Material Selection and Craftsmanship for the Guqin Soundboard, and Key Points for Daily Care

The guqin soundboard is the top panel of the guqin body, and it is also the main resonating surface that produces sound when the strings vibrate. The soundboard as a whole is arched in a curve and fits together with the relatively flat bottom board, forming a hollow cavity inside; together they determine the timbre and volume of the guqin.

Traditionally, the soundboard is mostly made from paulownia or fir wood, and there is a long-standing folk saying of "paulownia top, catalpa bottom" and "fir top, catalpa bottom." In guqin making, emphasis is placed on selecting old wood with straight grain that has been thoroughly dried; the wood must undergo a long period of natural air-drying to reduce the possibility of cracking and warping later on.

The curvature and thickness of the soundboard are not completely uniform in different areas, and the guqin maker adjusts the depth of the cavity according to the characteristics of the wood so that the instrument's sound is relaxed, clear, and mellow. After the wooden body is completed, lacquer is applied: first a base layer of ash paste, traditionally made by mixing materials such as deer antler shavings with raw lacquer, and then layer upon layer of lacquer is applied and repeatedly polished.

Thirteen hui markers are inlaid on the soundboard, mostly made from materials such as mother-of-pearl, gold, or jade, and are used to mark the positions of stopped notes and harmonic notes. The crack patterns that form on the lacquer surface of old instruments over many years, such as plum-blossom cracks and snake-belly cracks, are regarded as marks left by time and are also one reference for judging the age of an instrument.

For daily care, the soundboard fears exposure to strong sunlight and dryness, so direct sunlight should be avoided, and it should not be placed near heating. Environmental humidity should be kept stable, and humidifying measures may be taken appropriately in dry seasons. When picking it up or putting it down, take care to prevent knocks and scratches. If it is not played for a long time, it can be wrapped in a qin bag. After playing, wipe sweat stains off the soundboard with a dry, soft cloth, and the lacquer surface will remain smooth and warm for a long time.