Americans are fond of referring to their country as "the greatest nation on earth". Until recently, I didn't believe any country deserved that description. But today I think there is a strong contender for the title.

China is the world's oldest living civilisation. It has recovered from over a century of colonial oppression and lifted its citizens out of poverty. As its growth continues, China is poised to become the world's largest economy and a technology leader that is second to none. By 2030, I believe it will be an indisputable fact that China is the greatest nation on earth.

I need to understand China, from a Chinese perspective. This is my journey.

Saturday 10 July 2021

The 二胡 Èrhú - A Stringed Instrument That Pulls At The Heartstrings

One of the most soulful musical instruments I have heard is the Chinese stringed instrument called the 二胡 èrhú （"two strings").

"Rain in Jiāng Nán"
From our previous post on Chinese province names, we can see that 江南 jiāng-nán means "South of the river".

The èrhú hasn't gone unnoticed by the rest of the world. The popular Bollywood song "Suraj hua maddham" features the instrument right at the start.

You can't unhear it once you become conscious of it.

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