The Guzheng (pronounced "Goo-Jeng") is a plucked zither, related to the Japanese koto, Vietnamese dan tranh and the Korean kayagum. It is one of the most ancient Chinese musical instruments dating back to at least the Qin dynasty (about 220 BC). The guzheng is made of a wooden sound body with strings arched across movable bridges and usually has between 21-25 strings.The guzheng has been a popular instrument since ancient times and is considered as one of the main chamber as well as solo instruments of Chinese traditional music. Liu Fang, already established as one of the world's leading pipa players, has recorded her first album of solo guzheng music. The twelve tracks are traditional pieces for guzheng and folk melodies from various areas of China. Beautifully recorded, fantastically played, the guzheng has long been a part of Liu Fang's live performances. Now at last her exquisite playing can be enjoyed on a CD of pure quality.

Price:  £11.99

Wu Ru-jun is a virtuoso of the jinghu, a two stringed Chinese bowed fiddle. It is usually used to perform the melodies of Beijing opera, staying close to the vocal part. The two strings can be tuned in three ways within one and a half octaves. It is not normally performed solo, but on this CD Wu Ru-jun plays contemporary tunes on an album towards the new age end of the world spectrum.


Price:  £18.99

Jiang Ting is a Chinese pipa player from Inner Mongolia. She studied in Beijing and has been based in Japan since 1997. On this album her pipa (lute) is accompanied by the bowed stringed instrument, the erhu. She also sings occassionally on these twelve tunes written by both Chinese and Japanese composers.


Price:  £17.99

On her second solo album, Jiang Ting plays old Chinese and Japanese songs on the pipa.


Price:  £17.99

Teresa Teng (1953 - 1995) was one of a few singers to have become a star in many countries in East Asia. She was born in Taiwan, but her popularity spead particularly to Hong Kong as well as mainland China. She sang in Mandarin, Taiwanese Min-nan, Cantonese, Japanese and English.The first in a series of Teresa Teng compilations is of her earliest recordings. After her singing debut in 1967 in Taiwan she based herself in Hong Kong recording for Life Records in 1971. This is her first album.


Price:  £16.99

This is Teresa Teng's second album for Life Records. She is developing her own style of singing, changing from the young pop idle into a more mature singer.

Price:  £16.99

Third album released in late 1971. Teresa Teng is developing into a singer with a bigger range and scale.

Price:  £16.99