Every day after finishing her homework during summer vacation, Xia Meng, a student at Yinshan Ethnic Primary School, dedicates her time to practicing the bamboo flute.
Recently, the school introduced a unique addition to the daily schedule: a bamboo flute ensemble. Over 2,500 students, adorned in vibrant traditional attire, came together to perform a collective flute piece. As a beginner, Xia was captivated by the talent of her classmates.
Yinshan School is located in Yuping Dong Autonomous County, in Southwest China’s Guizhou Province, known as the “hometown of the Chinese bamboo flute.” The county is home to nearly 30 enterprises and workshops dedicated to producing Yuping bamboo flutes.
Local cultural experts state that the tradition of crafting bamboo flutes in this region dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Each flute, made from indigenous bamboo, undergoes more than 30 meticulous processes—selection, shaping, engraving, grinding, and tuning—before reaching its final form.
As a symbol of traditional handmade musical instruments, the Yuping bamboo flute won a gold medal at the Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco in 1915, marking it as one of the first Chinese ethnic musical instruments to gain international recognition.
In 2006, the techniques for making Yuping bamboo flutes were included in China’s first list of national intangible cultural heritages.
To better preserve and promote this craft and the rich ethnic culture it represents, the county is creating more opportunities for younger generations to engage with this ancient art, from learning about the flutes to crafting and playing them.
Recently, students from Yuping Secondary Vocational School were invited to the county’s flute museum to explore its extensive collection. During their visit, curator Zheng Jincheng shared historical narratives and profound memories related to the flutes, helping the young visitors appreciate their evolution and the richness of their cultural heritage.
The enthusiasm of the younger generation has also motivated young teachers to get involved. In a bamboo flute class at Yinshan Ethnic Primary School, 33-year-old Yao Sha taught sixth graders how to perform a Chinese folk song on the bamboo flute.
Beyond being a traditional musical instrument, the Yuping bamboo flute is also an exquisite work of art. Artisans engrave designs of dragons, phoenixes, landscapes, and poetry onto the flutes. One local craftsman even inscribed “The Thousand Character Classic,” a poem used as a primer for teaching Chinese characters in ancient times, onto a single flute.
Yuping Secondary Vocational School serves as a local training ground for artisans, featuring a specialized workshop for flute production and offering various courses on flute culture. This curriculum helps students deepen their understanding of flute culture and keep performance skills alive and relevant.
“When I visited the museum, I saw poems engraved on the flutes that showcased the extensive culture of the Yuping bamboo flute,” said Yang Sitong, a student from the vocational school. “The bamboo flute has inspired more youngsters like me to safeguard and carry forward this cultural legacy.”
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