On the 28th, in a residential area in Xigong District, 69-year-old Wei Benli used an old erhu to play "Erquan Reflecting the Moon" at home. His gentle, easy-going and courteous temperament was slowly presented in the melodious tune of the erhu.

This is an old "long elbow erhu", made in 1958, with the barrel made of Indian lobular rosewood. In Wei Benli's view, this old erhu is a confidant, a hero, and a family heirloom. With this erhu, he was admitted to the Henan Opera Troupe, put on a green military uniform, and stepped onto the studio... It can be said that his life is inseparable from this erhu.

A string of relatives to build a musical dream

Wei Benli was born in Luohe in 1953. One day in October 1966, Wei Benli visited his uncle's house and saw that his cousin was playing the erhu. There are two strings on the rod, a teacup-shaped barrel under the rod, and a bow made of a ponytail. With the pressing of the cousin's fingers and the pulling of the bow, a melodious sound is issued.

The 13-year-old Wei Benli was fascinated by the beautiful melody and thought: How can there be such a beautiful voice in the world? Later, he learned that his cousin was playing the famous song "Horse Racing" at that time.

The song "Horse Racing" made Wei Benli and Erhu have an indissoluble bond, and he secretly built a musical dream in his heart. Knowing that Wei Benli wanted to learn erhu, his cousin readily agreed to teach him.

Under the guidance of his cousin, Wei Benli learned to hold the qin and play the empty strings. The erhu is a musical instrument with a high threshold. You cannot sit on a bench that is too high or too low. The erhu should be placed on the bottom of the left leg, and the body of the piano should be slightly tilted forward. Follow this string without pinning it, and the right wrist should swing rhythmically and naturally, without being rigid.

Cousin taught me earnestly, Wei Benli learned it carefully, the small erhu and thin strings opened the door to music for Wei Benli and led him into the world of music.

Get a pair of Erhu, love it every day

Talent and diligence have made Wei Benli's erhu playing level advance by leaps and bounds, and he often participates in some performances.

Later, Wei Benli met Teacher Han, who was nearly 20 years older than him. Mr. Han is good at playing the flute and can also play the erhu. He also has a red sandalwood erhu made in 1958. Wei Benli often goes to Mr. Han to play the erhu and loves it.

One day in 1967, Teacher Han gave the erhu to Wei Benli. Wei Benli was ecstatic. You must know that the price of this erhu was equivalent to five or six people's living expenses for a month. With his own erhu, Wei Ben looks like he has picked up a treasure. He doesn't let go every day, and even puts it by the bed when he sleeps.

At that time, there was no TV and no radio. As long as he heard the erhu music playing on the loudspeakers on the street, Wei Benli squatted down and listened carefully, then went home and picked up the erhu to imitate every note. With great musicality, he can remember every note.

Wei Benli learns to play Erhu, which is a kind of whole-hearted devotion and enjoyment. Before you know it, for a few hours, the music will attract many people to stop and listen.

Entered the Henan Opera Troupe and put on the green uniform

In 1969, the Luohe Henan Opera Troupe recruited students. Wei Benli moved the examiner with a piece of "Beijing's Golden Mountain" and was successfully admitted. The monthly living expenses were 21 yuan. When he received his salary for the first time, Wei Benli jumped up with joy: "I can make money too!"

One day in 1970, Xiao Lu, a student in the same troupe as Wei Benli, asked him, "Do you want to be a soldier?"

Wei Benli certainly couldn't ask for it. In that era, joining the army and becoming a soldier was the dream of every boy. Not to mention being a soldier, whoever wears a military cap, a green shirt, a pair of green pants, and a "armed belt" will attract envious eyes.

In the army compound, Wei Benli used the erhu to play the song "Beijing Has a Golden Sun", and the examiner immediately made the decision: "You have been admitted." In this way, Wei Benli put on the green uniform of his dreams.

In 1971, Wei Benli was transferred to Zhengzhou. The stage is bigger and the audience is bigger.

All luck is the foreshadowing of hard work

All luck is the foreshadowing of hard work; all success is the accumulation of hard work. This sentence is reflected most vividly in Wei Benli.

In 1973, he met a teacher who had a far-reaching influence on him - Li Xin, the chief erhu performer of the Henan Provincial Song and Dance Troupe. Under the careful guidance of Mr. Li, Wei Benli's erhu performance has become increasingly proficient. His style is pure, full of timbre, delicate and touching, and is deeply loved by the audience.

In the spring of 1974, Henan TV station recorded and broadcasted Wei Benli's erhu solo "Red Flag Canal Water Around Taihang" and "Happy Delivery of Public Grain". The director told Wei Benli: "You are the first actor on our TV station to broadcast an erhu solo."

In 1985 and 1992, Wei Benli made two third-class meritorious deeds. Later, he joined the Chinese Musicians Association, became a senior folk musician in Henan Province, and performed abroad many times. For every important performance, he brings the old erhu made of red sandalwood.

Erhu makes life better after retirement

Because of the erhu and music, Wei Benli's retirement life was lively, rich and fulfilling, and his weekly schedule was full. In the orchestra, Wei Benli and his colleagues rehearsed together, communicated with each other, and had a great time. In his spare time, Wei Benli also takes students with him. This kind of retirement life reminds Wei Benli of the words of Confucius: "To be happy and forget your worries, I don't know that old age will come to Yuner."

Today, after participating in many performances, Wei Benli will still take this erhu that has accompanied him for more than half a century. He also wrote a poem specifically for this old erhu:

A sweet voice and a good partner, who will stay with you until old age. Hongyan marched into the barracks together, and Baisi's dream was sweeter.

Good evening, moonlit night, rivers and rivers, horse racing gallops in the grasslands. Push away the troubles of the world, and pull out the infinite width of the world.

Lightly draw the bow and enjoy life, and sing with me for another hundred years!