Sanshin

A lute-type plucked string instrument found in the Ryukyu Islands, including Okinawa and Amami. Jabisen is its common name on the mainland. It is a similar instrument to the shamisen, but is slightly smaller, with a total length of about 75-80 cm, and snakeskin or tannin paper stretched on both sides of the body. It has no sawari technique. The three strings are made of silk, and are called the uujiru, nakajiru, and mijiru from lowest to highest. The tuning is mostly honcho, which is a fourth or fifth from lowest, but niagicho, which raises the middle string by one tone, and sansagicho, which lowers the female string by one tone, are also used. There is also ichiagicho, which raises the male string by a third (halfway between a major third and a minor third). It is played with a large finger-shaped giko on the index finger. In Amami, bamboo sticks are used.

The sanshin is thought to have been introduced to Okinawa from China and improved upon, but the exact time of its introduction is unknown. In Okinawa, under the protection of the imperial court, it became a central musical instrument used primarily as an accompaniment to singing. The musical score used is a kandokorofu (instrumental notation) called kunkunshi. It was also introduced to the Amami Islands from Okinawa, where it became widely used as an accompaniment to traditional shimauta (island songs). The playing style is more detailed and decorative than in Okinawa.

[Ryūji Uta]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

沖縄、奄美(あまみ)など南西諸島のリュート型撥弦(はつげん)楽器。蛇皮線(じゃびせん)は本土での俗称である。三味線(しゃみせん)と同系の楽器だが、やや小さく、全長約75～80センチメートル、胴の両面に蛇の皮や渋紙を張る。サワリのくふうはない。3本の弦は絹製で、低いほうから男弦(ウージル)、中弦(ナカジル)、女弦(ミージル)とよばれる。調弦は低いほうから4度、5度にとる本調子が大半だが、中弦を1音上げる二揚(ニアギ)調子、女弦を1音下げる三下(サンサギ)調子も用いられる。ほかに男弦を3度（長3度と短3度の中間）上げる一揚(イチアギ)調子もある。人差し指に大きな指型の義甲をはめて弾奏する。奄美では竹ひごを使う。

　三線は、中国の三弦が伝来し沖縄で改良されたものと考えられるが、渡来時期は不明。沖縄では宮廷の保護の下、もっぱら歌の伴奏楽器として音楽の中心的存在となった。楽譜には工工四(クンクンシー)という勘所譜(かんどころふ)が使われる。奄美諸島にも沖縄から伝来し、伝統的な島歌(しまうた)の伴奏楽器として広く普及した。奏法は沖縄に比べて細かく装飾的である。

［卜田隆嗣］

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