Paiban


The paiban is a clapper made from several flat pieces of hardwood or bamboo, which is used in many different forms of Chinese music. There are many different types of paiban, and the instrument is also referred to as bǎn, tánbǎn, mùbǎn, or shūbǎn. Typical materials used for the paiban include zitan, hongmu, or hualimu, or bamboo, with the slats tied together loosely on one end with cord. It is held vertically by one hand and clapped together, producing a sharp clacking sound.
When used together with a small drum the two instruments are referred to collectively as guban. Somewhat confusingly, the clapper is sometimes also referred to, without the drum, as guban.
When used as part of a guban, the paiban is used in several genres of shuochang, as well as in Beijing opera, kunqu, and Yue opera. It is also used in instrumental music, such as Jiangnan sizhu Chaozhou xianshi, Sunan chuida, nanguan, shifan luogu, and Shanxi batao.