Suwen Musical Instrument by Shanghai Yitong Cultural Communication Co.,Ltd. is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 Bronze A' Design Award in Musical Instruments Design Competition Category.
BronzeMusical Instrument· 2026
Suwen Musical Instrument
by Shanghai Yitong Cultural Communication Co.,Ltd.
Client: Shanghai Yitong Cultural Communucation Co.,Ltd.
Bronze A' Design Award Winner in Musical Instrument Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #180049The Design
About Suwen Musical Instrument
Suwen is a guqin, a traditional Chinese stringed instrument, reinterpreted for modern playing. The form follows the Tang dynasty qin kept at Horyuji Temple. The soundboard is made of aged cedar or paulownia, and the back is made of catalpa. The base layer blends deer antler ash and raw lacquer. An acoustically engineered interior cavity gives the compact body the tone and volume of a full size instrument. A matte grain lacquer finish creates a dry, non slip surface. A widened string anchor at the tail eases finger movement for beginners and for players with smaller hands.
The Recognition
About the Bronze A' Design Award
Suwen Musical Instrument is a Bronze A' Design Award winner, a highly prestigious recognition granted to outstanding designs distinguished by creativity, ingenuity, and astuteness. Bronze winners are amply skillful and strikingly creative artifacts that authenticate the vast experience, imagination, and resourcefulness of their designers. Suwen Musical Instrument is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished object that is notably professional and innovative. This Bronze A' Design Award-winning design incorporates best practices in art, science, design, and technology, and is excellent for its attention to detail. Suwen Musical Instrument splendidly satisfies needs, touches desires, charms feelings, and appeals to curiosity.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- This product echoes the classical elegance of the Tang dynasty qin at Horyuji Temple and is reimagined for modern playing. Innovatively, its compact body produces rich, expressive sound that meets professional standards, without sacrificing portability. Its matte grain lacquer finish remains dry and non slip. Details like the widened string anchor at the tail and the tuning pegs honor classical aesthetics yet serve modern practicality. Altogether, this instrument is timeless yet made for today.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- 1100mm*150mm*45mm
- Tags
- based on the Tang dynasty qin at Horyuji Temple, matte grain lacquer finish, portable, acoustically optimized, performance grade sound quality, full sound presence in a compact body, widened string anchor at the tail, contemporary reinterpretation of traditional instruments
- Production Technology
- The soundboard is crafted from aged cedar or paulownia over one hundred years old, with catalpa for the back. The base layer blends deer antler ash and raw lacquer using ancient methods, contributing to a resonant, open tone with rich harmonics ideal for performance. Furthermore, a proprietary matte grain lacquer finish creates a dry, non slip surface that enhances finger glide across the strings. The lacquer is also environmentally friendly and excels in water resistance and enduring beauty.
- Design Challenge
- The challenge is balancing how professionals and the public see the guqin. Experts value strict adherence to the historical form, while most users favor practical improvements. To bridge this gap, every modern refinement, such as the size and lacquer finish, stays within Tang dynasty aesthetics. The look remains true to tradition, and with use, the instrument delivers the rich tone and volume rivaling a performance grade full size qin, fulfilling both cultural respect and functional progress.
- Research
- The design solves key problems in traditional guqin use. Full size models are hard to carry and difficult for beginners, while smaller qins lack volume and tonal depth. Glossy lacquer finishes are often slippery, and standard shapes suit smaller hands poorly. The design echoes classical charm of the Tang dynasty qin at Horyuji Temple, while using acoustical engineering to achieve the volume, sound projection, and nuanced tone of a performance grade qin, enhancing both practicality and comfort.
- Inspiration
- This instrument draws on three key inspirations. The name Suwen evokes the exchange between the player and the qin in the stillness of night, embodying inward reflection central to Eastern thought and forming the spiritual core of this instrument. Its shape follows the Tang dynasty qin at Horyuji Temple, preserving its serene dignity. Based on the insight that greater smoothness does not mean smoother play, the matte grain lacquer finish prevents slipping or sticking from hand perspiration.
- Project Duration
- The design and development of this qin lasted from September 2022 to August 2024 in Shanghai. It debuted in May 2025 at the Contemporary Masters Qin Making Exhibition of the 2025 Yueyang Guqin Art Festival.
- Operation Flow
- Thoughtful refinements fully enhance the playing experience. An acoustically engineered interior cavity delivers the tonal volume and richness of a performance grade full size qin within a compact body, not merely increased volume. A widened string anchor at the tail and optimized proportions make finger movement across the strings easier, especially for beginners and players with smaller hands. The matte grain lacquer finish provides a non slip surface, improving control during performance.
- Team Members
- Ding Liang
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