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Ancient Instruments Arrive at the Ethnographic Museum
The Ethnographic Museum's day dedicated to citeras on March 22, 2025 not only connects to the museum's temporary exhibition titled "Citeras, Ring Out Joyfully!" but also celebrates the fact that this already fascinating collection has been enriched with a unique Chinese exhibition section. The display has been expanded with rare ancient Chinese citeras and guqins reaching back thousands of years, which will be presented under the title "The Voice of Nature and the Human Soul from China – The Guqin Collection of the Chongqing Chinese Three Gorges Museum in Hungary." In the exhibition, alongside the beauty, sound, and artistry of the instruments insured for 3.2 billion forints, the spirituality, myths, and philosophical ideas connected to them also come to the fore, since the history of the guqin has been permeated from its beginnings by Taoist philosophy, harmonious coexistence with nature, and the principle of creating balance between humans and nature.
Although the earliest mention of the guqin dates to around the 11th century BCE, the oldest surviving such instrument is approximately 2,700 years old. The current exhibition features only younger descendants of it: for example, the guqin named Songxi Qianjing (harmony between pine and stone) from the Northern Song Dynasty period (960–1127 CE).
Visitors to Citera Day will thus be able to discover, alongside Hungarian citeras, similar instruments from around the world in the expanded exhibition, now also including the guqin, called the "father of Chinese music" or the "instrument of the sages." On the program day, beyond Hungarian citera music, minyo and Korean folk songs will resound accompanied by the kajakum, a Korean instrument likewise similar to the citera. Those interested in Chinese culture can also admire the beauty of the cheongsam, traditional Chinese women's clothing, and glimpse into the "tai chi fan" fitness style, which combines martial arts elements. The craft workshop "Guqin Silhouettes" showcases the art of Chinese paper cutting. Citeramaker Tibor Gáts will guide interested visitors through the world of Hungarian citeras, while ethnomusicology researcher József Birinyi reveals the connection points between peasant traditions and contemporary folk music innovations through citeras selected from his own collection. The event also connects to the Bach for Everyone Festival: in Klára Dudás's program, alongside Hungarian folk music, the great German composer also plays a role.
Exciting concerts await both adults and children, and children will also enjoy the interactive citera performance "Where Does It Grow...?"
The admission ticket costs just 2,500 forints, which is valid not only for the Citera Day programs but also for the current exhibitions of the Ethnographic Museum – the new collection exhibition, "Székelys – Legacy Patterns," the "Our Most Brilliant and Most Hungarian Scholar" – Herman Ottó, and the freshly opened temporary exhibition titled "Hungary in Color – Hidden Photographs from 1862," which showcases sensational images.
The Ethnographic Museum's day dedicated to citeras on March 22, 2025 not only connects to the museum's temporary exhibition titled "Citeras, Ring Out Joyfully!" but also celebrates the fact that this already fascinating collection has been enriched with a unique Chinese exhibition section. The display has been expanded with rare ancient Chinese citeras and guqins reaching back thousands of years, which will be presented under the title "The Voice of Nature and the Human Soul from China – The Guqin Collection of the Chongqing Chinese Three Gorges Museum in Hungary." In the exhibition, alongside the beauty, sound, and artistry of the instruments insured for 3.2 billion forints, the spirituality, myths, and philosophical ideas connected to them also come to the fore, since the history of the guqin has been permeated from its beginnings by Taoist philosophy, harmonious coexistence with nature, and the principle of creating balance between humans and nature.
Although the earliest mention of the guqin dates to around the 11th century BCE, the oldest surviving such instrument is approximately 2,700 years old. The current exhibition features only younger descendants of it: for example, the guqin named Songxi Qianjing (harmony between pine and stone) from the Northern Song Dynasty period (960–1127 CE).
Visitors to Citera Day will thus be able to discover, alongside Hungarian citeras, similar instruments from around the world in the expanded exhibition, now also including the guqin, called the "father of Chinese music" or the "instrument of the sages." On the program day, beyond Hungarian citera music, minyo and Korean folk songs will resound accompanied by the kajakum, a Korean instrument likewise similar to the citera. Those interested in Chinese culture can also admire the beauty of the cheongsam, traditional Chinese women's clothing, and glimpse into the "tai chi fan" fitness style, which combines martial arts elements. The craft workshop "Guqin Silhouettes" showcases the art of Chinese paper cutting. Citeramaker Tibor Gáts will guide interested visitors through the world of Hungarian citeras, while ethnomusicology researcher József Birinyi reveals the connection points between peasant traditions and contemporary folk music innovations through citeras selected from his own collection. The event also connects to the Bach for Everyone Festival: in Klára Dudás's program, alongside Hungarian folk music, the great German composer also plays a role.
Exciting concerts await both adults and children, and children will also enjoy the interactive citera performance "Where Does It Grow...?"
The admission ticket costs just 2,500 forints, which is valid not only for the Citera Day programs but also for the current exhibitions of the Ethnographic Museum – the new collection exhibition, "Székelys – Legacy Patterns," the "Our Most Brilliant and Most Hungarian Scholar" – Herman Ottó, and the freshly opened temporary exhibition titled "Hungary in Color – Hidden Photographs from 1862," which showcases sensational images.
As with other events or in other places, photographs and audio recordings may be made at this event. By entering the event, participants give their prior and explicit consent – without further question – to the recording and publication of their face and appearance as they may be recognizable in these recordings, for example for the purpose of promoting similar future events.
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