Zither named 'Flowing Water', 1794, Nakamura Sōtetsu, 3 × 32 3/8 × 5 3/8 in. ( × × cm), Wood with black lacquer and mother-of-pearl inlay; silk tassels, Japan, 18th century, The seven-stringed zither, called kin in Japanese, has been played in China (where it is called qin) for at least 3,000 years. It was introduced to Japan by the 700s and was a common instrument in the cultural sphere represented in The Tale of Genji. This example of a kin was created by an artist of the celebrated Nakamura family of lacquerers, all of whom used the given name Sōtetsu.

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Photo credit: © Penta Springs / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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