In the American film Up in the Air(《在云端》), as main character George Clooney walks through an airport, people can hear the sound of a Chinese musical instrument-erhu. The smooth sound seems to bring a sad and lonely feeling to those who hear it.
Actually, erhu is very popular in Western movies. Many music writers and directors feel that this instrument can add color and feelings to their films. In the movie Pirates of the Caribbean(《加勒比海盗》) and Hua Mulan, erhu music can be heard. Erhu music also appeared in Kungfu Panda Ⅲ. When people watch these movies, they also enjoy the special music of erhu.
Erhu is often called Chinese violin, but in many ways they are different. Like the violin, erhu is a stringed (有弦的) instrument made of natural wood and played with a bow, but the violin has four strings and erhu has only two. The sounds made by each instrument are different.
Erhu was invented in Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907). In Chinese characters, "Er" means two, because it has two strings; and "hu" means the western area of China, which is the Silk Road area.
In Chinese folk music, erhu is well-known for its sad and blue sounds. The most famous piece is Erquan Yingyue. It was written by a musician who was born blind, and lived most of his short life as a homeless person.
The music Erhu creates is close to our hearts. As an American director said, "I used the erhu in my movie though it has nothing to do with Chinese culture. I just wanted to show that the instrument has the ability to express deeper feelings like a violin."
