Village in C China's Henan cultivates thriving musical instrument industry

Out of the 105 households in Xuchang village, situated in Guyang township, Lankao county, Kaifeng city, central China's Henan Province, 90 households are involved in the production of national musical instruments and accessories. The products cover 20 categories and over 30 series. The industry's annual output is worth 120 million yuan ($16.8 million).

"I have been involved in the trade for over 30 years. Ten years ago, I made the decision to venture into entrepreneurship and start my own business," said Xu Yushun, operator of a store which sells guqin, a traditional seven-string Chinese zither.

Two villagers play national musical instruments in Xuchang village, Lankao county, central China's Henan Province, March 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)

Xu further explained, "During that period, more than half of the households in the village were engaged in the craft of making national musical instruments, and they have a positive outlook on the industry's growth potential."

In the 1960s, Lankao county began planting paulownia trees as an effective measure to combat desertification. Today, the county is actively promoting the development of national musical instrument manufacturing, utilizing paulownia trees as a catalyst for rural revitalization.

Paulownia wood, renowned for its exceptional sound transmission, resonance, and durability, was acknowledged as the perfect material for crafting musical instruments in the 1980s. Consequently, the musical instrument industry in Xuchang village thrived, prompting an increasing number of villagers to shift from carpentry to the art of luthiery.

A villager makes guzheng in Xuchang village, Lankao county, central China's Henan Province, March 25, 2023. (Xinhua/Zhang Cheng)

Guyang township is actively promoting the integrated development of musical instrument manufacturing, tourism and culture. The village kicked off the construction of a national musical instrument industrial park. A commercial street, which is a part of the first phase of the industrial park, has attracted over 40 renowned musical instrument companies to set up their base.

"This year, we have seen a notable surge in orders, and have been receiving a steady flow of visitors," said Xu. He added that the workshop is able to manufacture over 700 musical instruments each year, including the guqin, worth nearly 3 million yuan.

The national musical instrument industry has emerged as a pivotal sector in Lankao county. The county boasts of 219 musical instrument production companies and support enterprises, collectively producing and selling over 700,000 musical instruments annually, along with more than 5 million sets of soundboards and accessories. The industry's annual output is worth over 3 billion yuan.