Handcrafted violins, violas, and cellos
from Guangzhou's master luthier lineage.
Founded 1991 · 27 VSA awards to date · Three generations of craftsmanship
Ming-Jiang Zhu (1956–2014) earned international recognition for Chinese violin making long before the category gained mainstream attention in the West. He received his first Violin Society of America Certificate of Merit in 1986, won VSA Gold Medals in 1994 and 2006, and was profiled by TIME Magazine in 1997. In 2008, he became the third Chinese luthier admitted to the Entente Internationale des Luthiers et Archetiers (EILA), the European association of master luthiers.
In recognition of his lifetime contribution to Chinese violin making, Ming-Jiang Zhu was posthumously honored as "Master of Chinese Violin Making" (中国提琴制作大师) by the China National Light Industry Council in December 2014 — a national-level distinction reserved for the foremost practitioners of traditional Chinese crafts.
The workshop continues under Wei-Xian Zhu, his first cousin (paternal cousin, 堂弟 in Chinese — son of his father's brother), who trained directly under Ming-Jiang Zhu from the workshop's earliest years. To date, instruments made at the workshop have earned 27 VSA awards across the careers of its luthiers.
Each instrument is handcrafted at our Guangzhou workshop using traditional methods and aged European tonewood.
From Master Grade to studio models, each violin reflects the workshop's southern Chinese tonal tradition.
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Violas crafted with deliberate attention to body size, resonance, and warmth across the registers.
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Cellos built for projection, depth, and the sustained singing tone valued by performers and orchestras.
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Located in Baiyun District, Guangzhou, China. Workshop visits and instrument viewings are by appointment.
For pricing, availability, custom commissions, or workshop visits, please contact us directly.