Melodious Tones: The Characteristics, Playing Techniques, and Representative Pieces of Dizi and Xiao

Distinctive Features

Dizi (bamboo flute) and xiao (end-blown flute) are two of China’s oldest wind instruments, each with a unique voice that reflects nature, much like how a flute and recorder differ in Western music.

Dizi: A transverse flute (held sideways) made of bamboo, with six finger holes and a membrane (di mo) covering one hole. This membrane—made from bamboo inner skin—vibrates when air passes through, giving the dizi a bright, lively tone, similar to a piccolo’s cheerfulness. It’s often used to mimic bird songs or flowing rivers.

Xiao: An end-blown flute (held vertically) with a longer, thicker bamboo body and eight finger holes. Its tone is deep, mellow, and resonant, like a cello’s warm notes, making it ideal for expressing quiet contemplation or sorrow. Unlike the dizi, it has no membrane, so its sound is smoother and more sustained.

Playing Techniques

Both instruments require precise breath control and finger dexterity, but their techniques differ:

Dizi: Players blow across the side hole (like a Western flute) and use their fingers to cover holes, creating different notes. The membrane adds “buzzing” overtones—by adjusting its tightness, musicians can change the dizi’s brightness. Advanced techniques include “circular breathing” (sustaining a note while inhaling through the nose), used to mimic a river’s continuous flow.

Xiao: Players blow into the top hole and use their thumbs (rare in Western flutes) to cover lower holes, which gives the xiao a wider range. Its slow, long notes demand steady breath—musicians often use “vibrato” (shaking the lips) to add emotion, similar to how a singer uses vibrato to enhance a ballad. Unlike the dizi’s fast, playful melodies, the xiao excels at slow, lyrical lines.

Representative Repertoire

Dizi: Adopting Kunqu tunes, Orchid in Spring praises orchid's grace and expresses an unresentful spirit in hardship. Jiangnan Spring uses the dizi’s bright tone to paint a lively picture of southern China’s water towns.

Xiao: Moonlit Night on the Spring River is the xiao’s most famous piece, with slow, flowing melodies that capture the calm of a river under the moon, similar to Debussy’s Clair de Lune’s serenity. Autumn Moon Over the Calm Lake uses the xiao’s deep tone to express nostalgia for autumn’s quiet beauty. Today, both instruments are used in fusion music—paired with guitars or electronic beats—proving their adaptability to modern sounds.