧民们仍然一动不动地坐在草地上欣赏他的独奏」 →「雨水打湿了马头琴的定音鼓面，声音开始嘶哑进而失声」. The practical reason: 「蟒皮不怕潮湿，它能跟交响乐团合作 10 分钟不跑弦；原来 5 分钟就跑弦」，so accompanists declined |
| ⭐ 2nd | 1982 | python → paulownia wood face | ⚠️ The first attempt failed. He arrived with 20 yuan, spent 12 on the train ticket, and commissioned the box; 「指挥说变成了 18 元钱小提琴的声音了，不是马头琴了」. He went back: 「木面太厚了，得弄薄，薄了以后声音才能出来」 — that afternoon the sound came out |
| ⭐ 3rd | 1996 | white pine sound box | in ensemble, tutti, concerto and with symphony orchestras the tone improved dramatically, 「极具穿透力」 |
⭐⭐ What the three have in common: none of them began with an idea about what would be better — each began when something broke. Rain spoiled the drum skin → python. Python slipped → wood. Wood was too thick → make it thinner. Every time, "first it broke, then we changed it."
The third reform was not the instrument but the technique: techniques from the violin, erhu, sihu and cello, plus 跳弓 · 击弓 · 碎弓 · 抖弓 · 连跳弓 · 砍弓 · 连砍弓, and a scientific sorting of the old tunings and playing methods.
「我 16 岁在中央音乐学院学了小提琴以后，发现马头琴是太落伍了。我也要改！」
⭐⭐ "The only instrument that has a head"
「马头琴是成吉思汗留下来的。它是唯一有脑袋的乐器，有了脑袋就有了五脏，有了五脏就有了灵魂。」
⭐⭐ Everything else in this section is a box, a neck, strings and a bow. Only the matouqin has one more thing at the top: a carved horse head — in two forms, a galloping horse and a standing one. It is not decoration; it is where the instrument's name and its entire origin story come from.
Origin legends (both given as legend only): a herdsman named Suhe took his dead white horse's leg bone as a post, its skull as the box, its tail hair as strings, and carved a head in the horse's image; and the version Qi Baoligao accepts, in which the old herder Ochir makes the whole instrument from a bay horse's bones, skin and tail.
⚠️ He also offers a third: 「我为了寻找马头琴的起源还去了故宫，在那里发现了2500 年前库莫奚部落的奚琴」, and that 「马头琴被带走后，意大利才做出了小提琴」. — ⭐ Place and date are recorded exactly as the source gives them; they are not asserted as history.
⭐⭐ Starting a matouqin orchestra
In 1986 he proposed a matouqin troupe, gathering skilled players from every arts organisation in Inner Mongolia; ⭐ 「费了九牛二虎之力，才将这些演奏员的弓法 · 节奏 · 指法统一起来」. The ensemble became the Qi Baoligao Yema Matouqin Troupe — the world's first matouqin orchestra. On 20 June 1989 the Chinese Matouqin Society was founded in Hohhot, with him as president.
⭐⭐ Note the difficulty in 「统一弓法 · 节奏 · 指法」: every player had a system handed down by their own teacher. Bringing two dozen people from their separate habits onto one page took 「九牛二虎之力」.
Recap in one table
| Q | A |
|---|---|
| ⭐ The key point | ⭐⭐ the bow hair does not pass between the strings — it plays outside them; ⭐ hence two pitches at once; tone 「柔和 · 浑厚而深沉」 |
| ⭐ The second exception | ⭐⭐ skin on both faces of the box (the others skin only the front) → thicker, darker tone |
| Strings | ⭐ "two strings" is inexact — each is a sheaf of dozens to 100+ filaments; too many hard, too few soft; horsehair → nylon → metal |
| Tuning | g–c¹ (common) · d¹–a · d¹–g; the reform raised the tuning by a fourth |
| ⭐ Practical detail | ⭐⭐ keep the hair and the string at right angles; ⭐ the little finger reaches under the outer string |
| Form | trapezoidal box, skinned front and back, head carved as a galloping or standing horse, two strings |
| Names | Mongolian 「潮尔」/「胡兀尔」; in northeast Inner Mongolia also 「潮尔」 |
| ⭐ Three reforms | 1973 python (rain spoiled the drum skin) · 1982 paulownia (⚠️ first version too thick — "sounded like an 18-yuan violin" — until thinned) · 1996 white pine; the third reform was technique |
| Legacy | Qi Baoligao (b. 1944 · teacher Sangduleng · studied violin at 16) · the world's first matouqin orchestra |
| Repertoire | ⭐ 《Wanmapengteng》 (silver for composition, gold for performance, 1979; now obligatory) ·《Suhe's White Horse》·《Erdos Plateau》 |
| Heritage | 2006-05-20, first national intangible cultural heritage list (II-35) |
| Bayin | leather (it is skinned) |
The previous page showed the sihu splitting its bow hair in two to get two notes out of one bow; this page shows the matouqin not needing to do anything of the sort — its bow is outside the strings by nature. ⭐⭐ One goal, two opposite solutions: one gains it from a bow that happens to be outside, the other handcrafts it from a bow that sits inside.
