The hulusi (Traditional Chinese 葫蘆絲, Simplified Chinese 葫芦丝, which means "gourd silk", referring to the instrument's silky tone) or huluxiao (Traditional Chinese 葫蘆簫, Simplified Chinese 葫芦簫, translating roughly as "gourd vertical flute") is an end-blown free reed pipe with gourd windchest. Single pipe specimens are rare, most hulusi having a melody pipe and at least one drone pipe. The above example has a melody pipe and a drone pipe of the same length. More common are those with a melody pipe and two shorter drone pipes, such as the following example (although this one has only a single drone pipe that actually sounds, the other being a dummy):
The hulusi is most commonly associated with the Dai minority (who call it bilangdao, 筚朗叨), but it is also found amongst other minority groups of Southern China such as the Achang, Jingpo and Wa. Each pipe has a triangular free reed made of brass and the fingering of the melody pipe is that same as that of the bawu. The two-pipe instrument shown at the top of the page is in the key of G and plays the scale D E F# G A B D E with the drone pipe playing a low D. The three pipe instrument shown above is pitched in C and plays the scale G A B C D E G A, with the drone pipe playing a high E:
In both instruments, the drone can be "switched off" by plugging the end of the pipe and like the bawu, additional melodic pitches can be played by cross-fingering and half-holing. As with many traditional instruments of the Chinese ethnic minorities, "improved" versions have been produced, with increased melodic range and brass, plastic or ceramic replacements for the gourd. So-called double hulusi have also been developed, with two melody pipes tuned a fourth apart, capable of polyphonic playing.
A Brief History of Mouth Blown Free Reed Instruments
What Is A Free Reed?
Origins Of The Free Reed
Eastern Free Reed Instruments
A Selective Discography Of Asian Free Reed Instruments
Western Free Reed Instruments
Bibliography