The pipa is a four stringed Chinese musical instrument, (belong) to the plucked (拨弦的) category of instruments. Sometimes called the Chinese lute, the instrument has unique pear shaped wooden body with a varying number of frets (琴格) ranging from 12 to 26 The pipa is one of the most popular Chinese instruments and (play) for almost two thousand years in China.
In China, plenty of music and stories are associated this instrument. The most popular one is about a beauty (call) Wang Zhaojun. It is said that Wang Zhaojun began a journey northward (marry) a nomad (游牧民族) ruler She left her hometown on horseback on a bright autumn morning and along the way, the horse neighed (嘶鸣), making Zhaojun (extreme) sad and unable to control her emotions. As she sat on the saddle, she began to play sorrowful melodies on a stringed instrument. A group of (bird)flying southward heard the music, saw the beautiful young woman riding the horse, immediately forgot to flap their wings, fell to the ground From then on, Zhaojun acquired the nickname "drop birds" or "luoyan". Later, the melody, was played on the saddle, was regarded as Zhaojun's Lament (《昭君怨》) and the stringed instrument was commonly described as a pipa.
