Hulusi
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Hu_Lu_Si.jpg/240px-Hu_Lu_Si.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Reed_of_hulusi.jpg/240px-Reed_of_hulusi.jpg)
The hulusi (simplified Chinese:
The hulusi was originally used primarily in the Shan State of Myanmar, Yunnan province in southwest China, and Assam in northeastern India by a number of ethnic-minority groups, in particular the Dai people who call the instrument "pi lamtao" (Chinese: 筚朗叨 or 筚郎叨); the word pi means "woodwind instrument," and the word lamtao comes from namtao, meaning "gourd." Additionally, the Achang call it paileweng (
The hulusi has gained nationwide popularity throughout China and is also used by various indigenous ethnic groups of Assam; similar to the popularity of the harmonica in the West, and "improved" versions have been produced outside the indigenous realms.[4][5] In Vietnam, the instrument is referred to as the sáo bầu, which means "gourd flute." Like the related free reed pipe called bawu, the hulusi has a very pure, mellow clarinet-like sound.
A similar instrument called hulusheng is a mouth organ with a gourd wind chest.
Etymology
[edit]The instrument's name comes from the Mandarin Chinese word húlu (
Performers
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/Orquestra_folkl%C3%B2rica_de_NENU_-_Torrent_21.jpg/220px-Orquestra_folkl%C3%B2rica_de_NENU_-_Torrent_21.jpg)
Although the hulusi is still predominantly performed in Yunnan (China), Shan State (Myanmar) and Assam it has in recent years been adopted by European composers and performers. Rohan Leach and Jack Reddick from England, Raphaël De Cock from Belgium, Sara Bentes from Brazil, Nadishana from Russia and Herman Witkam from the Netherlands have all taken the instrument in new directions.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^ "The Cucurbit Flute". cultural-china.com. Archived from the original on 2008-09-22. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
- ^ "How to Play a Gourd Flute". Our Pastimes.
- ^ https://www.patmissin.com/history/hulusi.html [bare URL]
- ^ "HULUSI".
- ^ "
葫 芦 丝简介 -葫 芦 丝简介 ". Archived from the original on 2007-07-02.
External links
[edit]- Hulusi page from Pat Missin site
- Hulusi page from ASZA.com site
Video
[edit]- Hulusi video from The Musical Instruments E-book
See also
[edit]- Bawu
- Traditional Squares
- Pungi, a similar Indian instrument