Jinse (simplified: 锦瑟, traditional: 錦瑟, pinyin: jǐnsè, jyutping: gam2 sat1), literally “brocade se,” refers to a se (瑟) — an ancient Chinese stringed zither, often with twenty-five or fifty strings. The word jin (锦) means “brocade” and suggests something ornate or precious. The jinse is famous from Li Shangyin’s poem 《锦瑟》 (Jǐnsè), which uses the instrument as a metaphor for memory and loss.
Usage
In Sword of the Yue Maiden and other wuxia or historical fiction, jinse may appear in descriptions of court life, banquets, or scenes of longing, evoking classical culture and the emotional tone associated with the instrument in Chinese literature.
See also
- Yaoqin — Another stringed instrument term
- Sword of the Yue Maiden concepts