Music on the Silk Road| Ethnic musical instruments in Yunnan

Gourd pipe

During China's Shenzhou 13 space mission in 2022, astronaut Ye Guangfu performed the Yunnan folk song Fernleaf Hedge Bamboo in the Moonlight using Gourd pipe. Yunnan people were thrilled, and netizens from other provinces praised the "spectacular moment."

The gourd pipe, originating in Yunnan, has a history of over two thousand years. Crafted from gourds, bamboo, and metal reeds, it was created by the Dai, De'ang, and Achang folks.

In the 1990s, Gen Dequan, master of the instrument, traveled across the country promoting gourd pipe. Then, in 2005, Gen 's album Ancient Songs made its way to the United States.

Elephant-foot drum

Handmade elephant-foot drum (Photo by Yunnan Net)

Elephant-foot drum is an ancient musical instrument of the Dai people. Elephant-foot drum dance was listed as a national-level intangible cultural heritage. Every year on the second and third days of the lunar calendar, Dai villagers would hold drum competitions, awarding the best dancers and drummers.

Bawu

Bawu is popular in Honghe, Simao, and Xishuangbanna. It is widely used by the Yi, Hani, Dai, Lahu, Bulang, and Miao ethnic folks. Bawu can produce not only traditional local-style pieces but also foreign melodies, such as Japan's Spring of the North.

Yueqin

  

Li Shuming, the inheritor of Yueqin-making skills (Photo by Yunnan Net)

Yueqin, a four-stringed plucked instrument with a full-moon shaped box, is one of the traditional instruments of the Yi people. It is often called Xianzi. Nearly every Yi folk who loves singing and dancing should have a Yueqin.

Yueqin is also a work of art for collectors. It is not only sold in Yunnan but also exported to countries like the United States, Thailand, Myanmar, and more.

Source: Yunnan Net; trans-editing by Wang Yunya