Ballad of Yubei was composed by renowned composer Mr Liu Wenjin in 1958. Yubei refers to the area north of the Yellow River in Henan Province. The narrative music depicts the past sufferings of the composer’s hometown and the people’s desire for freedom and joy. It portrays the optimistic and bold character of the Yubei people and expresses their love for new life and confidence in having a bright future. The composer uses western composing techniques and incorporates Henan music elements such as “Henan Zhuizi” (a form of Henan Opera) and the wind and percussion music. The music is performed by the erhu and piano, a format that Chinese composers of that time rarely uses.