The dizi (Chinese: 笛子; pinyin: dízi, pronounced [tǐt͡sɨ]) is a Chinese side-blown flute. It is also called the di (笛) or héngdi (橫笛), and has different types such as Qudi (曲笛), Bangdi (梆笛), and Xindi (新笛). The dizi is an important Chinese musical instrument used in many types of Chinese folk music, Chinese opera, and the modern Chinese orchestra. It is also popular among Chinese people because it is easy to make and carry.

Most dizi are made of bamboo, which is why they are sometimes called Chinese bamboo flutes. However, "bamboo" is more like a category of instruments in China, similar to "woodwind" in the West. Northern Chinese dizi are made from purple or violet bamboo, while those made in Suzhou and Hangzhou use white bamboo. Dizi from southern regions like Chaozhou are often made from thin, lightweight, light-colored bamboo and produce quieter sounds.

Although bamboo is the most common material for the dizi, other materials like wood or stone are also used. Jade dizi (玉笛; yùdi) are popular among collectors and musicians who value their appearance. However, jade may not be the best material because it does not produce as rich or clear a sound as bamboo.

The dizi is not the only bamboo flute in China. Other Chinese bamboo wind instruments include the vertical end-blown xiao and the koudi.

History

Archaeologists have found evidence showing that simple transverse flutes, which lack the unique mokong of the dizi, have existed in China for more than 9,000 years. Bone flutes from this time are still playable today and are very similar to modern flutes in how their holes are placed. At the Jiahu Neolithic site in central Henan province, flutes dating from 7,000 BC to 5,000 BC were discovered. These flutes had five to eight holes and could produce sounds covering about an octave. The dizi, as it is known today, dates back to around 500 BC, with examples of bamboo dizi from the 2nd century BC.

These flutes share features with simple flutes from many cultures worldwide. Many early flutes were made from hollow bones, which are well-suited for this purpose. The oldest known bone flutes are about 42,000 years old.

Traditionally, the dizi is made from a single piece of bamboo. This design makes it impossible to change the instrument’s tuning after the bamboo is cut, which caused problems when playing with other instruments in a modern Chinese orchestra. In the 1920s, musician Zheng Jinwen solved this issue by adding a copper joint to connect two shorter pieces of bamboo. This allowed the bamboo’s length to be adjusted slightly for small changes in pitch.

On traditional dizi, finger holes are spaced evenly, creating a mix of whole-tone and three-quarter-tone intervals. Zheng also repositioned the finger holes to change the notes produced. In the mid-20th century, dizi makers adjusted the finger hole placements to allow playing in equal temperament, as needed for new musical styles. However, traditional dizi are still used for purposes like kunqu accompaniment.

In the 1930s, an 11-hole, fully chromatic version of the dizi called the xindi was created. It is pitched in the same range as the Western flute. However, the extra holes on the modified dizi make it difficult to use the membrane, which gives traditional dizi their unique sound.

The bangdi (pitched in the same range as the Western piccolo) and qudi (pitched a fourth or fifth lower than the bangdi) are the most common types of dizi. Other types include the xiaodi/gaoyindi (pitched a fourth or fifth higher than the bangdi), the dadi/diyindi (pitched a fourth or fifth lower than the qudi), and the deidi/diyindadi (pitched an octave lower than the qudi).

Membrane

The dizi is a type of flute that differs from simpler flutes, which usually have only a blowing hole (called chui kong in Chinese) and finger holes. The dizi has an extra hole, called mo kong, located between the blowing hole and the finger holes. A special membrane, known as dimo (meaning "di membrane"), is placed over this hole. This membrane is made from a thin, tissue-like layer of reed taken from the inside of bamboo cells. Traditionally, it is attached using a type of animal glue called ejiao. Garlic juice may also be used temporarily, but it is not a long-lasting option. During the application process, small wrinkles are carefully made in the center of the dimo to create a unique, buzzing sound. This process is considered a skill in itself.

The dimo-covered mo kong affects the dizi's sound by making it brighter, louder, and adding harmonics that give the tone a buzzing, nasal quality. The dizi has a wide range, covering about two and a quarter octaves.

For beginners, tape can be used instead of dimo to cover the mo kong during practice. However, most professional musicians use dimo, especially during performances.

Playing styles and techniques

Contemporary dizi styles or schools, based on music from professional conservatories, are split into two groups: Northern and Southern. Each group has different preferences for the dizi instrument and playing techniques, as well as different ways to decorate and enhance melodies.

• Northern school (Beipai) – The dizi used in the Northern school, called the bangdi, is shorter and produces a higher, brighter, and sharper sound. It is played in traditional Chinese operas such as kunqu and bangzi, as well as in regional music styles like errentai. Music from the Northern school is usually fast-paced, rhythmic, and highly skilled, using techniques such as glissando, tremolo, flutter tonguing, and fast tonguing.

