Instruments
Erhu
The erhu is a Chinese stringed instrument, played with a bow and ultimately descended from the same Middle Eastern roots as the Western violin family. It has two strings and is played upright from the back like a cello, balanced on the knee of a seated player. The body of the erhu is almost cube-shaped and is made of wood and snakeskin, with a tall, thin neck attached. The biggest differences in technique between the erhu and Western viols are that both sides of the erhu bow are used (and must be rosined), and that the strings are not pressed all the way down to the neck. Instead, pitch is controlled by subtle bow and finger pressure -- a difficult art to master. The erhu is used in a variety of Chinese ensemble genres, both folk and classical, and it is also heard in Chinese opera.