Scott No: 3176-80
Serial number: 2002-4
Values in set: 5
Denomination: 5.80 yuan
Date of issue:23rd February 2002
Designer: Yin Huili
Size of stamps: 30*40 mm
Perforation:12
Sheet composition: 20
Printing process: offset
Printer: Shenyang Post & Telecommunication Printing Works

A stringed instrument produces tones through the vibrating strings, while the bow is drawn across them, together with the reconating body. It is acknowledged that this class of musical instruments, with a lot of varieties, appeared quite late in the history of musical instruments. Their history in China dates back to the Tang Dynasty, when Yazheng and Xiqin appeared, and the Song Dynasty, when Maweihuqin appeared. With the improvement and increase in variety of stringed instruments through more than a thousand years of development and evolvement, they became indispensable master ad accompany instruments in traditional Chinese operas and music. With rich expressiveness and outstanding imitating features, they display unique charm in solos and are popular among the Chinese people.