Name: Shao (in Mandarin, Chinese)

Type: Aerophone, end-blown. "notched".

Region: China, Far East Asia.

Tuning(s): 1.) tuning for the xiao Rene brought back: G-major pentatonic scale, 7 finger holes.

Specimens: I have a total of 3 xiao, the one I most often mention to people is the the one that my music teacher Rene Hugo Sanchez brought back for me is the best one by any standard of quality I have had in quite a while.

Sources: Rene Hugo Sanchez (on trip to china), one specimen; the 2nd specimen, (from China town in Vancouver B.C.), the third from value-village (a local Vancouver Thrift Store).

Description: The xiao is a open-ended or knotched flute (but cut though at the node) so in a sence the node is closed off for the notch. This flute is in the same classification as the Kena, and Japanese Shakuhachi. It is believed the Japanese Shakuhachi may have originated from this flute here (at least to be a candidate of the shakuhachi's origins).