Listen in the library
All tracks from midicn-lib — inline badge is the license tier (C1 commercial / C2 non-commercial / C3 study only).
Sources
- ⭐⭐ 本批第 57 条主线：整个拉弦段唯一的例外 —— 「马头琴的定弦有多种，因较细的琴弦张在里弦，较粗的弦张在外弦，所以常以反四度关系定弦为 g · c¹，有时也以正四度关系定弦为 d¹ · a，正五度关系定弦为 d¹ · g」；⭐⭐ 最关键的一句：「拉奏方法也与其它拉弦乐器不同，琴弓的弓毛不夹在里 · 外弦之间，而是在两弦外面擦奏，所以它具有独特的音色，柔和 · 浑厚而深沉，拉奏起来特别洪阔 · 低沉而豪放，富有草原风味」（北京乐器学会资料）—— ⭐⭐ 一句话就把马头琴从二胡、板胡、高胡、中胡、革胡、坠胡、椰胡、四胡全部分开了：那八件的弓毛都在两弦之间，只有它的弓在外面
- ⭐⭐ 形制（双面蒙皮是它最突出的特点）：琴身斜方型（梯形） · 双面蒙皮（一说马皮 · 羊皮，后改蟒皮 · 桐木板 · 白松木面）· 琴箱用硬杂木作框板（最初用一整块木刳制，后以四块木板拼成梯形）· 皮面彩绘民族图案 · 琴头雕刻精细的马头（奔马与立马两种造型，或直接雕出或雕好粘上）· 琴杆为半圆形柱状体 · 前平后圆，正面为指板，上端设山口，下端装入琴箱上下框板的通孔 · 两侧横置两个弦轴（左右各一，称"把子"，轴柄有圆锥形/八方形/瓜棱形/扁耳形，表面刻直条瓣纹）· 皮面中央置木制桥形琴码 · 两条马尾弦（各由数十根至百百余根长马尾合成）· 琴弓用藤条或木料作弓杆 · 两端拴马尾依北京乐器学会与方志类资料
- ⭐⭐ "习惯上称它为两根弦是不确切的" —— 「每根弦都是由数十根至百余家组成的一撮弦」，一般「高音 d¹ 弦可用 0.15 规格的尼龙丝 90 根，低音弦 a 可用 0.15 规格的尼龙弦 130 根」，⭐ 「过多则硬，过少则软，都会影响马头琴的音色」依中国网草原文化资料
- ⭐⭐ 演奏姿势与手位（最实用的一段）：坐姿，将琴箱夹于两腿之间，琴杆偏向左侧；左手虎口自然张开，拇指微扶琴杆 —— ⭐ 低把位用食指 · 中指的指甲根部顶弦，无名指 · 小指采用指尖顶弦（⭐「小指在演奏中非常重要，它常从外弦下面伸进去顶里弦」）；高把位因音位距离很小，各指都以指尖按弦；右手执弓「以虎口夹住弓柄，食指 · 中指放在弓杆上，无名指和小指控制弓毛」；⭐ 「运弓中，弓毛和琴弦要保持直角状态」依北京乐器学会资料
- ⭐⭐ 音色与表现力：音色「柔和 · 浑厚 · 淳美 · 深沉，富有浓郁的地方特色」（一说「柔和 · 浑厚而深沉」「特别洪阔 · 低沉而豪放」）· 现代马头琴「音色接近人声，柔美圆润，擅长表现抒情 · 和缓的曲调」· 「是适合演奏蒙古民族古代长调的最好乐器」，「能够准确地描绘出蒙古人的生活环境和内心感受，如辽阔的草原 · 呼啸的狂风 · 悲伤的心情 · 奔腾的马蹄声 · 欢乐的牧歌」依百科与方志类资料
