The Tale of Jade and Sandalwood

I. The Small Ruan

During the Han dynasty, numerous equestrian musical instruments were introduced to China. In the second year of Emperor Wu's Yuanding era (115 BC), Zhang Qian was sent as an envoy to the kingdom of Wusun (now the Uzbek people). The king of Wusun, Kunmi, entered into marriage relations with the Han court, and before the Wusun princess's departure, Emperor Wu commissioned skilled craftsmen versed in music to create a new instrument suitable for playing on horseback. Drawing inspiration from instruments such as the qin, zheng, zhu, and the lying konghou, they designed an instrument with a circular sound box, a straight neck, twelve frets, and four strings. This instrument is known as the Ruan, and it has a history spanning over two thousand years.

1. It is said that this is a particularly valuable small Ruan—just look at the sheen of that rosewood, how alluring!
2. Regrettably, I haven't found any photos of classically dressed or elegant women playing the small Ruan; this is all I have, so please make do. In the painting, the woman on the far left is holding a Ruan, though it is a medium Ruan—the small Ruan is several sizes smaller and appears far more delicate and exquisite. Frustratingly, I couldn't find any musical pieces for the small Ruan online. Alas, I worry that such a fine classical instrument might gradually be lost to history.

II. Holy Trinity Church, Shanghai

The Holy Trinity Church was designed by renowned architects from Britain and completed in 1869. Built with red brick both inside and out, it