Jinghu (Spike Fiddle), China, ca. 1850 Click on images below to see larger images NMM 1529. Jinghu, China, ca. 1850. Two-stringed fiddle. Smallest member of the huqin family, used to double the voice in Beijing Opera, where it is favored for its bright timbre. This jinghu, with a wooden neck and bamboo resonator, differs from those traditionally made with both bamboo resonator and neck. Horsehair bow (missing) passes between the strings like the erhu. Python-skin head. The prominence of snakeskin in the manufacture of Chinese musical instruments, as well as its use for food and in traditional medicines, has resulted in legislation that mandates the use of farmed snakes in place of those captured in the wild. Bridge and pegs are facsimiles. Arne B. Larson Collection, 1979. Front, Back, and Side Views of Body Chinese Characters Painted on Resonator Go to Annotated Checklist of Musical Instruments From East Asia on Display at the NMM National Music Museum The University of South Dakota 414 East Clark Street Vermillion, SD   57069 ©National Music Museum, 2007 Most recent update:   December 6, 2007 You are the 355th visitor to this page since November 27, 2007. The University of South Dakota Return to Top of Page