its wooden body is normally decorated with intricate hand-drawn drawings. The sound produce by it usually sound higher key than the datanggu. Repertoire Some of the well-known pieces for Chinese orchestra were originally composed in the 1930s until the interruption due to the Second Sino-Japanese War and Chinese Civil War, and the period from the fifties until the mid-1960s before the Cultural Revolution disrupted cultural activities. Experimental pieces were composed in the early days of Chinese orchestra, an example of the earliest compositions for the Chinese orchestra with triadic chordal progression, Spring on the Lake (湖上春光), was composed by Tan Xiaolin (譚小麟) in the 1930s. Numerous compositions for a modern Chinese orchestra have been added to the repertoire since the 1980s. Such music composed generally follows the rules of traditional Chinese modal harmony, even if the music has become less pentatonic and more chromatic. One example of such modern compositions is The Great Wall Capriccio (长城随想, Chángchéng suíxiǎng), a concerto composed in 1981 for erhu by Liu Wenjin. Many of the popular early pieces for Chinese orchestra are based on folk music and other traditional genres. They may be originally traditional or solo pieces for Chinese instruments or written for Western orchestra, but later rearranged for a Chinese orchestra. A notable figure is Peng Xiuwen who was appointed conductor and director of Central Broadcasting Station Orchestra in 1956, and who rearranged many compositions for the Chinese orchestra. Some modern Chinese orchestras have also adapted contemporary Chinese popular songs as well as Western classical and pop music in their performances. The following are examples of pieces written for large modern Chinese orchestra. These musical works may utilise Western musical composition techniques, as well as the inclusion of Western instruments like cello, double bass, harp and Western percussion. This is not a complete list of all musical works written for modern Chinese orchestra. Earlier pieces Recent compositions Musical works that are written for modern Chinese orchestra are influenced by the musical structures, composition techniques, music theories, etc. of Western orchestral music. These compositions include parts scored for Western instruments, such as cello, double bass, harp and Western percussion. As mentioned above, the development of the modern Chinese orchestra itself in the 20th century was based on the foundation laid by the Western symphonic orchestra. The following are examples of famous pieces written for modern Chinese orchestra. Notable Chinese orchestras China Broadcasting Chinese