Wuxi's music gala carrying forward millennial string melody to the world

A group of renowned erhu performers take the stage on July 2 with erhu instruments crafted by Wuxi master luthiers Lu Linsheng and Wan Qixing.

To honor two great Wuxi erhu (two-stringed fiddle) luthiers Lu Linsheng and Wan Qixing, a host of renowned performers took to the stage with rare erhu instruments crafted by them on July 2 at Wuxi Symphony Hall, in tribute to the two late masters.

Performing classic erhu pieces as well as cutting-edge original works, they delivered an extraordinary musical feast brimming with traditional heritage and contemporary vitality.

Wan's erhu boast rich, mellow tones as sweet as misty rain in the Jiangnan region, while those made by Lu produce loud, resonant and transparent sound with consistent timbre across all registers. Devoting their lives to the craft, they transformed blocks of wood and python skins into instruments capable of conveying the innermost emotions of the human heart for more than half a century.

Prior to the performance, celebrated erhu virtuosos including Chen Jun, Tang Feng, Song Fei, Zhu Changyao and Deng Jiandong picked out erhu made by the two masters. They traveled from all corners of the country to pay profound homage to the two luthiers through their bows and strings.

The grand folk orchestral version of Chuyu, an original composition made by online celebrities Ma Yunfei and Yang Li, received its world premiere at the concert, marking a collaboration between premium erhu instruments and popular music.

Ma said that the piece originated from his livestreaming studio. Once a viewer requested Yutangchun, a traditional Chaoshan folk tune. After he played it live, the work garnered an avalanche of positive feedback. Ma has long held an affection for folk music from all regions of China. Coupled with the popularity of Chaoshan culture recently, he came up with the idea of rearranging Yutangchun into a folk concerto.

"Most people have a fixed impression that the erhu only sounds somber and sorrowful. We take the opposite approach, focusing on light, dynamic melodies to break such stereotypes. Young people make up the bulk of today's audience; playing only age-old classics will hardly draw them in. We cater to the aesthetic tastes of all age groups and perform what listeners love."

Xing Shumeng, a 13-year-old Wuxi girl, attended the concert with her grandparents that night. Though she studies the pipa (four-stringed lute) instead of the erhu, she is curious about the instrument. Her favorite piece was Tang's Yun Qing Feng Wu (Clear Clouds and Dancing Wind), whose gentle, soft melodies bear striking similarities to the pipa music she practices.

"About two-thirds of my classmates are learning musical instruments, including the erhu, piano, guzheng (Chinese zither) and bamboo flute. I hope to become a pipa soloist and perform on stage someday," she said.

Virtuoso Tang said that the Meicun erhu has evolved into an iconic cultural brand. Its thriving development hinges on three inseparable pillars: local natural resources, humanistic traditions and regional identity. The water-town culture of Jiangnan lends the erhu its unique suppleness, complemented by the fortitude of millennia-old Wu culture, yielding a timbre that blends softness with strength.

"Modern erhu craftsmanship and uniform tonal quality have advanced tremendously compared with decades past. Today, all erhu practitioners share a common mission: to carry this soul-stirring sound worldwide and win global audiences' affection for the instrument," Tang said.

In 2011, Meicun village was awarded the title of "Hometown of Erhu in China" by the Chinese Musicians Association. In October 2025, Wuxi became China's first city to be designated a UNESCO City of Music. Drawing strength from its reputation, Wuxi has fostered innovative folk music development. As it builds itself up, the millennium-old string melody stands as an enduring cultural pillar of the city.

Meicun now boasts a large-scale industrial cluster for erhu production. Around 5,000 Meicun-made erhu are exported to Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas every year. The Meicun Erhu Industrial Park in Wuxi, a living intangible cultural heritage exhibition hall, is open to visitors all year round. It showcases more than 100 ancient erhu-making procedures and hosts numerous music competitions and galas.

To boost erhu performance, Wuxi has launched high-standard folk music brand events. It has held the annual Beautiful Meili New Year Folk Music Concert for eight consecutive years. In 2025, Meicun was designated a pilot site in Jiangsu province for bringing high-quality cultural resources under the Jasmine Blossoms initiative. The district has cultivated regional cultural landmarks and rolled out a residency program for artists. More than 80 premium performances were staged throughout the year, reaching more than 100,000 audience members in total.

In terms of music education and popularization, local authorities invite young musicians to Meicun to learn erhu craftsmanship and performance. A comprehensive folk music inheritance system has also been established, covering most of the primary and secondary schools in the area. The district has introduced permanent master teaching posts in villages and study tour programs at intangible cultural heritage workshops. These measures encourage erhu-making families to pass the craft down through the generations.