XINGTAI, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Ocarina is a small sized, flute-like musical instrument, which has gained popularity around the world in recent years.
Hou Yimin, a craftsman from Xingtai, Hebei Province, has been working on the research and production of wooden ocarinas since 2003.
So far, Hou has made about 5,000 wooden ocarinas of over a hundred different types, selling to many countries including the United States, Japan, and South Korea.
Some of his ocarinas are of the same size as a football, and some are only measured as a fingernail. They can also be divided into 12-sound hole, 6-sound hole, 3-pipe and 4-pipe ocarinas, all with soft and beautiful sound.
Hou Yimin makes ocarinas in Xingtai, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)
Hou Yimin plays the ocarina through livestreaming in Xingtai, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)
This photo taken on Feb. 20, 2023 shows ocarinas made by Hou Yimin in Xingtai, north China's Hebei Province. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)
Hou Yimin makes ocarinas in Xingtai, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)
Hou Yimin makes ocarinas in Xingtai, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)
Hou Yimin introduces ocarinas through livestreaming in Xingtai, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)
Hou Yimin makes ocarinas in Xingtai, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)
This aerial photo shows Hou Yimin playing the ocarina in a park in Xingtai, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)
Hou Yimin designs ocarinas in Xingtai, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)
Hou Yimin makes ocarinas in Xingtai, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)
Hou Yimin shows his ocarinas of different sizes in Xingtai, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)
Hou Yimin selects wood for making ocarinas in Xingtai, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)
Hou Yimin (R) and his student Li Xin check the sound of newly-made ocarinas in Xingtai, north China's Hebei Province, Feb. 20, 2023. (Xinhua/Mu Yu)
