Lianghe Hulusi

Lianghe Hulusi

Lianghe Hulusi is a product protected under China's geographical indication system.

Lianghe Hulusi is a registered geographical indication trademark.

　　There is a beautiful melody that resonates across the colorful clouds of Yunnan. In the bamboo groves by the water in Dai villages, among the vividly shaped Stone Forests, along the ancient Tea Horse Road where caravan bells once rang, and in the old streets and alleys beneath the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain... Folk tunes that capture the essence of Yunnan such as "Phoenix Tail Bamboo under the Moonlight," "By the Butterfly Spring," and "Beautiful Place" are brought to life through the round, simple, and celestial sounds of this instrument. These melodies blend seamlessly with the enchanting natural scenery and the simple, diverse local customs. This is the traditional ethnic instrument known as the hulusi.

　　The hometown of the hulusi is Lianghe County in western Yunnan. The flatlands here produce lush green bitter gourds, hanging delicately and beautifully. When the gourds ripen, the Dai people harvest them — not for eating. In the past, these gourds had two main uses: one was as a wine container, similar to the “wine gourd carried by Lin Chong on his way to the Mountain Temple in the Snow,” though this use has become rare. The other was as a musical instrument — the hulusi — which has been passed down to this day. Outside the former site of the Nandian Xuanfu Office in Lianghe, I was drawn in by the soft, melodious sound of hulusi music. Following the sound, I found several young Dai men handcrafting hulusi at the doorway of a room. Among them, a slightly chubby man was tuning an instrument. His name is Du Deguang — a young local master craftsman and performer of the hulusi. Speaking about the hulusi, he spoke animatedly and passionately. The history of the hulusi goes back at least a thousand years, passed down through generations in folk tradition. As a child, influenced by the local culture, he, like the elders, loved playing the hulusi, turning the joy of life into cheerful melodies. After singing and dancing, the tiredness of the day would vanish. Later, he apprenticed to learn how to craft hulusi. After more than 20 years of dedicated study — especially under the careful guidance of the renowned master Geng Dequan — his skills improved dramatically. A common trait among master hulusi makers in Lianghe is that they are also skilled performers. The hulusi he makes have been sold to many major cities across China.

　　Making a hulusi involves several steps: material selection, hole drilling, tube crafting, reed installation, assembly, and tuning. Harvested gourds are carefully selected — only those that are plump and firm are chosen. Their skins are peeled off and the gourds are soaked and washed before being dried in the sun for several days until fully hardened. Then, a hole is drilled in the center at the base of the gourd to remove the inner flesh and seeds, leaving a hollow shell. Roasting to prevent insects is a crucial step. Both the gourd and the purple bamboo used for the main and secondary pipes are lightly roasted over a small flame to deter pests and increase the toughness of the material. The thickness of the main and secondary pipes must match the size of the gourd. Typically, there is one main pipe and two secondary pipes. The main pipe is longer, while the secondary ones are shorter. First, markings are made on the main pipe using a ruler, then small tools are used to carve out the sound holes. A groove must be carved at the top end of the main pipe to hold the reed — a critical component. In the past, when technology was limited, bamboo was used for the reed, resulting in less bright tones. Later, ingenious Dai artisans switched to thin copper for the reed, creating a significant leap in sound quality. Depending on the thickness of the main and secondary pipes, three holes are drilled at the base of the gourd, into which the bamboo tubes are inserted. The mouthpiece and soft stopper are attached, the instrument is tuned, sealed, and polished. Finally, a red tassel is tied on — instantly giving it a spirited look.

　　The price of a hulusi depends on its pitch and materials. Those in the key of B-flat, C, and D are smaller in size, emit clear and delicate tones, and are relatively inexpensive. Those in F and G keys have richer, deeper tones, and because their gourds and bamboo tubes are larger, they are pricier. Today, exquisitely carved patterns on hulusi have become fashionable designs and also factor into the pricing. Depending on materials and craftsmanship, you can buy a hulusi for as little as 50–60 yuan or up to 300–400 yuan. Specialty shops in Lianghe also offer free training to promote wider use of the instrument. This revitalized ancient ethnic instrument is beloved by people of various ethnicities such as the Dai,布朗 (Blang), 德昂 (De’ang), 阿昌 (Achang), and Han. At traditional festivals of the borderland’s ethnic groups, its joyful and uplifting melodies can be heard, fostering harmony and unity.

