Zhonghu
The
zhonghu (中胡,
pinyin:
zhōnghú) is a low-pitched
Chinese bowed
string instrument. It is a member of the
huqin family together with the
erhu and
gaohu, and was developed in the 20th century as the alto member of the huqin family (similar to the European
viola) to be used in orchestras of Chinese traditional instruments.
The
zhonghu is the same as the erhu but is slightly larger and is lower pitched. Its body is covered on the playing end with snakeskin. The instrument has two strings, which are generally tuned to the interval of a
fifth, to A and E or to G and D (this latter tuning equivalent to the violin's lowest two strings).
*
Huqin*
Music of China*
Traditional Chinese musical instruments*
String instruments
