| As usual, I had an audience when I made this drawing. In this case it was one of the older waitresses. She got agitated when I drew the piba, and pointed at the neck of the instrument, where the two short rods penetrate it. I had drawn them symmetrical, centered, and the same length. She got me to take a closer look and I saw this was a mistake. So, to her satisfaction, I erased the rods and redrew them asymmetrical, non-centered and different sizes (slightly). When he was done, Pu Chen Qing was kind enough to write his name down on the drawing so I wouldn't forget who I had been drawing. I like the music from these instruments. Whenever I hear a snatch of this music, I am immediately transported in memory to these six stressful weeks spent in Suzhou. |
