The Ultimate Guide to the Xun

by Howard Fosdick © FolkFluteWorld.com

The xun ranks among the most ancient musical instruments, dating back at least 7,000 years.

Its neolithic creation myth tells how early hunters tied hollow mudballs or stones to ropes. When they threw them at wild animals, the projectiles would sing. Chinese ancestors recognized this and adapted the weapons into a musical instrument they named the xun.

The xun is an incredibly expressive instrument, capable of conveying a vast range of emotions. It sounds sorrowful, it communicates calm, and it expresses joy. Its deep voice resonates with meaning for those who adopt it and nurture it.

This article will tell you everything you need to know about the xun. We'll explain its developmental history, the kinds of xun available, how to play them, and where you can best obtain one.

I'll take special care to explain some aspects of Chinese musical tradition that are key to understanding the xun, and that are missing from most English-language articles.

Here are the topics we'll cover...

How They Sound

Before exploring the xun in detail, it's helpful to hear how they sound. Click on either of the sound samples for a taste...

The xun projects a deep, airy sound. You can seemingly hear the musician's breath forming the different pitches.

It's a bit like an ocarina, which makes sense since both instruments are vessel flutes -- flutes in which sound waves resonate inside closed chambers, rather than pipe-like flutes like the recorder or concert flute.

The xun is primitive. No mechanical keys, no technological assist.

But that simple nature lends itself to the expressive musical techniques you hear in these videos... slides between notes, the ability to bend notes, the haunting vibrato.

Sometimes the simplest instruments give musicians the greatest scope to communicate emotions.

Want to pursue the xun? This article will tell you everything you need to know.

How Do You Say "Xun"?

Before we proceed... How is "xun" pronounced?

You might think to say "zuhn," but that's incorrect. Something like "shoon" is a better option for English speakers.

If you're more ambitious and want to get it right, here's how a native speaker says it.

In Chinese, xun is written as: 埙 . In traditional Chinese, it's: 塤 , and in pinyin, it's: xūn.

What is the plural of "xun"? Some English speakers prefer "xuns," others favor "xun." We'll stick with the latter in this article.

Origins

The xun dates back 7,000 years. Initially they were probably what are termed whistles. They could play various tones but not a scale or musical tunes.

What's unusual is that the xun evolved into a true musical instrument very early. For example, by the time of the Shang dynasty (1600 to 1046 BC), the xun already had 5 fingering holes and could play all whole and half tones in the pentatonic scale.

The third century BC saw 6 holed musical instruments like the one shown in the photo.

The earliest Chinese encyclopedia, the Erya, describes two kinds of xun at that time:

    *  Larger, lower-pitched, six-holed xun
    *  Smaller, higher-pitched, chicken-egg xun

Ancient xun were fashioned from stone or bones. The were also made of bamboo and clay earthenware. Modern xun are almost always hot-fired clay, or ceramic.

Developing the Modern Xun

Chinese ingenuity has continued to improve the xun in the modern era. For example, in the 1960s Professor Chenzhong of the Tianjin Conservatory of Music modernized the 6 hole xun with a better tone and more convenient placement for the fingering holes.

The professor later created the 9 hole xun, expanding its range and dramatically enhancing its musicality.

One of the professor's students, Zhao Liangshan, developed a 10 hole xun. This enabled playing the high notes in the enhanced range more precisely and accurately.

Today, most xun have either 8 or 10 fingering holes. These play a range of close to two full octaves in the western seven note scale, including all sharps and flats.

Kinds of Blow Holes

As shown in the above photos, xun vary in shape, but calling them "egg shaped" is pretty accurate. Nearly all xun have a flat bottom and are capable of being stood on end.

You hold the xun to your mouth and blow across its top blow hole. You cut your breath across the edge of the blow hole to produce sound waves. It's the exact same way you create a sound by blowing across the top of a pop bottle.

The sound waves resonate inside the xun's enclosed chamber. Fingering the tone holes raises or lowers the pitch to sound individual notes.

Xun have three different kinds of blow holes. As a musician, you handle each a little bit differently. Some are easier to play than others. It's very important to understand the differences between them.

Here is a close up of two kinds of blow holes:

Type 1 Blow Hole - Round

The first line of photos shows close-ups of perfectly round blow holes. This is the historic blow hole that xun had for millennia.

Xun with perfectly symmetrical round blow holes are the most difficult to play. They require that the musician practice embouchure to ensure he can play all notes in the scale. By that we mean that he must purse his lips just so and very precisely direct his breath across the blow hole.

Often it is necessary to reposition the angle of the blow hole (and the instrument) to reach notes at the high or low end of the scale. For example, the musician might need to turn his head down to play the lowest note. This technique is called the acute bend.

