We know many musical instruments well, such as pianos, violins and drums. What about the erhu? The erhu is a traditional Chinese instrument. It is the most popular of the huqin family, and it has a long history.
The modern erhu developed from the Xiqin, which was played by many ethnic minorities (少数民族) during the Tang Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty, musicians began to use the erhu to perform different kinds of music, and it became quite a popular instrument. With the rise of some forms of folk art, the art of the erhu developed quickly during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It became an important accompanying (伴奏) instrument in different folk music. At present, it is used in both traditional and modern music, such as in pop, rock and jazz. It has even become a solo (独奏) instrument. One of the most famous musical pieces played on the erhu is Erquan Yingyue.
As the erhu was mainly played by common people and the playing skills were passed down orally (口头地), there are few written records about the erhu that can be found. To study the history and the development of the erhu, historians (历史学者) usually turn to ancient paintings. The earliest pictures of this instrument were found in Yulin Caves and Eastern Thousand Buddha Caves in Gansu Province, where five erhu pictures were discovered on mural (壁画).
【小题1】When did the
erhu become a popular instrument?
| A．In the Tang Dynasty. | B．In the Song Dynasty. |
| C．In the Qing Dynasty. | D．In recent years. |
【小题2】To study the history of the
erhu, historians usually ________.
| A．play the most famous erhu pieces |
| B．listen to different kinds of folk music |
| C．get help from ancient paintings |
| D．read some books about ethnic minorities |
【小题3】Which is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The huqin belongs to the erhu family. |
| B．Folk art stops the development of the erhu. |
| C．People can find plenty of written records about the erhu. |
| D．The erhu is used in both traditional and modern music now. |
【小题4】You may read the passage in the ________ section of a newspaper.
| A．culture | B．business | C．health | D．nature |
