The Zheng in Taiwan, 1949–1979

In Taiwan, the zheng’s most notable and best understood history began after the Nationalists fled to the island under the leadership of Chiang Kai-shek. Liang Tsai-ping was possibly the most important and best-known zheng expert who emigrated to Taiwan in 1949. He expanded the international renown of the zheng, travelling to Europe and the United States over the course of many years. Liang composed new solo music for the zheng, but he adhered to traditional zheng playing techniques and continued to use a type of zheng with sixteen metal strings and tuning pegs inserted vertically into the soundboard. Changes to the zheng’s repertory, technique, and structure implemented on the mainland were largely unknown in Taiwan until the early 1970s because direct imports from the mainland were forbidden. Taiwanese zheng musicians began to learn of these changes through third parties, including musicians from Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore.