Thezhonghu (Chinese:中胡;pinyin:zhōnghú), short forzhongyin erhu (Chinese:中音二胡;pinyin:zhōngyīn èrhú;lit. 'altoerhu') is a low-pitchedChinese bowedstring instrument. Together with theerhu andgaohu, it is a member of thehuqin family. It was developed in the 1940s as the alto member of the huqin family (similar in range to the Europeanviola) to increase the pitch range of the instruments used in aChinese orchestra.^[1]

Thezhonghu is analogous with the erhu, but is slightly larger and lower pitched. Its body is covered on the playing end with snakeskin. The instrument has two strings which are generally tuned to the interval of afifth, to A and E or to G and D (this latter tuning equivalent to the violin's lowest two strings). It has a deep, mellow sound similar to that of the cello.

ComposerJeremy Zuckerman has used theZhonghu in critically acclaimed shows' music such asAvatar: The Last Airbender andThe Legend of Korra. Specifically, he has said in the podcastSong Exploder that along with theerhu, theZhonghu was used in The Legend of Korra's series finale music.^[2]

• Huqin
• Music of China
• String instruments
• Traditional Chinese musical instruments

• Video of Xiaohui Ma playingzhonghu (click "Video:Ma Xiaohui Tells the Story of Her Erhu" to watch)