Type 2 Blow Hole - Notched

The second line of photos shows close-ups of what might be called recessed or bevelled or notched blow holes. The side of the blow hole the musician targets with his breath has been molded into a recessed, sharp edge. This edge is narrower than many seen in type 1 blow holes.

Notched blow holes are definitely easier to play than perfectly symmetrical, round ones. They also increase responsiveness to the player's embouchure.

As shown in the photos, the shapes of these bevels vary. Some are recessed more, others less. And the angle and shape of the notch varies, too. Depending on the size and shape of the instrument, some notches are easier to work with than others.

Designs where the musician can get his lower lip very close to the sound edge (when desired) offer better responsiveness.

The recessed rim design dates only from 2013. According to their website, Song Wei of Imperial City Ocarina invented it in Shenyang.

Many xun use this design today. Its playability is definitely superior to the ancient round (type 1) blow hole. About the only advantage the type 1 blow hole offers is that it links to millennia of tradition.

Type 3 Blow Hole - Fipple

Just in the last few years vendors have been selling a third kind of xun. This one looks as shown in this photo:

With this xun, you blow into a slit. No need to direct your breath to split across the blow hole. Instead, the instrument directs your breath automatically, such that it hits a splitting edge on the back of the instrument, as shown in the middle photo. The air hole containing this splitting edge is located an inch or two distant from where the musician blows.

Many readers will recognize that this is a fipple or duct flute. A vessel flute with this kind of design is usually termed an ocarina in English-speaking countries. We'll call this type 3 blow hole the fipple xun.

This design eliminates the need to perfect one's embouchure, the skill that renders the traditional xun difficult to learn.

It also converts a xun into what is technically an ocarina. (Chinese call ocarinas wudu or taodi.)

Is the "fipple xun" still a xun?

Purists might say no. It replaces one of the basic requirements of what they consider a xun with a different technology.

Purists would say that, by definition, xun don't have fipples. They contend that the musician's ability to manipulate the blow hole is essential to the unique sounds and personality of the xun. A non-fipple blow hole gives the highly skilled musician more scope in exercising his playing abilities.

Others of more practical bent might argue that how the player's breath is converted into sound waves is not a matter of rigid definition, and that the fipple xun opens up this wonderful instrument to access by many less-skilled players.

To me, the big question is: does making the xun a fipple flute alter its sound? That's tough to say. Some type 1 or 2 xun have an airiness or breathiness that the fipple design seems to lack. And yet there are cases where I don't think many people would be able to tell the difference between the two designs in a blind test.

Ultimately, whichever design you prefer is up to you!

Today's Xun

Modern xun are usually baked clay (ceramic), but if you're interested in other materials like bamboo, or even exotics like various woods or jade, you can find them.

They are sold with all three kinds of blow holes.

They come in all sizes, from tiny and light, to huge and heavy. Of course, the larger the xun, the lower its pitch.

You can find xun in almost any key, but F and G are most common. (These are not the same as the western keys of F and G, as we'll explain below.) Some websites will ask you to select a key when you order one of their xun.

Most modern xun have either 8 or 10 holes. But you'll also see 9 and 11 hole xun. And of course, you can find other options if you research a bit.

Xun require cross-fingering (also called split-fingering) to play. With this skill, you can play fully chromatic scales.

You may hear the xun called a diatonic instrument, an instrument that can't play sharps and flats. But that's inaccurate -- assuming the musician develops sufficient skill to play the accidentals.

You may have to cover half of certain holes -- or half hole -- to play some accidentals. But the xun is continually improving, and there are now xun that eliminate half-holing.

There are even xun that finger just like an ocarina, to make it easier still.

As an example of some of the new xun developments, take a look at these photos.

This design from Imperial City Ocarina plays a chromatic scale of 19 notes, including all sharps and flats.

Note the notched blow hole and also the double hole or subhole for one finger.

According to the vendor, "The subhole not only expands the range downward by one diatonic in the C major scale, but also provides fingerings for all accidentals within the range of the instrument."

The bottom line is that xun are best considered as instruments that have a rich history and a degree of standardization -- but they're also constantly evolving. No standards are set in stone.

If you're a beginner, I suggest that you start with a simple, inexpensive xun. Once you develop some expertise and a serious interest, you wish to graduate to a more expensive instrument. Perhaps you'll want to explore some of the new kinds of xun becoming available. Or, maybe you'll become fascinated by Chinese history and tradition and seek an early model xun.

In any case, only after you gain some expertise can you make an truly informed decision on acquiring a more expensive instrument.

What Key is Your Xun?

In the western musical tradition, the key of an instrument is identified by its lowest note (or base note). This is the note you play on a folk flute with all the fingering holes closed.

For example, close all the fingering holes on a common soprano recorder, blow a note, and it will voice a C. Thus we call it "a recorder in the key of C," or a "C soprano recorder."

The Chinese tradition differs. Chinese name the key of a flute from the note produced when all three left hand finger holes are closed, and all three right hand finger holes are open.

Another way of saying this is that the key of an instrument is considered as three notes above its base note.

With xun, the most popular keys are F and G. Given the mapping just described, this means that an F instrument is actually in the western key of C, and the G instrument is in the western key of D.

This chart maps Chinese keys to their western equivalents:

So the note sounded by a F xun with all holes closed is C4 in western terminology. This is middle C on the piano. It is also the base note of instruments such as the tenor recorder and the C-major bass ocarina.

The note played by a G xun with all holes closed is D4. This is the same base note as the low D tin whistle.

Many xun have their Chinese key stamped on their bottoms. Sometimes you'll find the key incised elsewhere on the instrument, like on its back or near its base. Xun vary but most makers consider it proper to indicate the Chinese key somewhere on the instrument.

A xun's key does not affect its fingering pattern. That is, F and G xun from the same maker will typically finger the same, they just produce sound that is one note apart. (We'll cover fingering in detail later.)

The Range of the Xun

The range or span of notes playable on a xun depends on three factors:

• The number of fingering holes
• The fingering chart for the xun
• The skill of the musician

The usual rule is: the more fingering holes a xun has, the greater its range. For example, 10 hole xun typically have a range of 12 whole notes, while 8 hole xun usually supply 9.

Unlike penny whistles, xun can not be overblown. That is, you can not blow harder to raise the tone of a particular fingered note to reliably produce a higher tone. In this xun are like other vessel flutes such as the ocarina.

Skilled musicians can extend the range of type 1 and 2 xun on the lower end. They do this by partially covering the blow hole with their lower lip and blowing very softly.

With practice one can play several notes below the base tone. Professionals can go almost an octave below it. Whether you consider these notes useful depends on whether it is acceptable to have very softly spoken low notes.

This technique does not work with a type 3 xun because the fipple does not allow the musician this level of control over the blow hole.

How to Play the Xun - Fingering

These two photos show how to hold a typical xun.

This photo shows where to place your fingers on the xun. The photos diagram a 10 hole xun. For an 8 hole instrument, fingers that don't cover holes are placed anywhere convenient to grasp or steady the xun.

Today's xun features three predominant fingering systems:

• Liu Kuan Ren
• Xi An Left Hand
• Xi An Right Hand

All three fingering systems come in both 8 and 10 versions. The fingering chart that comes with your xun will show you which it employs.

Here's a fingering chart for a typical 10 hole xun that happens to employ the Xi An Left Hand system:

You'll notice that to play up the scale starting from the bottom note, you lift fingers of your left hand first. This differs from instruments like the ocarina, recorder, tin whistle, Native American flute, and others where you raise fingers of the right hand first.

In contrast, the Xi An Right Hand system starts the scale by lifting the fingers of your right hand first. It might feel a little more natural to you if you've experience with other flutes or woodwinds.

Whichever fingering system your xun uses, you'll find that you sometimes alternate fingers from either hand to play up the entire scale. Xun do not have the simple linear fingering system with which you might be familiar from the recorder, ocarina, or tin whistle.

What all this means is that the xun does not finger as easily or instinctively as do many folk flutes. It's more challenging than the penny whistle or recorder or ocarina. It's not a big challenge, but the bottom line is that you must memorize the fingering pattern of your xun.

(You can access more of our xun fingering charts here, and this website has a complete set of fingering charts.)

Finally, you will find that there are sometimes minor fingering differences between instruments, even when their documentation states that they follow a particular fingering system. Thus, the chart that comes with your xun speaks as the ultimate authority.

Be sure to read your chart correctly! Some fingering charts show your left hand on the right side in the diagrams (as above), while others show your left hand on the left side.

The tipoff as to the orientation of your chart is whether the xun faces up or down in the diagrams. If the xun diagrams face upwards, your left hand is on the right side of the diagrams in the chart. If the xun diagrams face downwards, your left hand is on the left side. Your chart could be of either kind because there is no standardization among xun fingering charts.

Whichever fingering your xun requires, be sure that when you intend to cover a fingering hole, you cover it completely and securely. This is the most common mistake beginners make. If you try to cover a hole and leave even the tiniest air gap, the note won't sound properly.

Fortunately, you'll find that you quickly develop "muscle memory" for the location of the holes. Covering them properly becomes instinctive.

Another key skill: how to hold the xun when playing with most or all notes open. You'll need to develop a technique to hold the xun without dropping it. The weight, size, and shape of your xun could make this either easier or more challenging.

