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or to make solemn music within the royal court. The sound of xun represents a particular beauty, which combines with loneliness, desolate and elegance. It is the embodiment of the unique
Chinese aesthetic conceptions. In a traditional Chinese orchestra, xun plays the important part of alto voice. Its soft, heavy voice makes high-pitch and low-pitch in a harmonious proportion. In this sense, xun represents also the idea of harmony, which is one of the main parts of traditional Chinese values.
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and has much to do with early
Chinese hunting practices. During ancient times, people often tied a stone or mud ball to the rope that was used for hunting wild animals. Some of the balls were hollow, which allowed it make many sounds when thrown. Most people found it enjoyable and learned how to blow
281:
The use of xun in the
Chinese history was found mainly in the performance of palace music. However, the sound of xun is also associated as the symbol of respectable hermits, lady in sorrow, or heroes at the end of their strength, and is considered the best instrument to perform a heartbreaking tone,
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254:. Those had three finger holes and could produce the notes do, mi, so, la and fa. The shape of the instrument and number of finger holes of the xun as we know it today were standardized during the
206:, containing at least three finger holes in front and two thumb holes in back. It has a blowing hole on top and can have up to ten smaller finger holes, one for each finger. It is similar to an
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from China. It is one of the oldest musical instruments in China and has been in use for approximately 7,000 years. The xun was initially made of stone, baked clay, or bone, and later of
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265:, it was a common instrument and was played in the imperial courts. The design of the xun varied according to whether it was played for enjoyment or for celebrations.
258:. Most xun of that era had five finger holes and produced sound of much better quality. They were able to produce all the tones and half-tones in a single octave.
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190:) classifications of musical instruments (based on whether the instrument is made from metal, stone, silk, bamboo, gourd, earth, hide, or wood).
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The Erya (爾雅): "A large xun is like a goose egg, with a flattened bottom and six holes; a small one is like a chicken egg"
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air into it. Gradually, the "stone meteor" became the musical instrument we know as "xun".
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Archaeologists have discovered vessel-flutes like the xun in common graves of the
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large, shaped like a goose egg, with flattened bottom and six holes (lower pitch);
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226:(Refined Definitions, c. 3rd century BC), describes it as being of two types:
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296:(詩經): "The elder brother plays xun, the younger brother plays chi "
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The entry for the Xun in the oldest surviving
Chinese encyclopedia,
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A modern ceramic xun decorated with an engraving of a dragon.
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The origin of this unique wind instrument dates back to the
399:. New York: Oxford University Press Inc. p. 16.
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233:small, shaped like a chicken egg (higher pitch).
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19:For the languages of southern Africa, see
182:; sometimes the instrument is made with
1327:Traditional Chinese musical instruments
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316:Traditional Chinese musical instruments
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7:
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16:Globular vessel flute from China
64:Hornbostel–Sachs classification
487:Thrasher, Alan (2007). "Xun".
369:. Cambridge University Press.
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106:The front of a glazed pottery
1:
118:The back of a glazed pottery
21:Xun language (disambiguation)
1926:Chinese musical instruments
397:Chinese Musical Instruments
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491:. Oxford University Press.
18:
426:(in Chinese). ChinaMedley
89:
31:
1265:Chinese folk flute music
78:c.1600 BCE (Xia Dynasty)
467:"China Travel Designer"
395:Thrasher, Alan (2000).
238:History and development
210:but does not contain a
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1010:Native American flute
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269:Cultural significance
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105:
1270:List of compositions
639:Simple system flute
347:. OcarinaForest.com
144:traditional Chinese
84:Related instruments
47:Woodwind instrument
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1249:Shepherd's whistle
489:Grove Music Online
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365:Jin, Jie (2011).
