China
Chinese

Wood, porcelain, horsehair, metal stings, bone, reptile skin
ca. 19th century
Length: 32 inches
Chordophones – Lutes

This is a Chinese blue and white porcelain “erhu,” with a decorative and symbolic finial on top in the shape of a dragon.  The erhu is signed in Chinese logographs (characters) on the neck by the two pegs.  Known as the Chinese violin in the West, this erhu comprises a long neck with two tuning pegs located at the top and at the bottom is a small six-sided (hexagon) box.  This resonator box is covered on the front (playing) end with python skin with a minute bridge for the strings.  The two strings are attached from the pegs to the base, and a small loop of string is placed around the neck and strings acting as a nut pulls the strings towards the skin.  At the back is a decorative resonator opening.  The erhu bow is made of bamboo with horsetail hair that threads through the two strings when played. 

Porcelain has found use in the music industry, with its use tied to the history of Jingdezhen, the Porcelain Capital of the world in southeastern China.