Zhangu
Encyclopedia
Zhangu or war drum, is a Chinese musical instrument. It is similar to the Tanggu(堂鼓)
in appearance, but is lower in pitch. Also known as the Biangu (扁鼓). it was an instrument used in ritual music and also popular with traditional wedding bands.
are 270mm, 330mm, 400mm, 46mm and 54mm and the height of the drum are usually 170mm, 200mm, 240mm, 300mm and 340mm.
The drumhead is usually made of wood and leather; there are 2 to 4 metal rings at the waist of the drum. The player uses one or two sticks to play the drum.
The Zhangu needs two men when played in the army march, with one man carrying the drum on his back and the other playing behind the first man.
war drum was called Guangu(罐鼓) in the ancient times, also known as Dagu(大鼓) or Jungu(军鼓). Nowadays this instrument is still popular among the eastern area of Inner Mongolia
.
Mongolian war drum has long history dating back to Genghis Khan
(1162-1227), it had been popularly used for ritual ceremony and warfare. The Italian traveler and merchant Macro Polo wrote in his The Travels of Macro Polo
about the Mongolian military matters: "before they go to a battle, all soldiers wait for the sound of the Guangu from their commander. When the commander’s drum played, most of the soldiers will play their own instruments and sing".
There were cylinder-shaped and cone-shaped Mongolian war drums, the cylinder drum was placed on war chariot
, while the cone drum was played by soldiers on the horses .
Tanggu (drum)
The tanggu is a traditional Chinese drum from the 19th century...
in appearance, but is lower in pitch. Also known as the Biangu (扁鼓). it was an instrument used in ritual music and also popular with traditional wedding bands.
Appearance
Zhangu has many different sizes according to its functions, generally, the diameter of the drumheadDrumhead
A drumhead is a membrane stretched over one or both of the open ends of a drum. The drumhead is struck with sticks, mallets, or hands so that it vibrates and the sound resonates through the drum.-History:...
are 270mm, 330mm, 400mm, 46mm and 54mm and the height of the drum are usually 170mm, 200mm, 240mm, 300mm and 340mm.
The drumhead is usually made of wood and leather; there are 2 to 4 metal rings at the waist of the drum. The player uses one or two sticks to play the drum.
The Zhangu needs two men when played in the army march, with one man carrying the drum on his back and the other playing behind the first man.
Mongolian War Drum
The MongolianMongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
war drum was called Guangu(罐鼓) in the ancient times, also known as Dagu(大鼓) or Jungu(军鼓). Nowadays this instrument is still popular among the eastern area of Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia
Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located in the northern region of the country. Inner Mongolia shares an international border with the countries of Mongolia and the Russian Federation...
.
Mongolian war drum has long history dating back to Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan , born Temujin and occasionally known by his temple name Taizu , was the founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire, which became the largest contiguous empire in history after his death....
(1162-1227), it had been popularly used for ritual ceremony and warfare. The Italian traveler and merchant Macro Polo wrote in his The Travels of Macro Polo
The Travels of Marco Polo
Books of the Marvels of the World or Description of the World , also nicknamed Il Milione or Oriente Poliano and commonly called The Travels of Marco Polo, is a 13th-century travelogue written down by Rustichello da Pisa from stories told by Marco Polo, describing the...
about the Mongolian military matters: "before they go to a battle, all soldiers wait for the sound of the Guangu from their commander. When the commander’s drum played, most of the soldiers will play their own instruments and sing".
There were cylinder-shaped and cone-shaped Mongolian war drums, the cylinder drum was placed on war chariot
Chariot
The chariot is a type of horse carriage used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples. Ox carts, proto-chariots, were built by the Proto-Indo-Europeans and also built in Mesopotamia as early as 3000 BC. The original horse chariot was a fast, light, open, two wheeled...
, while the cone drum was played by soldiers on the horses .