In a recent blind sound test pitting Chinese violins against those made in Italy, the Phoenix OVD901 series violin from Taixing's Inneo International Instruments outscored several Italian models — the brand's third win in an authoritative blind test this year.
Phoenix violins are displayed at the 2026 Shanghai Spring International String Music Culture Week. [Photo/WeChat account: txfabu]
The instrument hails from Huangqiao, a thousand-year-old town in Taixing, Jiangsu province, that has been building violins since 1968. What began as a handful of parts workshops has grown into China's largest violin production base, home to 224 manufacturers churning out over 1 million violins and 1 million sets of parts annually. Products reach more than 90 countries and regions.
Violins hang from racks and cellos line the floor in a Taixing workshop. [Photo/WeChat account: txfabu]
Smart manufacturing is now the engine of growth. CNC machines carve bodies to 0.01-millimeter precision, while automated coating lines have tripled output. Industry-university-research partnerships have cracked core challenges in tone improvement and eco-friendly materials, pushing mid-to-high-end models into the 10,000-yuan ($1,476) price bracket. The value chain stretches further into musical tourism and cultural merchandise.
To support small and medium-sized enterprises, Huangqiao town built a dedicated industrial cluster with standardized facilities. A 50-million-yuan smart eco-finishing center centralizes polishing and painting, eliminating pollution bottlenecks for hundreds of firms. A model integrating e-commerce, livestreaming, and logistics has upgraded the town from a factory floor into a full music-industry ecosystem.
Huangqiao is also turning its cultural heritage into a tourism draw — a musical instrument museum, violin-themed sculptures, and hands-on craft experiences now attract visitors.