????A black stone instrument,
believed to be 3,000 years old and still able to produce a clear
sound, was recently found by a farmer in Zhouzhi County, northwest
China's Shaanxi Province.
????The stone instrument was identified
by an archaeologist as a "qing," an ancient musical
instrument.
????The stone, 56 cm long, 2.5 cm thick,
and weighing 6.2 kilograms, is of primitive simplicity, and
has no special decorative pattern, with just a small hole
on it to hang it up.
????Archaeologist Han Mingde said the stone,
found in Zhouzhi, which was a highly developed region during
China's Shang and Zhou dynasties about 3,000 years ago, was
probably an imperial instrument used in ceremonies.
????The "qing," either made of
stone or jade, was an important ancient musical instrument
and first appeared in China before BC1600. The finding will
make an important contribution to the research of Chinese
musical history, said experts.
????(Xinhua 03/06/2001)
