Dizi

The oldest flute dates back 8000 years and was first found in a tomb in Hubei province. Dizi is a wind instrument made of bamboo, and it is constructed under the traditional "ba yin" system. The Dizi was introduced from the western provinces into China during the early years of Emperor Han Wudi reign. The design was subsequently standardized through constant revisions and modifications. The sound range of the Dizi is about 2.5 octaves and largely depends on the skill of the player to produce beautiful music. The more common types of Dizi nowdays are the Bangdi and the Qudi. The Bangdi is shorter and has a clear and bright tone. Its name was derived from the Bangzi opera of northern China. The Qudi is longer and has a mellow tone and it first emerged in the Kunqu opera of central China. Another variant of the Dizi family includes the Xindi. The Dizi is often used in main melodies but it may also be used to provide short melodic accompaniment to the main melody. Some of the more common Dizi songs include, "Happy Reunion", "San Wu Qi" as well as "The Flying Patridge".