Erhu - China's Top Ten Ethnic Musical Instruments

The origin of the erhu can be traced back to ancient China. It is said that nomadic tribes on the grasslands first introduced the erhu as a traditional ethnic instrument in the Central Plains region of China. It is a plucked string instrument that is played by combining a bow with two strings. Its style is beautiful, fresh, and subtle, and has been passed down to this day, becoming an indispensable part of Chinese classical music. In some traditional festivals, weddings, and other occasions in China, the erhu plays an important role as a musical accompaniment.

In the 1920s and 1930s in Shanghai, the playing skills of erhu gradually developed independently. At that time, a group of erhu performers gathered together to advocate for the creation of new repertoire and promote the development of erhu art. At the same time, these artists also combined Eastern music aesthetics with Western music styles to form a unique "Shanghai organ music", which not only injected new vitality into erhu art, but also enabled erhu instruments to cross Chinese borders and step onto the international stage. In modern music, the mixed sonata of erhu and other instruments has also become a trend in the music industry today. Various types of music, from classical music, folk music to pop music, are closely related to erhu. The timbre of erhu can blend well with various styles of music, providing a broader space for the development of music.
The structure of erhu is relatively simple. It is a box made of two pieces of pine wood and a curved tail pole. On top of the box, a chord axis is fixed, which can be wrapped around a ponytail string. Under the box, there is a foot pad that can support the bow. The erhu is equipped with two strings that produce sound through instructions and wrist movements. The erhu uses a plucking device mounted on the waist, called the "qin code". The piano code ties their strings to a wooden block containing a shaft and a winding, with a wooden barrel underneath. The qin box itself is made of different types of wood (such as pine, fir, etc.) and is an important structural part of the erhu. The bow of the erhu is a very important structural part. The bow body is made of sheep bones, and both ends are decorated with ponytail persimmon wood. The bowstring is made of a ponytail and uses specific methods to help maintain a straight state. The back of the bow, which can bring numerical accuracy to the erhu, is also equipped with agate arrow pads. The arrow pads on the back of the bow can help musicians maintain stability and precision in erhu music.

In the exploration and innovation of erhu music, each generation of musicians has integrated their own spirit and emotions into it, making erhu music culture increasingly mature and contributing a lot to the development of Chinese music culture. Erhu has become one of the representatives of Chinese music culture and an important force in promoting the internationalization of Chinese music.