Chinese Yueqin Moon Lute. Traditional Chinese plucked string instrument recognizable by its circular wooden body and short fretted neck. It is a lute family instrument, typically featuring four tuning pegs and four strings.

Size: 23 1/2 x 14 x 2 1/2 in.

The yueqin, often called the “moon lute” because of its round, disc-like body, is a Chinese string instrument that sits somewhere between the delicate pluck of a pipa and the more resonant slide of a ruan. Its short neck and relatively few frets give it a warm, mellow voice—not flashy, more like the sound of someone speaking quietly in another room. Historically, it showed up in both folk music and regional opera troupes, especially in places where theatrical storytelling lived close to everyday life. The instrument’s form is deceptively simple, but small changes in wood, construction, and technique can shift its tone in surprisingly intimate ways, which makes it a favorite for musicians who value nuance over sheer volume. It’s an instrument that carries the quality of moonlight: soft, slightly distant, but full of quiet presence.

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