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 Certain forms are peculiar to special classes, like priests, traveling beggars or dancing-girls.

17.—Hindu Sarungi.

The characteristic instrument is the 'vina,' which is made in various ways, usually with a cylindrical body of wood or bamboo reënforced by 1-3 gourd resonators, and having 6-7 wire strings, played normally as a zither or lute, but sometimes with a bow. This shades off into the 'sitar,' which is a true lute, and many other related forms. Among the numerous viols, the 'sarinda' or 'sarungi' is typical.

Music in the several countries of southeastern Asia presents perplexing features in which Chinese, Hindu and Mohammedan elements are mingled. In Burma and Siam the connection is rather with India, while in Java the Chinese pentatonic scale is apparently dominant. Korea, of course, is connected with Japan and China. In each case there is a national system, often of great elaboration, but the details are comparatively unclear.

18.—Burmese Soung.

More or less characteristic instruments are, in Burma, the 'soung,' a 13-stringed harp with a boat-shaped body and a gracefully curved neck; in Siam, the 'ranat,' a good xylophone (to which there are analogues in China and Japan); in Java, the 'galempong,' resembling the Chinese 'kin;' and in Korea, the 'kamounko,' corresponding to the Japanese 'koto.' But in each country there are many other instruments of different classes.