The pilgrimage to trace the roots of the Chinese fiddle was the idea of He Xiang, the group's leader and organizer of the trip. For He, learning about the history of the instrument can help performers and teachers alike, and further, is a cultural responsibility.

A group of erhu learners from Qingdao, Shandong province pull up a banner to commemorate legendary Wuxi erhu musician Hua Yanjun in Wuxi's Chong'an Temple. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

This year, He finally realized his dream, planning a journey across China to seek out the country's rich erhu culture.

The group spent just 24 hours in cities such as Shanghai, but their visit to Wuxi lasted a full three days.

"Erhu learners all know that Wuxi is the home of the instrument, and so this is the most important stop during our trip," He explained.