The

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, bu ...

flute The flute is a family of classical music instrument in the woodwind group. Like all woodwinds, flutes are aerophones, meaning they make sound by vibrating a column of air. However, unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is a reedless ...

, especially the bone flute, is one of the oldest musical instruments known. Examples of Paleolithic bone flutes have survived for more than 40,000 years, to be discovered by archaeologists. While the oldest flutes currently known were found in Europe, Asia too has a long history with the instrument that has continued into the present day. In China, a playable bone flute was discovered, about 9000 years old. Historians have found the bamboo flute has a long history as well, especially China and India. Flutes made history in records and artworks starting in the

Zhou dynasty The Zhou dynasty ( ; Old Chinese ( B&S): *''tiw'') was a royal dynasty of China that followed the Shang dynasty. Having lasted 789 years, the Zhou dynasty was the longest dynastic regime in Chinese history. The military control of China by th ...

. The oldest written sources reveal the Chinese were using the

kuan Kuan may refer to: ;Ethnic groups *Khuen people, an aboriginal people of Laos * Khün, a Tai ethnic group in southeast Asia ;Other uses *Fan Kuan (990–1020), Chinese landscape painter of the Song dynasty *Lee Kuan Yew (1923–2015), founding f ...

(a reed instrument) and hsio (or xiao, an end-blown flute, often of bamboo) in the 12th-11th centuries b.c., followed by the chi (or ch'ih) in the 9th century b.c. and the yüeh in the 8th century b.c. Of these, the chi is the oldest documented cross flute or

transverse flute A transverse flute or side-blown flute is a flute which is held horizontally when played. The player blows across the embouchure hole, in a direction perpendicular to the flute's body length. Transverse flutes include the Western concert flute ...

, and was made from bamboo. The Chinese have a word, ''zhudi'', which literally means "bamboo flute." *This text appears to be: The cross flute (Sanscrit: vāṃśī) was "the outstanding wind instrument of ancient India," according to Curt Sachs. He said that religious artwork depicting "celestial music" instruments was linked to music with an "aristocratic character." The Indian bamboo cross flute,

Bansuri A bansuri is an ancient side blown flute originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is an aerophone produced from bamboo and metal like material used in Hindustani classical music. It is referred to as ''nadi'' and ''tunava'' in the ''Ri ...

, was sacred to

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...

, and he is depicted in

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

art with the instrument. In India, the cross flute appeared in reliefs from the 1st century a.d. at Sanchi and Amaravati from the 2nd-4th centuries a.d. In the modern age, bamboo flutes are common in places with ready access to bamboo, including Asia, South and Southeast Asia, South America, and Africa. See:

Chinese flutes Chinese flutes come in various types. They include Transverse Flutes: * Dizi (and its varieties such as the qudi and bangdi; primary transverse flutes, usually made of bamboo and distinctively has a buzzing membrane) *Koudi (a small center-blo ...

End blown flute mouthpieces

List of bamboo flutes, cane flutes, reed flutes

This list is intended to show flutes made of bamboo. It excludes pan flutes or panpipes, and flutes and whistles that don't have finger positions to change notes. It also excludes pipes that use reeds to produce the sound. Bamboo is a grass, and some "cane" or "reed" flutes may get listed here, as long as the plant is being used for a tube that is blown into or across to create noise. Types of flutes include

s (also called cross flutes), end-blown flutes (ring flutes are included with these) and Nose flutes. Fipple flutes, also called duct flutes, may be added to the list as well, as long as they are bamboo-based instruments. The bamboo variant may be added for instruments that include wood and bamboo versions. }

Burmese Burmese may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Myanmar, a country in Southeast Asia * Burmese people * Burmese language * Burmese alphabet * Burmese cuisine * Burmese culture Animals * Burmese cat * Burmese chicken * Burmese (hor ...

: ပုလွ , Cambodia
Myanmar (Burma) , Khloy

, internal
fipple , end-blown duct flute. Mouthhole on bottom of pipe's end, soundhole on flute's bottom (opposite side of the pipe from the fingerholes). This flute may have as many as 8 fingerholes, plus up to 2 additional thumbholes; the thumbholes offer additional notes. , - , Khlui , ( th, ขลุ่ย , Thailand , Khluimouthpiece

, internal
fipple , end-blown duct flute. Mouthhole on top of pipe's end, soundhole on flute's top. , - ,

Komabue The ("Koma flute") is a transverse bamboo flute, a fue that is used in traditional Japanese court music. Construction The ''komabue'' is typically constructed from bamboo. It is a transverse flute with six finger-holes. It is 36 cm, shorte ...

, Japanese: 高麗笛 , Japan , Komabue fue

, , , - ,

Koudi The ''koudi'' (Chinese: 口笛; pinyin: kǒudí; also spelled ''kou di'') is a very small Chinese flute made from bamboo. It is the smallest flute in Chinese Flute family. Its original shape is from prehistorical instruments made with animal bo ...

, Chinese: 口笛
pinyin: kǒudí , China , Koudi

, , , - , Lalove , , Indonesia , , - , Malaysian nose flute , ,

Sarawak Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the M ...

