The hulusi (simplified Chinese: 葫芦丝; traditional Chinese: 葫蘆絲; pinyin: húlúsī) is also called the cucurbit flute or gourd flute. It is a wind instrument with reeds from China, Vietnam, and the Shan State, and is played by some groups in Assam. The instrument is held upright and has three bamboo pipes that go through a Calabash gourd. The middle pipe has finger holes, and the two outer pipes are usually drone pipes. Sometimes, only one drone pipe is used, and the other is for decoration. The drone pipe has a hole that can be covered. Some advanced versions have finger holes similar to those on a clarinet or oboe, which allows the hulusi to play notes across several octaves.

The hulusi was first used mainly in the Shan State of Myanmar, Yunnan province in southwest China, and Assam in northeastern India by several ethnic groups. The Dai people, one of these groups, call the instrument "pi lamtao" (Chinese: 筚朗叨 or 筚郎叨). The word "pi" means "woodwind instrument," and "lamtao" comes from "namtao," which means "gourd." Other groups have different names for the instrument: the Achang call it "paileweng" (拍勒翁), the De'ang call it "'wogebao" (渥格宝), and the Wa call it "baihongliao" (拜洪廖).

The hulusi is now popular throughout China and is used by many ethnic groups in Assam. It is similar to how the harmonica is popular in the West, and improved versions of the instrument have been made outside its original regions. In Vietnam, the hulusi is called "sáo bầu," which means "gourd flute." Like the related instrument called "bawu," the hulusi has a smooth, soft sound similar to a clarinet.

A similar instrument called the hulusheng is a mouth organ with a gourd wind chest.

Etymology

The instrument's name comes from the Mandarin Chinese word "húlu," which means "calabash gourd," and "si," which means "silk" (referring to the instrument's smooth tone). In the Dai (Tai Nuea) language of Dehong, the instrument is called "pi lamtao." It is also called "pi namtao" in the Lue language of Sipsong Panna, "pi namtao" in the Khun language of Kengtung, "pi namtao" in the Yuan language of Northern Thailand, "pi namtao" in the Lao language, and "pi namtao" in the Thai language. In Assam, the instrument is known as "Huluxi."

Performers

The hulusi is still mostly played in Yunnan (China), Shan State (Myanmar), and Assam. In recent years, European musicians have also started using the instrument. Musicians such as Rohan Leach and Jack Reddick from England, Raphaël De Cock from Belgium, Sara Bentes from Brazil, Nadishana from Russia, and Herman Witkam from the Netherlands have used the hulusi in new ways.