The tungso (Korean: 퉁소; sometimes called tongso, which is the way its Chinese name "dòngxiāo" is written) is a Korean musical instrument. It is a vertical bamboo flute with notches and is played by blowing into one end. It is similar to the danso but is longer and larger. The hanja character "tong" (洞) describes the shape of the instrument, which looks like a long cave.

The tungso is similar to the Chinese xiao and its variation, the dongxiao, and is also known as the shakuhachi in Japan. A unique feature of the tungso is that it may have a buzzing membrane, like the Korean transverse flute called the daegeum. This feature is common in the folk version of the instrument.

The tungso is made from thick, aged bamboo. Before the mid-Joseon period, it was mainly used in court music. However, by the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it became more widely used. Today, it is played to accompany traditional performances such as the masked dance called Bukcheong sajanoreum.

The tungso is larger and thicker than the danso. Its length is 55 centimeters, and its inner diameter is 2 centimeters.

Use

The daegeum has a special hole called cheonggong, which is covered by a thin reed membrane between the breathing mouth and the hole. This membrane creates a vibrating sound. The tungso was also used in court music but is rarely played today.