Sihu

A sihu on display at the Metropolitan Museum, with an erhu behind it

• Chinese/Japanese: 四胡 (sì hú / shiko)

The sihu is a four-stringed fiddle closely related to the more widely-known two-stringed erhu. Though occasionally played as part of the ensemble accompanying Beijing opera (jingju), the sihu is more closely associated with drum songs & dances, where it often accompanies other stringed instruments such as the sanxian, pipa, and yangqin.

References

• Gallery labels, "Beijing Opera Orchestra," Musical Instruments gallery, Metropolitan Museum of Art.