A luthier's unique skill for making erhu fiddles

Liu Shirui runs a small instrument shop in a quiet lane in Jining, Shandong Province. Entering his shop, people are always stunned by the variety of erhu fiddles hanging on the walls. The 54-year-old luthier comes from a carpenter family and said his unique skill of making erhu fiddles has been handed down in his family through gen erations. With a history of more than 1,000 years, the erhu is one of the most traditional and important Chinese musical instruments. Although it only has two strings, it has a wonderful tone and can convey a wide range of emotions. Liu started to learn carpentry from his father at the age of eight. Even during military service, he never gave up practicing his craft. Since retiring from the army in 1982, he has devoted himself to erhu-making. The process is quite complicated, Liu explained. In his workshop, there are more than 200 tools of different shape, size and function. "Details determine success or failure. Every single step in making an erhu requires extreme ca re and caution. The slightest mistake can mean a lot of work going to waste," he said. Liu's erhu fiddles are made of superior materials, including sandalwood, rosewood, and python skins with black lines and spots on them; many of the materials are inherited from his ancestors. The price of an erhu fiddle is decided by the materials and manufacturing cycle, varying from 700 yuan (about US$102) to 10,000 yuan (about US$1,450), explained Liu, adding that he can usually finish four or five instruments a month. Based on years of experience, Liu's erhu fiddles are full of fine workmanship and have an accurate tone. They are well received by customers, with supply often falling short of demand. In the past 40 years, he has made over 10,000 fiddles for clients coming from all parts of the country. Liu regards the instruments as his own children. "I have devoted myself heart and soul to them. To me, every sound they make is the most beautiful musical note in the world," he said. Source: china.org By Li Jingrong from China Travel & Tourism News http://ift.tt/1iB6EFm