There are different types of hammered dulcimers across the globe, sharing similar tonality and appearance. The Chinese dulcimer is called the Yangqin. Over the past decade, Liu Yuening, a Yangqin professor with the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, has committed herself to using music as a bridge to enhance intercultural communication. In 2009, she spent nine months in India to learn the Indian dulcimer, classical music and culture, and also introduced the Chinese dulcimer to the nation as she gave lectures and performed in local cultural activities.