The liuyeqin, abbreviated to the liuqin, has got its name from the willow-leaf-sharped soundbox. It is also called tu pipa (unrefined pipa) because of its appearance of a small pipa. It came into use in the music of the local operas, narrative singing (storytelling music) in north Jiangsu, south Shangdong and Anhui provinces.

The folk type is made of willow wood, with 2 or 3 strings and 7 frets. The performer plays it with a slender bamboo tube on the forefinger as a plectrum. The professional type is made of red sandalwood or rosewood, the performer plays it with a plastic pick (the same as guitar pick). In the modern type the front sides made of tong wood and the reverse side, of red sandal. The four strings are steel wires. The frets, increased from 7 to as many as 24, are arranged in half-step intervals. The plectrum is made of horn. Clear and bright, the tone quality is more delicate than the yueqin.

Tuning: g, d, g1, d2