Se, according to ancient books, is a stringed musical instrument that has twenty-five strings. This Wooden Se is a copy of one unearthed at Changtaiguan, Xinyang. The nodes, lowly positioned, consist of two lines which require the deft coordination of both hands when performed. The scene of Se playing exhibited by the painted bricks of the Han Dynasty also shows this. Se can convert to different tones conveniently with the color codes unchanged. Se is able to play  the crisp, high pitched tones, bright mediant ones, as well as vigorous, and saturated bass notes.

The Se sounds beautiful being plaed both solo and as part of ensemble. In ancient times there were numerous musicians good at Se and Sheng, a reed pipe wind instrument: Confucius learned to play the Se from Shixiang, in the State Wei. Shiwen of the State Zheng really enjoyed listening to the Se, like many oher prominent historical Chinese persons.

There is a famous Chinese story involving the Se: a towering mountain, rushing water and close friends. The story has passed   from generation to generation. According to the ancients, “Fuxi made the Se, and the Qin.” Fuxi, the mythical ancestor of the Chinese nation, was also the God of Music. As the verse goes, “The crying deer is taking duckweed in the field; and on my part, the distinguished guests are playing Se and Sheng.” The melody of strings resembles running water, chirping phoenix, or a south wind, or possible full moon. It instructs us to live in the full-bodied fragrance of nature.