Workers at Hao Yun Musical Instrument in Queshan, Henan province, make violins. [Photo by Liu Yukun/chinadaily.com.cn]
It may hard to believe that about 2,600 farmers in a small county of Henan, Central China are actually the dreamweaver of millions of violin lovers across the world.
But indeed, those 2,600 farmers in Queshan county, Henan province, have produced about 80 percent of middle- to high-end violins, and 40 percent violins, violas, and cellos in China. Their products are sold in many countries including Italy, the US, Germany, and Spain.
"I'm very happy to see clients asking for violins specifically handcrafted by me, making me feel appreciated," Han Yanli, a luthier at Queshan-based Henan Hao Yun Musical Instrument, said. Han has been making violins for over 10 years.
Another luthier at Hao Sun shared similar feelings. "I'm proud of my job. Who can believe a bunch of farmers, who have no knowledge of staves, have produced such a large portion of violins across the world," Jiang said.
Introduced by a fellow from the Queshan county, Jiang came to Beijing in 2001 and found a job at Hao Yun. Now he has become an experienced luthier and was promoted to director of the department.
Just like Jiang, many people from Queshan county found jobs in Beijing, where the payment was much higher, through introductions by their fellow farmers.
Their journey dates back to the 1980s, when a batch of farmers from Queshan quit working on crops and came to Beijing to work in violin handcrafting studios to make more money. They have continued to introduce their relatives and friends to Beijing for the same job.
Workers at Hao Yun Musical Instrument in Queshan, Henan province, make violins. [Photo by Liu Yukun/chinadaily.com.cn]
Local government has certainly taken notice. In 2015, Queshan launched a series of preferential policies targeted at luthiers who were from Queshan but worked in Beijing. The goal was to attract them to start violin-related businesses in their hometown to boost local economy, and create more job opportunities. In the same year, about 60 luthiers came back to Queshan and started their own violin businesses.
Hao Yun, where both Han and Jiang are working, is one of the companies that relocated from Beijing to Queshan.
"Local government has many supportive policies, like waiving off rent fees for our factory and tax cut. That is one of the reasons we came back, but moreover, we want to run a business that does good not only for us but also for more people in our hometown," Guo Xinshe, general manager of Hao Yun, said.
To date, Queshan is home to 102 violin manufacturing factories, which have offered job opportunities to over 2,600 people, according to local government
Alongside Hao Yun's relocation from Beijing to Queshan, Jiang also moved back to his hometown with his wife, who is also a luthier.
"Working in my hometown is much easier and more comfortable that that in Beijing. I have time to take care of my parents and my children, but back in Beijing, I was only able to visit home once or twice a year. The salary is pretty much the same, at about 10,000 yuan per month," Jiang said.
Workers at Hao Yun Musical Instrument in Queshan, Henan province, make violins. [Photo by Liu Yukun/chinadaily.com.cn]
Hao Yun Musical Instrument in Queshan, Henan province. [Photo by Liu Yukun/chinadaily.com.cn]
Hao Yun Musical Instrument in Queshan, Henan province. [Photo by Liu Yukun/chinadaily.com.cn]