- ⭐⭐ 齐·宝力高三次改革（本批最硬的一段，且都是他本人亲述）：① 1973 年随内蒙古歌剧团到锡林郭勒草原演出，天空突降倾盆大雨，牧民仍一动不动坐在草地上欣赏，「雨水打湿了马头琴的定音鼓面，马头琴的声音开始嘶哑进而失声」→ 萌生用蟒皮做琴面的念头（「蟒皮不怕潮湿，它能跟交响乐团合作 10 分钟不跑弦；原来5 分钟就跑弦」，所以人家不愿意给你伴奏）；② 1982 年托内蒙古歌舞团乐器厂厂长兼制作师段廷俊改梧桐木面（他自述当年带 20 元、火车票 12 元、剩8 元）——⚠️ 首次做出来「指挥说变成了18 元钱小提琴的声音了」，遂把木面弄薄，「下午两点钟的时候，声音出来了」；③ 1996 年发明白松木面马头琴；⭐ 第三次改革是演奏法：「对西洋音乐比较了解的齐·宝力高在马头琴演奏法里加进了小提琴 · 二胡 · 四胡 · 大提琴及原来没有的跳弓 · 击弓 · 碎弓 · 抖弓 · 连跳弓 · 砍弓 · 连砍弓等技术」，并将传统演奏法中的多种"定弦法"与"演奏法"以科学的态度进行分类，使之逐步规范依人民日报口述史与传承人报道
- ⭐⭐ 师承与身份：齐·宝力高（1944 年生 · 蒙古族 · 1944— ）为第二批国家级非物质文化遗产项目"蒙古族马头琴音乐"代表性传承人，1958 年考入内蒙古艺校（艺术学校）；「没有恩师桑都楞就没有我的今天」，16 岁在中央音乐学院学了小提琴（⭐ 「我16 岁在中央音乐学院学了小提琴以后，发现马头琴是太落伍了。我也要改！」）依人民日报报道
- ⭐⭐ 马头琴合奏开先河：1986 年他向团长打报告、把内蒙古各艺术团体的马头琴手集中训练，⭐ 「费了九牛二虎之力，才将这些演奏员的弓法 · 节奏 · 指法统一起来」，几个月后队伍诞生 → 艺术团命名为齐·宝力高野马马头琴乐团（世界上第一支马头琴乐团）· 1989 年 6 月 20 日中国马头琴学会在呼和浩特市成立，齐·宝力高任会长依人民日报与方志类资料
- ⭐ 作品：《万马奔腾》（1979 年国庆三十周年文艺演出作曲银奖 · 演奏金奖，「如今已成为了马头琴演奏场合的必奏曲目」）·《鄂尔多斯高原》·《回想曲》·《草原连着北京》·《初升的太阳》·《苏和的白马》·《大草原》·《蒙古舞曲》·《苍狼记》·《命运》·《天驹》·《奔腾的野马》·《心灵之歌》；另有《鄂尔多斯的春天》（桑都仍曲）·《草原新歌》（达日玛曲）依人民日报与方志类资料
- ⭐⭐ 起源传说（两版并列）：① 「相传有一名叫苏和的牧人为纪念死去的心爱小白马，取其腿骨为柱，头骨为筒，尾毛为弓弦，制成二弦琴，并按小马的模样雕刻了一个马头装在琴柄的顶部，因以得名」；② 齐·宝力高最为认同的版本：牧人梦见枣骝马让他用马的骨头和皮做琴 → 老牧人奥其尔以枣骝马的骨做共鸣箱/琴杆/琴轴、皮蒙共鸣箱、细尾做弦和弓、腿骨刻成马头装在琴杆上；⭐ 他本人另有说法：「我为了寻找马头琴的起源还去了故宫，在那里发现了2500 年前库莫奚部落的奚琴」，并称「马头琴被带走后，意大利才做出了小提琴」—— ⚠️ 属地与年代按来源原样记录，勿作史实断言
- ⭐ 命名与叫法：蒙古语称「潮尔」「胡兀尔」；「莫林胡兀尔（马头胡琴）」在内蒙古地区称马头琴，在东北地区的呼盟 · 哲盟叫「潮尔」；⚠️ 属地按来源原样依百科与方志类资料
- ⭐ 非遗与流派：2006 年 5 月 20 日（一说 2009 年 4 月）蒙古族马头琴音乐经国务院批准列入第一批国家级非物质文化遗产名录（编号 II-35）· 马头琴制作技艺亦为国家级非遗项目；演奏流派有科尔沁派 · 土尔古特派等依方志类资料
- ⚠️ 涉外按来源原样：弓毛用「蒙古国的白马尾」· 高档琴指板用「缅甸产的硬度较高的乌木」· 面板「产自东部林区的白松」· 弓杆「弹性较好的巴西苏木」· 琴销往「内蒙 · 新疆及蒙古国 · 日本 · 中国香港」—— 写全为「中国香港」等依方志类资料
- 「马头琴蒙皮（马皮 · 羊皮 · 蟒皮），按八音分类属「革」」依八音分类惯例
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.