Life of Guangzhou - The World's Smallest Violin to Break Guinness Record

A luthier in Guangzhou became famous 7 years ago for making the smallest violin in the world measuring 3.55 centimeters. But Chen Lianzhi's record was soon broken with a violin measuring 2.2 centimeters. Such competition has encouraged him to go even further in his attempt at miniaturizing the instrument and he has now successfully presented to the Guinness World Record organizers a violin measuring only 1 centimeter!

Different size of violins made by Chen Lianzhi. (Guangzhou Daily)

Chen's family has been luthiers for the past three generations and he has been familiar with the instrument since he was 9 years old. Today, at 66 years old, the wrinkled old man has become a specialist in violins but building such a small instrument was no easy task.

The mini violin was made with maple wood as thin as a nail and a 0.1 mm drill. Chen told us, "My 1-cm violin is small but has a complete set of over 30 components. You can really call it a violin." But can such a small instrument actually produce a sound? "Sure it can" said Chen; however "the sound is very high pitched because the strings are so short."

The mini violin was made with maple wood as thin as a nail and a 0.1 mm drill. (Guangzhou Daily)

Chen told us, "My 1-cm violin is small but has a complete set of over 30 components. You can really call it a violin." (Guangzhou Daily)

(By Carrot Chan, David Keyton)