History Tidbits of the Guqin 古琴

This is a brief introduction to the history of the Chinese classical plucked string instrument - the "Guqin" 古琴. In my soon-to-be-published historical novel "Tales of Ming Courtesans", one of the protagonists, famed courtesan Liu Rushi 柳如是, is a skillful guqin player, apart from being a brilliant poetess and painter. In one scene, she smashes her guqin, which is a gift from one client, in a blinding fit of fury.
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How would one compare the Guqin with the Pipa?
The Guqin is an idealist who tries to capture the outside world through poetic eyes. The sound of the Guqin is deep, sensual, and with carrying power. The music it expresses is subjective.
The Pipa is a realist who takes the world as it is and a good storyteller. The sound of the Pipa can be striking as thunderclap, roaring like waves, as well as sad like mist or joyful like snowflakes. The music expressed is objective.