When Chang Dunming retired from Shanghai Musical Instrument Factory in 1989, he returned to his hometown -- Yangzhong of east China's Jiangsu Province.
But his career did not come to an end for he soon opened his own factory of musical instruments in Yangzhong.
At the age of 16, Chang began to receive tutoring from a flute-making master and for next five decades dedicated himself to producing traditional Chinese musical instruments.
He is particularly famous for his skill in making flutes and xiao, a vertical bamboo flute.
"The making of flutes is very sophisticated," said the 67-year-old master.
Generally, fresh bamboo must be air-dried for three years before it becomes a suitable material for making flutes. Then the bamboo is straightened with heat and peeled and polished. And after the bamboo is painted and drilled, the fledgling instrument is calibrated.
In addition to flutes and xiao, Chang's factory also produces other musical instruments such as erhu, a two-stringed bowed instrument, and pipa, a plucked string instrument with a fretted fingerboard.
Last year, Chang invested more than 500,000 yuan (US$60,386) to build a private museum of Chinese folk musical instruments in his hometown.
Covering an area of 200 square meters, the museum is a dazzling world of musical history. On display are more than 200 kinds of musical instruments used by around 20 ethnic groups in China.
Most of them are produced by Chang's factory or Chang himself, including the largest flute in the world, which Chang made in 1996.
It is 3.14 meters long and 4.9 centimeters in diameter. The flute made national headlines when it was used in a concert held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Exhibits also include ancient instruments Chang has collected for years.
One of Chang's favorites is a copper flute with a history spanning more than 300 years.
Chang discovered it in east China's Anhui Province and learnt it was an engagement gift the owner's family had carried for generations. Chang made three trips to Anhui and finally secured the flute in exchange for the best zheng (Chinese zither with 21 or 25 strings) in his factory.
Another interesting exhibit is a flute engraved with a dragon's head which old people can use as a walking stick, then play it when taking a rest.
Chang hoped the museum might help more and more people learn about traditional Chinese musical instruments.
"Instruments like the flutes are the essence of Chinese traditional culture," Chang said.
"We won't carry forward our traditional music if we don't pay attention to these musical instruments."
(China Daily July 18, 2002)
