Dai ethnic group's hulusi

Dai ethnic group's hulusi

　　The hulusi is a reed pipe instrument commonly used to play folk tunes such as mountain songs. It is suitable for performing melodious music or dance tunes, and is mainly popular among the Dai, Achang, Wa, De'ang, and Blang ethnic groups in the Dehong and Lincang regions of Yunnan.

　　　　The hulusi: a reed pipe instrument, also called huluxiao. It is mainly popular among the Dai, Achang, Wa, De'ang, and Blang ethnic groups in the Dehong and Lincang regions of Yunnan.

　　　　The Dai people's hulusi is also known as "bìlǎngdāo," meaning "a vertical bamboo flute with a gourd." It consists of three bamboo tubes of varying lengths inserted side by side into a gourd. The lower ends of the bamboo tubes are fitted with copper reeds. The middle and longest tube has seven finger holes—six in the front and one in the back—producing a melody spanning one octave from G to G1, and is called the main pipe. The other two are auxiliary pipes, which only have reeds and no finger holes. The handle end of the gourd has an air vent or a small bamboo tube inserted to form a mouthpiece. When played, the main pipe plays the melody, while the auxiliary pipes produce single tones, creating a harmonic effect with a soft and pleasant tone.

　　　　The Achang people's huluxiao is similar to that of the Dai. In the Achang language, it is called "pōlèwēng," meaning "a flute with a gourd." It is made from a gourd and golden bamboo tubes. The blowing tube is 6 cm long, the main pipe is 50 cm long, and the auxiliary pipes are 33 cm and 17 cm long respectively. On the side of the two auxiliary pipes closest to the main pipe, there is a thin bamboo strip each, which is bundled together with the main pipe using a fine bamboo stick.

　　　　Among the Wa people of Ximeng, the huluxiao is called "bàihóngliào." Three bamboo pipes are inserted into the bottom of the gourd and sealed with wax. The upper bamboo mouthpiece is only 2 cm long. Particularly unique is that the main pipe, besides having seven tone holes, also features two air holes at the very bottom on the front side. The main pipe plays the melody, while the two auxiliary pipes produce sustained tones in perfect fifth intervals to accompany the melody. If the sustained tones are not desired or only a single sustained tone is needed, the auxiliary pipes can be blocked.

　　　　The huluxiao is often used to play folk tunes such as mountain songs. It is most suitable for performing melodious music or dance tunes. The melodies usually feature long notes and rich harmonies, producing soft and harmonious sounds that effectively convey the player’s emotions.

　　　　In 1958, the Yunnan Provincial Song and Dance Ensemble was the first to expand its range to 14 tones. In recent years, some cultural organizations in Beijing have developed two new types of huluxiao. One of them, the six-pipe huluxiao, can play single tones, double tones, single melodies with sustained tones, and dual-melody combinations with sustained tones. It retains the original instrument's distinctive tone and style while increasing volume, expanding range, and enriching sound color and expressiveness.