345:"The Chinese Xun"
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1285:Vertical flute
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1148:Sub-great bass
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572:Five-key flute
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198:The xun is an
195:
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166:= hyun1) is a
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70:(vessel flute)
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54:Classification
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1118:Alto (treble)
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985:Hydraulophone
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286:In literature
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256:Shang dynasty
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1904:
1243:
1190:Willow flute
818:Nose whistle
488:
482:
472:17 September
470:. Retrieved
461:
451:17 September
449:. Retrieved
440:
430:14 September
428:. Retrieved
396:
366:
360:
349:. Retrieved
292:
289:
280:
263:Zhou dynasty
260:
249:
241:
221:
219:
197:
172:vessel flute
157:
128:
127:
125:
119:
107:
1419:Daguangxian
1123:Voice flute
1065:Tin whistle
1005:Low whistle
940:Almpfeiferl
707:Contra-alto
624:Irish flute
619:Glass flute
252:Xia dynasty
1920:Categories
1717:Percussion
1685:(woodwind)
1591:(woodwind)
1143:Contrabass
1138:Great bass
1060:Tabor pipe
1015:Organ pipe
808:Nose flute
781:Shakuhachi
712:Contrabass
351:2012-12-30
327:References
215:mouthpiece
194:Components
68:421.221.42
1793:Fangxiang
1788:Bianzhong
1693:Hulusheng
1474:Jing erhu
1439:Diyingehu
1348:Duxianqin
1275:Tone hole
1229:Molinukai
1108:Sopranino
1095:Recorders
1045:Spilåpipa
1030:Sjøfløyte
970:Flageolet
950:Dentsivka
945:Atenteben
727:Hyperbass
582:Kagurabue
244:Stone Age
204:aerophone
164:Cantonese
95:tsuchibue
75:Developed
58:aerophone
1850:Bolanggu
1767:Bianqing
1669:Mangtong
1494:Matouqin
1212:Gemshorn
1185:Koncovka
1167:Overtone
1103:Garklein
1040:Souravli
1020:Salamuri
960:Dvoyanka
888:Larchemi
825:Pinkillu
813:Kalaleng
776:Hotchiku
761:Floghera
607:Shinobue
534:whistles
300:See also
202:-shaped
168:globular
1900:Lusheng
1895:Kouxian
1616:Paixiao
1570:Yangqin
1554:Zhuiqin
1544:Zhonghu
1534:Yazheng
1388:Sanxian
1363:Konghou
1358:Guzheng
1341:Plucked
1239:Tonette
1234:Ocarina
1180:Kalyuka
1085:Zuffolo
1075:Whistle
1050:Stabule
965:Flabiol
913:Soinari
903:Paixiao
883:Kuvytsi
860:Washint
850:Šupelka
845:Sopilka
687:Concert
682:Soprano
672:Piccolo
664:Concert
612:Yokobue
602:Ryūteki
592:Minteki
587:Komabue
557:Daegeum
552:Bansuri
343:Allen.
306:Ocarina
261:By the
208:ocarina
180:ceramic
1883:Others
1870:Zhangu
1865:Tanggu
1808:Yunluo
1741:Paiban
1698:Hulusi
1599:Flutes
1589:Bamboo
1563:Struck
1549:Zhuihu
1499:Maguhu
1489:Leiqin
1484:Laruan
1479:Jinghu
1469:Jiaohu
1449:Erxian
1429:Datong
1398:Yueqin
1378:Qinqin
1368:Liuqin
1217:Pifana
1204:Vessel
1175:Fujara
1080:Xirula
1070:Txistu
980:Fujara
932:Fipple
898:Miskal
855:Svirel
840:Sodina
798:Kōauau
766:Frilka
677:Treble
644:Tambin
597:Nohkan
530:Flutes
403:
373:
212:fipple
184:bamboo
156::
154:pinyin
146::
136::
1860:Paigu
1855:Jiegu
1845:Bangu
1781:Metal
1760:Stone
1731:Guban
1703:Sheng
1683:Gourd
1656:pipes
1652:Free-
1642:Suona
1630:Oboes
1611:Koudi
1539:Xiqin
1514:Tiqin
1504:Sanhu
1464:Huqin
1454:Gaohu
1414:Banhu
1407:Bowed
1353:Guqin
1280:Uakti
1258:Other
1128:Tenor
1055:Tarka
1000:Kuisi
995:Khlui
990:Khloy
975:Frula
955:Diple
835:Quray
793:Kaval
756:Danso
743:blown
654:Xindi
629:Koudi
544:blown
542:Side-
188:bayin
1890:Gudi
1833:Hide
1817:Clay
1798:Gong
1772:Qing
1736:Muyu
1724:Wood
1664:Bawu
1654:reed
1637:Guan
1621:Xiao
1606:Dizi
1529:Yehu
1524:Tuhu
1519:Tihu
1509:Sihu
1459:Gehu
1444:Erhu
1434:Dihu
1424:Dahu
1383:Ruan
1373:Pipa
1133:Bass
1025:Shvi
908:Siku
865:Xiao
830:Qina
788:Gudi
741:End-
702:Bass
697:Alto
649:Venu
567:Fife
562:Dizi
532:and
474:2013
453:2013
432:2013
401:ISBN
371:ISBN
223:Erya
176:clay
126:The
1905:Xun
1824:Fou
1803:Luo
1751:Zhu
1575:Zhu
1244:Xun
1224:Hun
918:Wot
893:Nai
875:Pan
803:Ney
771:Fue
634:Sáo
577:Fue
200:egg
178:or
159:xūn
129:xun
120:xun
108:xun
91:hun
27:Xun
1922::
1746:Yu
1708:Yu
1393:Se
415:^
385:^
335:^
170:,
162:;
152:;
142:;
93:,
1319:e
1312:t
1305:v
522:e
515:t
508:v
476:.
455:.
434:.
409:.
379:.
354:.
149:塤
139:埙
132:(
23:.
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