Why didn't Chinese musical instruments become popular?

There are tons, but they do not occupy a pedestal the way classical music like Liszt or Bach do and aren't really classic. Chinese instruments were usually played as solos, small groups, or duets and these types of pieces were the most favored. read more

Years ago, I asked Straight Dope, ( Fighting Ignorance Since 1973), why Western Music seems to dominate and I suppose this may have some impact on popularity of instruments. According to them, it is because Western music adopted sheet music centuries ago. read more

The Erhu (or Chinese violin) is a kind of two-stringed bowed musical instrument. Its history can be dated back to Tang Dynasty over 1,000 years ago. Erhu can be used as a solo performance as well as in small musical groups and large orchestras. read more

2. Xiao - an ancient Chinese flute and instrument of many moods. The earliest Xiao appeared during the Han Dynasty (206B.C. -220A .D.), and it was then called Qiangdi, which was popular among the Qiang people in Sichuan and Gansu Provinces. In the 1st century BC, it became popular in the Yellow River region. read more