Yaoqin (simplified: 瑶琴, traditional: 瑶琴, pinyin: yáoqín, jyutping: jiu4 kam4), literally “jade qin” or “precious qin,” refers to a fine or precious qin (琴) — the Chinese seven-string zither. Yáo (瑶) means “jade” or “precious.” The qin was one of the four arts of the Chinese scholar and is strongly associated with refinement and inner cultivation.
Usage
In Sword of the Yue Maiden and other wuxia or historical fiction, yaoqin may appear in scenes of court or scholarly life, evoking the cultural and emotional associations of the qin in Chinese tradition.
See also
- Jinse — Another stringed instrument term
- Sword of the Yue Maiden concepts