Name: Sanxian.
Type: Chordophones > Lutes >
Hornbostel-Sachs No#: 321.322.6
Country: China and diaspora communities.
Region: Far East Asia.

Description: The sanxian [in Chinese: 三弦 In Pinyin: sānxián lit. “three strings”] is a lute having its origins in China. The name and its spelling change from place to place throughout the Chinese diaspora where it is played outside of mainland China. The Chinese diaspora including North America, Europe, South East Asia etc. In Indonesia the sanxian is called the samyan whose name is derived from the Hokkien name sam-hiân.

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