Since the 1980s and the 1990s, all Chinese musical instruments have switched to metal strings. The quality of silk strings was greatly affected and these strings could hardly be used. To preserve the traditional style of qin playing, some qin players in Hong Kong tried their best to resume the production of good quality silk strings, and devoted themselves to the promotion and study of silk strings. The purpose was to preserve the traditional method of string making and the traditional qin culture.

In 1999, the Hong Kong qin player Wong Shu-chee went to Suzhou. With the cooperation and assistance of craftsmen specialising in making strings, he embarked on the long road of developing, producing and promoting silk strings. Finally, a new generation of silk strings for qin, known as “Taigu Strings”, was produced.