Wooden Drum with Tiger-shaped Stand: The Warring States Period, unearthed at Changtaiguan, Xinyang.

  

In the remote antiquity, the most frequently used percussion instrument was the drum. It is said the drum was invented by the Yellow Emperor. The story goes, when the Yellow Emperor was at war with Chiyou, he had 80 grand drums fashioned and ordered them to chorus, and the terrible sound of the deadening drums struck terror into the Chiyou people. The Wooden Drum with a Tiger-shaped Stand, the Wooden Drum with Phoenix-shaped Rack, and the Tiger-shaped Stand are the replicas of drums unearthed at a Tomb of the Warring States Period, Changtaiguan, Xinyang, Henan Province. Each drum stand consists of two crouching tigers positioned back-to-back. The tigers, are yellow-, red- and brown-colored, and decorated in a bear scale and cloud patterns. The drum rack is in the shape of a phoenix’s claw and is connected to the tigers’ back. It is a cloud-patterned bass drum of black and red, which is made from tung wood. The tall Wooden Drum with a Tiger-shaped Stand and the Wooden Drum with Phoenix-shaped Rack and Tiger-shaped Stand are the most conspicuous of the imitated antique musical instruments.

  

Drum is one of the most important percussion instruments in ancient China’s primitive society. There were a lot of legends concerning drums in ancient China; which one tells us that drums helped the Yellow Emperor defeat an enemy Dragon during a fight on the Central Plains. According to the records, the drums made by the Yellow Emperor, when knocked, sounded for 500 miles and intimidated the world”. In this way the drums played a decisive role in the battle. Until the Spring and Autumn Period, the forms of performing instrumental music had developed by a large margin, giving rise to not only sole performances, but also ensemble. “The Gold and the Stone Singing out in Harmony”, or “The Music of Chimes and Drums”, is the most representative, highlighting drums, chime bells, and stone chimes.

  

       This drum is a copy of the wooden drum unearthed at the No.1 Tomb, Changtaiguan. Each drum stand consists of two crouching tigers positioned back-to-back. The tigers, yellow-, red- and brown-colored, bear scale and cloud patterns. At the drum rack that has the shape of phoenix’s claw and is connected to the tigers’ backs is a cloud-pattern bass drum of black and red colors, which is made from tung wood.

  

  

\