The afterglow of the setting sun spilled into the mottled factory building through the window, and the sound of chisels was ding ding dong dong; erhu parts were piled up in different categories, and the ground was littered with wood and semi-finished products; a dozen craftsmen performed their respective duties, burying their heads in preparation for the upcoming completion. The Erhu is polished and painted...

Located in Zhuangji Village, Beiqiao Street, Xiangcheng District, Suzhou City, Suzhou Xiangcheng District Jiangnan National Musical Instrument Factory is so simple that it seems to make people smell the taste of time. Two strings, one bow, contains infinitely changing rhythm and delicate and long complex.

"Post-60s" Yu Huifang has been with Erhu for more than 20 years. Before that, he worked as a carpenter for 8 years, which not only honed his craftsmanship, but also gave him a strong interest in studying wood. Whether it is flowers, birds, insects or fish or classical furniture with complicated styles, as long as Yu Huifang thinks about it carefully, it can always be vividly displayed.

As the "leader" of the musical instrument factory, Yu Huifang said that her relationship with the erhu was "unintentional". In 1989, Yu Huifang worked as a deliveryman in a musical instrument processing factory and began her relationship with the erhu. In the spare time of delivery, he learned to try to make erhu with his craftsmanship as a carpenter. It didn't take long for him to make half-finished erhu with the same quality as the processing factory, which was affirmed by the technicians in the factory. So, the processing factory placed a batch of orders for him. Since then, Yu Huifang and his wife have started a OEM career for nearly 10 years.

As time passed by day by day, Yu Huifang's erhu making skills became more and more mature, and by 1998, she was well-known in the circle. He recruited 3 experienced masters, established his own business, and began to "solo".

Although it is only a small workshop, Yu Huifang led everyone to strive for excellence in raw material selection and design and production, and strengthened sales and after-sales service, gradually forming a complete production chain. "From the time of buying back a piece of log, it must first be dried for 2 to 3 years; then it will be processed into semi-finished products through more than 200 processes such as chopping, sawing, planing, chipping, filing, engraving, drilling, reaming, grinding, etc.; It will take more than a year, and finally skinning, painting, assembly... every process can be called an artistic creation." Yu Huifang said.

Yu Huifang is carrying out the preliminary processing of erhu parts.

In 2002, the musical instrument factory was transformed from a self-employed to a private enterprise, and became a designated manufacturer of the national erhu, with an annual output of nearly 50,000 erhus, accounting for about 10% of the national market share.

In 2014, energetic "fresh blood" was injected into the musical instrument factory. Yu Huifang's son Yu Xiaowei returned from his studies in Canada and started a new "entrepreneurship" with his father.

Yu Xiaowei, born in 1987, is mainly responsible for the production and design of musical instruments. In his view, the aesthetic concepts and ideological values expressed by handicrafts will change with the times, and the design and production must also keep pace with the times. "Combining ancient traditional craftsmanship with modern techniques and modern design, combining with actual life and fashion needs, stimulates new vitality through modern expression." Yu Xiaowei said.

Yu Xiaowei is making erhu.

At present, the musical instrument factory covers an area of 3 acres and has about 20 workers. In addition to erhu, it has also developed a variety of products such as sand balls, banhu, and allegro. Yu Huifang said that more and more people are beginning to like ethnic musical instruments, and many schools have opened musical instrument classes, and the orders in the factory are too late to make.

In order to protect and inherit the craftsmanship of erhu, in 2021, Yu Xiaowei will be identified as the representative inheritor of the eighth batch of intangible cultural heritage projects in Xiangcheng District. "my country's broad and profound traditional culture provides a source of creativity for modern handicraft production. Next, the musical instrument factory will promote the integration of traditional craftsmanship and intelligent manufacturing, and stimulate young people's interest in traditional craftsmanship." Yu Xiaowei said.