Description: The koukin is a jaw harp that is played in both Yunnan China and Vietnam. There are two types of koukin, one made from bamboo and the other made from metal usually brass. The brass koukin have three to four lamellaphone these are the most common form of the koukin. The brass variation of this instrument is played by many minority ethnic groups both in China and in Vietnam. In Yunnan China the Naxi or "Yi Hehe" people play a bamboo version of the koukin. being a single piece of bamboo carved with a single lamellaphone. The koukin are quite melodic and they do have a surprisingly pleasant sound. Firstly the koukin is held to the mouth with the left hand. For playing the brass koukin the method is achieved through an oscillation of the index finger, middle finger and the thumb. The thumb mainly plays a sympathetic tone and sometimes it changes through the melody. The koukin are assembled from four individual lamellaphones tied together.