accompaniment, as it tends to overshadow the sound of the melody instruments. It is more frequently used in plucked string ensembles and solos. Even when used in the orchestra, it is also attributed with the main melody. However, since the orchestral usage of the sanxian is lower as compared to the other instruments, sanxian players also take up a second instrument, which is usually the zhongruan. Sometimes yueqin are also included in this section. Guzheng (古箏) The guzheng is a Chinese plucked zither. Generally, it has 18 or more strings and movable bridges. Performers use picks to play this instrument and they are known as "daimao". Performers can play guzheng with both hands with different skills. There are usually a few guzheng members in a Chinese Orchestra, but it can also be played as a solo instrument. It emerged from the Warring period and became more popular since the Qin dynasty. Bowed strings (弦樂) The bowed strings section of the modern Chinese orchestra includes the gaohu (高胡), erhu (二胡), zhonghu (中胡), cello (大提琴) and double bass (低音提琴 or 倍大提琴). Certain compositions are scored for gehu (革胡) and diyingehu (bass gehu; 低音革胡) in place of cello and double bass respectively; however, the adoption of gehu and diyingehu is limited in Chinese orchestras around the world. In addition to the above-listed instruments, some musical works include parts for the banhu (板胡) or jinghu (京胡). Like the violins in Western orchestral music, the erhu part is often subdivided into erhu I and erhu II'. Huqin (胡琴) The huqin series of instruments in common usage consist of the erhu, zhonghu and gaohu. The gaohu (highest-pitched of the series) and zhonghu (lowest-pitched huqin) are proportionately fewer in numbers in the Chinese orchestra. The erhu forms the bulk of this section and is divided into distinct sections, known as erhu I and erhu II. These two sub-sections play either similar or vastly different melodies simultaneously, which is akin to the first and second violins in a Western orchestra. Occasionally, the concertmaster will play the banhu but it may not always be the concertmaster – an example is the piece Mang Chun (忙春), or jinghu, for instance in Zhao Ji Ping's Festival Overture (慶典序曲), if there is a solo part for it. There are various ways to play an erhu, such as bowing or plucking the strings. The uniqueness of the huqin series lies in how music