Bangzi ( wooden clappers)
1 min readThe bangzi or bangban (wooden clappers), is a wooden percussion instrument. Henan opera is also known as Henan Bangzi, after the bangzi that is used to mark the beat. A number of regional operas are also distin-guished by the use of the bangzi, and are included in the category of Bangzi opera. These include Shaanxi Qinqiang, Hebei Bangzi, and Shanxi Zhonglu Bangzi. The bangzi consists of two lengths of polished hard-wood of different sizes. The longer piece is cylindrical in shape, while the shorter piece is thicker with squared off edges. The clappers are played by holding the long, cylindrical piece in the right hand and using it to strike the short, rectangular piece, held in the left hand. The sound produced is clear and crisp, with a variable pitch. The wooden clappers are known not only as the characteristic rhythm-keeping instrument of various types of Bangzi opera. This instrument also often appears in instrumental folk ensembles and folk entertainments of various sorts, and is popular throughout Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Shanxi, and Shaanxi provinces.
The instrumental music of Chinese opera is generally provided by separate civil and martial orchestras.
However, comprehensive orchestras that flexibly combine the two categories may be used in some special situations. These groups are composed of the full spectrum of plucked and bowed string instruments,wind and percussion instruments.
