Amcan Imports

This mellow low-register dizi flute is a complete original. The design was invented by China's most creative flute maker, Master M.Z. Ying of HangZhou. Master Ying has been perfecting his design for many years, in consultation with master musicians from all over China. This incredible flute is the result.

The flute is constructed from two straight lengths of select aged violet bamboo, 1.5 inches in diameter. The head and body are joined with a curved section fashioned of metal and the same violet bamboo. The head joint is 6 inches long, the body about 27 inches. The total length of the flute is close to 36 inches.

A molded mouth-plate positioned on the blowing hole makes the flute responsive to the lightest puff of breath. Like all dizi, a membrane-covered hole supports production of a wide dynamic range. This flute is not easy to play right away. Its size and weight (20 ounces) make it awkward to hold. Mastery of its two-and-a-half octave range requires practice and patience.

Every feature of this flute exhibits loving attention to detail and the highest standards of the flute maker's craft. End-pieces on the head and body, crafted from sparkling polished horn, fit the flute seamlessly.

The flute's finish is a lustrous deep velvet black. Ornate red hand-painted designs, evocative of Chinese architectural styles, decorate the length of the flute. Near the upper tone holes there is a row of women's heads, perhaps they are singing. Below them is a row of pre-Qin Dynasty-style musical bells, symbol of 3000-year-old court music traditions.

Master Ying's name for this dizi, "Dragon Bend Flute," is rendered in gold calligraphy on the top side of the flute below the lower tone holes.

On the bottom side of the flute, opposite the gold calligraphy, the flute is decorated with an elaborate red dragon.

This flute is a professional musician's quality instrument. It has a fantastic mellow sound, is capable of wide dynamic variety, covers a two-and-a-half-octave range, and plays with good intonation.

Master Ying's craftsman signature is rendered on this flute in a highly stylized calligraphy reminiscent of the writing on prehistoric oracle bones or Egyptian hieroglyphics.

The flute comes in a custom locking case lined in red felt. We provide a supply of rice-paper dizi membranes and instructions on how to afix the membrane using garlic juice. We also provide a fingering chart so you won't fumble around to figure out where the notes are supposed to be.

CLICK HERE to download a sound-file demonstration of this flute (file about one megabyte, playing time 2 minutes).