Description: The bawu unlike its cousin the "dizi" is unique in the way its constructed. There is a paper-thin brass reed to which you're mouth goes over, during performance of this instrument. I tend to describe to people, the bawu sounds like a "clarinet tuned in a pentatonic scale, and is quite haunting when played". Currently I am learning to play the techniques and get the hang of this instrument. It takes time to "cultivate" the repertoire once learning the basics in playing techniques. This goes for every instrument out there. The bawu has seven finger holes, and (my specimen is tuned to F-major). Has two bone ends (ornamental), and has a soft, velvet red coloured case.

Origins: The bawu is believed to have originated in Yunan China, (located in Southern China, in what is called the "Golden Triangle region", this area tri-borders with Burma "Myanmar", Thailand, and Laos. As to the instruments' origin; is believed to have originated here; the ethnic groups who use the instrument are the Yi, Miao, Hanis, Dai (who are the Thai people living in Southern China), and neighboring Minority cultures. It was introduced into "traditional Chinese music" in the 1960s.

Materials: bone (animal); brass feruels; brass reed "very, very thin"; makers name and poetry etched in by carving into the flute and filed in with red paint. Tuning: in F-Major, 7-finger holes; range

Legend/Mythology (of Bawu origin): [ There goes such a beautiful story. Two young Hanis fell in love with each other. One day a demon grabbed the girl, cut off her tongue, then threw her into the deep mountains. Following a bird's advice that bamboo can talk, she made an instrument with that stuff, pouring out her misfortune through it. On hearing her sad voice, the villagers came to kill the demon and relieved the girl. Since then the bawu has became a talking instrument.].

URL cited; http://www.melodyofchina.com/06instruments/bawu.html

URL cited: http://www.asza.com/bawu

URL cited: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bawu

Usage: The bawu is traditionally used amongst the Minorities of Southern China for accominament to singing, dancing and nowadays instrumental solo or accompinament. In contemporary settings the bawu is coming popular in for its tone' being adopted to "film" and "pop" music. Also the bawu nowadays is a standard instrument in usage' through out China and not just limited to the use in Minority cultures in Southern China.