Huzhou Qinshu, also known as "Hu Qinshu", or abbreviated as "Qinshu" is a kind of folk art singing form in Huzhou dialect with erhu (two-stringed bowed musical instrument) as the main accompanying instrument. As it is an important branch of Huzhou Tanhuang (a category of traditional Chinese folk art formed in the middle of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces); it is also known as "Hu Tan".

Huzhou Qinshu has a history of more than 180 years, and is mainly popular in counties of Huzhou and Jiaxing, Guangde county in Anhui province and the Wujiang area of Jiangsu province due to its unique accompaniment instruments.

Huzhou Qinshu is a representative variety of Huzhou local folk arts. It was included in the second provincial representative list of the intangible cultural heritage in April 2007.

Zhou Zhiqin (left), an 85-year-old provincial inheritor of Huzhou Qinshu performs on stage. [Photo/zj.zjol.com.cn]