The sound chamber of the qin is constructed with two boards of wood, typically of differing wood types. The slightly rounded top board (soundboard) is usually made of tong wood 『桐』, the Chinese parasol tree, or Chinese paulownia.
The qin's soundbox is constructed with two wooden panels, often featuring contrasting woods. The rounded upper panel (soundboard) is typically fashioned from tong wood, a type of Chinese parasol tree, or Chinese paulownia.