The Tang Dynasty was the golden period of Pipa, when it was played in court performances and on boats. During the year of Zhen Yuan (785-81k1), a grand pipa competition was held in Chang'an. People from Dongshi and Xishi put up decorated archways along Tianmen street. Famous pipa player, Kang Kunlun, known as "the number one court player" appeared on the Dongshi stage. He played a new tune , winning applause from the Dongshi audience. Shortly after his performance a gorgeously dressed lady appeared on the Xishi stage. Carrying the pipa in her arms she declared:“I am going to play in the same key but with a different melody." Her skilled fingering dazzled the audience and the beautiful music won admiration and applause. Kang Kunlun was surprised and admired her skills. He ran to the stage and asked the lady be his teacher. Unexpectedly, the "lady" who appeared after changing her clothes was actually Duan Shanben, a monk performer from the Zhuangyan Temple. Later on Duan accepted Kang as his student. Their disciples included Li Guan'er among others. Pipa players came forth in large numbers during the Tang Dynasty. Apart from Duan Shanben and Kong Kunlun, other famous players included Cao Miaoda, Lei Haiqing and the three generations of pipa players, Cao Bao, Cao Shancai and Cao Gang.
The pipa not only features in the national pipe and stringed instruments ensemble but is also noted as a major traditional stringed instrument of southern Jiangsu Province. It can be heard in Guangdong music, in the stringed music of Chaozhou and in the Nanyin music of Fujian. Pipa is used as an accompaniment in some local operas of the south and in storytelling and ballad singing in the Suzhou dialect and also in the qingyin music and folk art of Sichuan.
