The ' ( Chinese : å ç ; pinyin : gÇ '' qÃ n ; Wade-Giles : ku-ch ` in ; literally `` ancient stringed-instrument '' ) is the modern name for a plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument of the zither family . The guqin ( simplified\/traditional : å ç ; pinyin : gÇ '' qÃ n ; Wades-Giles ku-ch ` in ; ; literally `` ancient stringed instrument '' ) is the modern name for a plucked seven-string Chinese musical instrument of the zither family .