• Southern school (Nanpai) – In Southern China, the qudi is the main melodic instrument in kunqu opera and is also used in music styles like Jiangnan sizhu. It is longer and has a softer, more lyrical tone. Music from the Southern school is typically slower, with decorations such as short melodic turns, trills, and grace notes.

Dizi are often played using advanced techniques, such as circular breathing, slides, popped notes, harmonics, "flying finger" trills, multiphonics, fluttertonguing, and double-tonguing. These methods are also used in similar instruments, like the Western concert flute and recorder. Most professional players own a set of seven dizi, each tuned to a different key and size. Some master players or those seeking unique sounds, such as birdlike tones, may use very small or very large dizi.

Performers

There have been several important musicians from the 20th century who helped develop the dizi’s role in professional music education, often using or changing traditional regional folk music styles. After the Chinese Communist Revolution, and as discussed in the Yan'an forum talks, the dizi was valued for its connection to the people and was widely used in music related to the revolution.

Feng Zicun (1904–1987) was born in Yangyuan, Hebei province. Coming from a poor background, Feng became a well-known folk musician by the time the People’s Republic of China was founded. He played the dizi and the four-string fiddle sihu in local music groups, performed folk songs, and participated in stilt dances. He also introduced Errentai, a type of opera from Inner Mongolia, to Hebei after working there as a musician in the 1920s.

In 1953, Feng joined the state-supported Central Song and Dance Ensemble in Beijing as a dizi soloist. He later began teaching at the China Conservatory of Music (Beijing) in 1964.

Feng changed traditional folk music pieces into dizi solos, such as Xi xiang feng (Happy Reunion) and Wu bangzi (Five Clappers), which became part of the new music education programs for traditional instruments. His style, skilled and energetic, is considered representative of northern China’s folk music traditions.

Liu Guanyue (1918–1990) was born in An’guo county, Hebei. From a poor farming family, Liu was a professional folk musician who earned a modest living by playing the guanzi, suona, and dizi in rural music groups before becoming a soloist in the Tianjin Song-and-Dance Ensemble in 1952.

Liu and Feng Zicun are known as key figures in the northern dizi style. His compositions, including Yin zhong niao (Birds in the Shade), He ping ge (Doves of Peace), and Gu xiang (Old Home Village), are now part of the professional music repertoire taught in conservatories.

Lu Chunling (1921–2018) was born in Shanghai. Before 1949, Lu worked as a trishaw driver but also played in Jiangnan sizhu folk music groups as an amateur musician. In 1952, he became a dizi soloist with the Shanghai Folk Ensemble and later with the Shanghai Opera Company from 1971 to 1976. He began teaching at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1957 and became an associate professor in 1978.

Lu performed in many countries and across China, and he recorded many musical pieces. His dizi style is representative of the Jiangnan dizi tradition. He was a member of a famous Jiangnan sizhu quartet with Lu Chunling, Zhou Hao, Zhou Hui, and Ma Shenglong. His compositions include Jinxi (Today and Yesterday).

Zhao Songting (1924–2001) was born in Dongyang county, Zhejiang. He trained as a teacher in Zhejiang and studied law and music in Shanghai. In the 1940s, he taught music in Zhejiang and became a dizi soloist in the Zhejiang Song and Dance Ensemble in 1956. He also taught at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and the Zhejiang College of Arts.

Because of his middle-class background, Zhao faced difficulties during political campaigns in the 1950s and 1960s and was not allowed to perform. Instead, he taught students who later became leading dizi players and helped improve the dizi’s design. He returned to his teaching and performance roles in 1976.

Zhao’s compositions include San Wu Qi (Three-Five-Seven), based on a melody from Wuju, a traditional Zhejiang opera.

Yu Xunfa (1946–2006) was a well-known dizi soloist and composer from Shanghai. He performed with the Shanghai National Orchestra and led the Chinese Dizi Culture Research Centre in Shanghai. He was honored with a Life Achievement Award and a Lifelong Special Allowance by the State Council of the People’s Republic of China. He is also credited with inventing the koudi in 1971.

Ma Di is a current composer and soloist known for his skill on the dizi.

Tang Junqiao has performed internationally with groups such as the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, and London Symphony Orchestra. He has also played in the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Use in other music genres

Ron Korb, also known as Long Di or phonetically as "Rien Korb," was born in Toronto, Canada. He is the first well-known Western musician to play the dizi, a traditional Chinese instrument, along with other musical instruments from around the world. He graduated from the Music School at the University of Toronto with an honors degree in performance. On many of his recordings, he plays the dizi as the main instrument. He has also played the dizi in the soundtracks of the films The White Countess, Relic Hunter, China Rises, and Long Life, Happiness, & Prosperity.