To call any of these instruments a "Chinese Violin" or "Chinese Fiddle" or a "Chinese Lute" or a "Chinese Banjo," is only an approximate description of them from the "western" viewpoint, and does not necessarily mean that they are in any way related to their western counterparts, save by the principles of physics and acoustics by which they function.

To be sure, certain musical instruments are often associated with various countries or localities, such as the bagpipes to Scotland, the harp to Ireland or Wales or both, the banjo to the rural southern United States, the guitar to Spain, et al, but these instruments did not spontaneously generate in any of these places, nor did they set up permanent and exclusive residence there.

In my considered opinion, this whole business about a "National Instrument" is simply not relevant to the real world. It's a bogus concept.

Don Firth

P. S. I think it comes from jazz, and I haven't heard the expression for some time, but one often used to hear an instrument--any instrument--referred to as an "axe." For obvious reasons, I would be very reluctant to try to chop down a tree with my guitar.