This Day, That Year: Nov 5

Editor's note: This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of New China.

On Nov 5, 1980, a violin made by Chen Jinnong from the Guangdong Musical Instrument Factory was awarded the gold medal for tone quality at the US International Violin Making Competition.

Since then, China has emerged in the top tier of violin-making countries. Unlike European countries with hundreds of years of violin-making history, China's progress in the endeavor has been relatively recent.

The country began sending violin makers to study abroad in Italy and Germany in the early 1980s.

In October 1983, a violin by Dai Hongxiang, a technician at the Beijing Violin Factory, was awarded top prize at the Louis Spohr International Competition for Violin-making held in Kassel, West Germany, as seen in this item from China Daily.

Lyu Siqing was the first Asian violinist to win first prize in the prestigious Paganini International Violin Competition in Italy in 1987.

In 1988, master violin maker Zheng Quan established the Violin Craft Research Institute attached to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.

Now, six music conservatories have set up violin-making courses.

In 1983, Zheng became the first Chinese student to attend the Cremona International Violin Making School in Italy.

He has won more than 20 awards at international competitions and served as the first judge from China at the Violin Society of America Competition in 2008.

He has also founded the China International Violin and Bow Making Competition, which is held every three years.

The latest edition of the competition, in May in Beijing, attracted more than 200 violin makers from nine countries.

China has become the top violin maker, and produces more than 70 percent of the world's stringed instruments.

Apart from factory-made instruments, China has also been catching up in the fine instrument market for advanced and professional players.