　　Quality and Technical Requirements for Lianghe Hulusi

　　I. Gourd

　　1. Variety: Such as "Iron Gourd."

　　2. Growing Conditions: Soil types include river alluvial soil, sandy loam, and loam, with a pH value between 5.7 and 6.6, and organic matter content ≥1.3%.

　　3. Cultivation Management:

　　(1) Seedling Cultivation and Sowing: Seeds are sown for seedlings from March to April, with a seedling period of 30 to 40 days, and transplanting occurs after the seedlings develop three leaves.

　　(2) Land Preparation and Fertilization: Before transplanting, apply 4000–5000 kg of well-rotted organic fertilizer per 667㎡ (mu), and form 1.5-meter-high ridges for planting.

　　(3) Transplanting Time: From late April to early May, plant two rows per ridge, with plant spacing of 30–35 cm.

　　(4) Water and Fertilizer Management: When the seedlings have 5 to 7 leaves, apply 800–1000 kg of well-rotted organic fertilizer per 667㎡ (mu) within the high ridge, cover with furrows, and water. No watering during the flowering period; timely fertilization and watering are needed after fruit setting.

　　4. Harvesting and Processing

　　(1) Harvesting: Begins in October and November when the fruits turn golden yellow.

　　(2) Material Selection: Choose gourds that are yellow in color, thick-skinned and sturdy, with a small and centered base navel, and regular shape.

　　(3) Preparation: Scrape the skin within two days of harvesting, dry naturally in outdoor sunlight, and clean out internal debris.

　　II. Purple Bamboo

　　1. Source: Purple bamboo (Phyllostachys nigra (Lodd.) Munro).

　　2. Growing Conditions: Soil layer depth of 50–100 cm, soil type is sandy loam, soil pH value between 4.5 and 7.0, groundwater level 50–100 cm.

　　3. Cultivation Management:

　　(1) Planting Density: Density of 3 to 4 plants per ㎡, with plant spacing of 50–60 cm.

　　(2) Planting:

　　① Single bamboo: October to February of the following year.

　　② Clumping bamboo: Transplanted in February. Under good management conditions or using container-grown bamboo seedlings, planting can be done year-round.

　　③Mixed bamboo: February to March and October to December.

　　4. Harvesting and Processing:

　　(1) Harvesting: Harvest bamboo plants that are over three years old in August.

　　(2) Material Selection: Purple-black color, dense bamboo texture, straight shape, free from pests and diseases.

　　(3) Preparation: Material selection → Drying → Cleaning internal debris.

　　III. Production Process

　　Process Flow: Hand-drilling → Polishing → Installation → Debugging → Inspection → Packaging.

　　IV. Quality Characteristics

　　1. Sensory Characteristics: The tone is soft and mellow. Under environmental conditions of 20°C to 25°C and relative humidity of 40% to 75%, the frequency of the note “a” in the small first octave is determined within the range of 440.00Hz to 443.83Hz, with an allowable pitch error of no more than ±15 cents for each note.

　　2. Safety and Other Quality Technical Requirements: The product safety and other quality technical requirements must comply with relevant national regulations.

　　Yunnan Provincial Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision Lianghe Hulusi Six administrative regions under the current jurisdiction of Lianghe County, Yunnan Province: Jiubao Township, Hexi Township, Nangsong Township, Zhandao Town, Mangdong Town, and Mengyang Town. "Report on the Definition of the Geographic Indication Product Protection Area for Lianghe Hulusi" issued by the People's Government of Lianghe County, Document No. Liang Zheng Fa [2013] No. 5. Yunnan Provincial Local Standard: Draft "Lianghe Hulusi"