The yangqin or 'foreign qin' is a hammered instrument with a trapezoidal box, played using bamboo sticks. The lacquered wooden cover of this yangqin is painted with bamboo, a popular Chinese motif symbolising resilience. The instrument is believed to have been adapted from a Persian dulcimer known as 'santur' and came into use in China from the late Ming period (c.17th century). It first gained popularity in the Guangdong region, before it was accepted throughout China. This instrument originally belonged to the Er Woo Amateur Musical and Dramatic Association, which was formed in 1912 by a group of Teochew businessmen in Singapore. The Association sought to promote Han opera and music, which originated in the Chinese province of Hubei in the 16th century.