, Nose flute , , - ,

Minteki The ''minteki'' (kanji: 明笛; also called ''shinteki'' (kanji: 清笛)) is a Japanese transverse bamboo flute, a fue. It was first introduced to Japan from China in 1629. It is found in minshingaku (明清楽) ensembles.kanji are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese ...

: 明笛
shinteki: (

kanji are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese ...

: 清笛)) , Japan , Minteki 2

, , , - , Moseño , ,

Andes mountains The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the List of mountain ranges#Mountain ranges by length, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range i ...

, , , , - , Murali , , Nepal , , , , - , Native American flute , , United States (Native American) , , , , - , Nohkan , 能管 , Japan , Uta-you Shinobue and Nohkan

, , , - ,

Ney The ''ney'' ( fa, Ney/نی, ar, Al-Nāy/الناي), is an end-blown flute that figures prominently in Persian music and Arabic music. In some of these musical traditions, it is the only wind instrument used. The ney has been played continually ...

, , Iran , Ney

, , , - ,

Ohe Hano Ihu The Osthannoversche Eisenbahnen AG (OHE) is a Celle based transportation company with railway network in North-eastern Lower Saxony around the Lüneburg Heath area of over 250 km. The OHE's main business is the transportation of freight t ...

, , Hawaii , , , , - , Paiwan nose flute , ,

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

Nose Flute, from 4th National Cultural Assets Preservation Award ceremony, Republic of Chins (Taiwan)

, Nose flute , Instrument of the Paiwan people of Taiwan. , - , Palendag , , Philippines ,

, , , - , Palwei (German Wikipedia) , Burmese: ပလွေ , Myanmar , Palwei, a Myanmar transverse flute

, , , - ,

Pinkillu A pinkillu, pinkuyllu or pinqullu (Quechua or Aymara, Hispanicized spellings ''pincollo, pincuyllo, pingullo, pinquillo'', also ''pinkillo, pinkiyo, pinkullo, pinkuyo'') is a flute found throughout the Andes, used primarily in Argentina, Bolivia, ...

, ,

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

, , , - ,

Quena The quena (hispanicized spelling of Quechua ''qina'', sometimes also written ''kena'' in English) is the traditional flute of the Andes. Traditionally made of cane or wood, it has 6 finger holes and one thumb hole, and is open on both ends or th ...

, , Andes , Quena01

, , , - ,

Ryūteki The is a Japanese transverse '' fue'' made of bamboo. It is used in gagaku, the Shinto classical music associated with Japan's imperial court. The sound of the ''ryūteki'' is said to represent the dragons which ascend the skies between the ...

, , Japan , Ryuteki

, , , - , Sáo , sáo trúc , Vietnam , Thổi sáo

, , , - ,

Shakuhachi A is a Japanese and ancient Chinese longitudinal, end-blown flute that is made of bamboo. The bamboo end-blown flute now known as the was developed in Japan in the 16th century and is called the .

, , Japan , P1239148 Japan Deutschland (Klangwerkstatt) (48281353057)

, , , - , Shinobue or takebue , Shinobue: *

篠笛 The ''shinobue'' (kanji: 篠笛; also called ''takebue'' (kanji: 竹笛) in the context of Japanese traditional arts) is a Japanese transverse flute or fue that has a high-pitched sound. It is found in hayashi and nagauta ensembles, and plays i ...

Takebue: *(

: 竹笛) , Japan , Uta-you Shinobue and Nohkan

, , , - ,

Sogeum The ''sogeum'' (also spelled ''sogum'' or ''sogŭm'') is a small bamboo transverse flute used in traditional Korean music. Unlike the larger ''daegeum'', it does not have a buzzing membrane (although it did have one in ancient times). It is used ...

,
, Korea , , , , - , Suling , , Indonesia , Suling bambu

, , , - , Suling , , Papua, New Guinea , Suling Tambur

, , , - , Tahitian nose flute , ,

Tahiti Tahiti (; Tahitian ; ; previously also known as Otaheite) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is Austr ...

, Nose flute , Bamboo nose flute bound with bands of colored coconut fiber. Collected from Tahiti, the Society Islands during Cook's voyages to the Pacific 1768–1780. , - ,

Tongso The ''tunso'' (hangul: wikt:퉁소, 퉁소; hanja: wikt:洞簫, 洞簫) (sometimes ''tonso'', transliteration of its Chinese name of ''Xiao (flute), dòngxiāo'') is a Korean notched, end-blown flute, end-blown vertical bamboo flute, bamboo flute ...

, Korean: 퉁소 , Korea , Tungso

, , , - , Venu ,

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

: , India , Venu or Pullaanguzhal

, , , - , Wa , , Myanmar , , , , - , Xiao , , China , Dongxiaophoto

, , , - , Xindi , , China , , , , - ,

Yak The domestic yak (''Bos grunniens''), also known as the Tartary ox, grunting ox or hairy cattle, is a species of long-haired domesticated cattle found throughout the Himalayan region of the Indian subcontinent, the Tibetan Plateau, Kachin Sta ...

, 약 , Korea , Yak, exposat a Eolssigu! Els sons de Corea

, , , - , Yokobue , , Japan , , , , - , Yue , , China , , ,

References

{{Reflist Flutes Bamboo flutes