MUSI3041 Assignment#4

The bamboo flute has a long history in China and is one of the traditional Chinese folk instruments. The bamboo flute is made from bamboo, as the name suggests. Nowadays, most of the bamboo flute making workshops follow the traditional method of selecting the material, drying, scribing and opening the holes, repairing the holes, tuning and finishing. To make a bamboo flute, bamboo with fine fibers and a hard texture is used, which is mined from a bamboo forest with a growth period of about three years on a mountain slope or in a hilly area. Winter is the best time to harvest bamboo, which is often called "waxing bamboo" in China, because the bamboo taken during this season is less likely to become moldy. There are many different varieties of bamboo in China, but the best sounding flutes are made from purple bamboo from Anhui and white bamboo from Yuhang, Zhejiang. Many bamboo flute makers nowadays go to these places to purchase bamboo. In addition to the body of the flute, the membrane is also an important element of the flute. The membrane is usually taken from the inner membrane of the reed and is generally best in early summer.

After selecting the material, the bamboo is dried to remove the moisture, which can be done by natural drying or artificial baking. This is the most important step in the production of a bamboo flute, as only a precise hole can be made for accurate articulation. The next step is to correct the holes. After the above four steps, you will need a professional staff to play and compare the sound. Finally, after the bamboo flute has been made, it is usually beautifully finished for protection and aesthetic purposes, such as lacquering or wire wrapping. The lacquer is used to avoid damage to the bamboo flute from frequent blowing resulting in drooling or moisture damage; while the winding of the thread is used to prevent the flute from falling causing cracks and concentrated sound effects.

I think the bamboo flute has been passed down in the Chinese folklore for so long, besides the unique sound, the production process of the bamboo flute does not cause too much pollution to the environment, just from the aspect of taking the material, the bamboo is very strong and has a relatively short growth cycle, three to five years will be mature, as long as the roots of the bamboo are not destroyed, the bamboo can grow again. Therefore, unless it is cut indiscriminately, reasonable cutting can promote the growth of bamboo, and the number of bamboo will not decrease with cutting, but will appear to be more and more luxuriant. By searching the news, I found that there are many villages and cities in China that rely on the bamboo industry to drive their economic development. In addition to making bamboo flutes, the remaining bamboo materials are used to make handmade artwork or furniture, etc. While protecting the growth of bamboo forests, they also recycle natural resources to achieve social and ecological sustainability.

 

References：

1. Huang Lina,“Analysis of the process and development of contemporary bamboo flute manufacturing”,Thesis College of Arts, Qinghai University for Nationalities，2019.

2. Wang Yun,“Modern agricultural science and technology--An analysis of the sustainable development of bamboo industry in Guangde County”，2018.