Sheng

The sheng is a vertical pipe-based mouthblown polyphonic free reed instrument from China. With depictions of instruments similar to this one dating back to 1100 BCE, it is one of the oldest Chinese instruments. Original instruments from the Han era are still on display in museums today. The sheng has typically been played as an accompanist for solo suona or dizi performances. It's a crucial component of kunqu and certain other kinds of Chinese opera. The sheng is also used by traditional small ensembles, such as the wind and percussion ensembles in northern China. Both melody and accompaniment are used with it in the contemporary large Chinese orchestra.

Because it can make a sound on both the inhale and exhale, the Sheng is clearly related to the Harmonica. Because it is polyphonic, numerous notes can be played at once to create chords. The musician covers the holes, much like on a flute, to make various notes.

Bamboo is used to make the pipes, while wood is used to make the remainder of the instrument. In the past, bamboo was also used to make reeds, but today metal is utilized instead. A narrow strip of material called a reed vibrates when air passes through it.