Iran Embassy in Beijing exhibits Iranian musical instruments

An exhibition of Iranian musical instruments is currently underway at the Embassy of Iran in the Chinese capital of Beijing.

A total of 47 different kinds of instruments, including kamancheh, dotar, tombak, santur, naqareh, tar, qanun, qeichak and robab have been put on display to mark the first exhibition of its kind in China. 

All of the instruments on view under the title “Taste of Music” have been crafted by master instrument makers from Iran’s southeastern Sistan and Balouchestan Province.

China National Radio quoted an Iranian visitor of the exhibition as saying that Chinese musicians can play Iranian musical instruments because of their similarities to some Chinese instruments.  

Another visitor to the exhibition also said to the China’s radio that, “I have never seen such a collection of 47 different models of Iranian music instruments together in one place. This could strengthen the cultural bonds between the two nations.” 

A Chinese visitor to the exhibition joined the interview and made a comparison saying, “Suona, the Chinese double-reed woodwind instrument is something like sorna, a wind instrument resembling bugle, or yangqin, [Chinese stringed instrument of the dulcimer] looks like Iranian santur.”

MM/FM