How to Play the Xun - Embouchure

Learning xun involves several tasks. First, learn to play the scale. You need to be able to clearly hit and articulate each note. This may involve experimenting with how you hold or tilt the instrument toward your mouth. If you have a type 1 or 2 xun, you'll have to learn exactly where to blow to split your breath across the blow hole to produce sound. This is called learning the correct embouchure.

You'll find that different notes require slight adjustments in your embouchure. For example, the highest notes require tight embouchure. The angle at which you hold the xun and tilt your head is critical and may vary by note as well.

Correct breath pressure is also vital. You may find that it varies according to the note you play. For example, it often takes stronger pressure to blow the highest notes in tune, and lesser pressure to sound the lowest.

With a type 3 or "fipple xun," embouchure is not a concern. The fipple design does all this work for you. All you have to do is blow into the slit mouthpiece. This is why a fipple xun is easier to play than traditional xun. And this is why the fipple xun in now offered as an option in venues that sell to the general public, like Amazon or other web sellers.

Advanced Techniques

Once you become adept at playing whole notes, you'll want to learn sharps and flats. F# and B♭ are most important; others are infrequently used.

Many of the accidentals require split-fingering. A few may require half-holing. You'll acquire these skills with practice. As mentioned previously, some newer models of xun make the chromatics easier to play than traditional xun.

Listen to xun music at Youtube and you'll discover a whole host of advanced techniques used by the masters. You'll want to learn to slide graciously between notes, and play long slides across the scale.

You'll learn how to make the xun "chirp", and how you can imitate bird sounds with it. You can make it warble and waffle between and across notes.

You'll also want to learn how to play notes below the base note (the lowest fingered note) of the xun. You do this by partially covering the blow hole with your lower lip and blowing very softly. With practice you can play several notes below the base tone. Professionals can go almost an octave below it.

Note that you can only practice this technique with type 1 and 2 xun. You can not do this with a type 3 xun because the fipple does not allow the musician this kind of control over the blow hole.

As you improve your xun skills, your mastery will eventually be such that you can easily play different sizes and styles of xun. It's great fun to try different instruments from different makers to see which you like best. You might enjoy the slight tonal variations or deviations in timbre between different xun.

You might also like the idea of building a small xun collection. Their designs vary so greatly, and some are truly astounding works of art.

Beautiful or striking xun look fantastic on your display shelf and always elicit comments from visitors. Most Americans have never heard of the xun. Many will be interested in your explanation of its history and how it works. Everyone will want a demonstration.

Buying Your First Xun

If you're new to the xun, your first task is to find and buy one you can play. As mentioned earlier, some xun are much easier to learn than others.

The most difficult are those with symmetrical round blow holes (type 1). These require some embouchure practice to play properly, especially for highest and lowest notes. You may need to develop acute bend to play the lowest notes, and a shift in the opposite direction to play the highest notes. High notes require a tighter embouchure.

Most beginners find it much easier to start with a type 2 or 3 instrument. That's exactly why these new technologies were invented.

If you've never played a musical instrument before, I'd recommend a type 3 fipple xun. That eliminates the embouchure as a barrier to getting started. You'll be able to start playing almost immediately. You can always buy a more traditional xun later after you gain some experience.

When you select your first xun, don't get side-tracked by the xun's design or its looks. For a first purchase it's best to concentrate on finding an instrument you can easily learn to play. After you develop some proficiency, you might want to purchase a fancy xun with intriguing designs. Perhaps you'll be attracted to the historical xun of type 1 design.

Where to Acquire Your Xun

Many stores in the US and EU, and online sources such as Amazon, offer a xun or two.

A better option is to go straight to Chinese sources. These sellers offer sweeping variety and greater choice. They will likely respond to an email inquiry if you need help in deciding what to buy. These are large sellers that are accustomed to dealing with international customers:

• Imperial City Ocarina (Shenyang, China)
• Sound of Mountain (Jiangsu Province, China, with overseas warehouses in USA, EU, etc)
• Red Music Shop (Beijing)
• Eason Music Store (Singapore)

Wherever you purchase your xun, be sure to either play it or hear a sound sample first. Voices vary greatly by size, composition, design of the blow hole, the height to weight ratio, and other factors. You can only be certain you're purchasing a xun you'll truly love if you hear it first.

Make Your Own Xun

If you have pottery skills, you might even want to make your own xun. It's not particularly difficult. This Youtube video by Zen Du is one of several that show how.

Expert Robert Hickman has written a comprehensive book on how to make both xun and ocarinas. You can access his chapter on how to make a xun for free here.

How to Read Chinese Musical Notation

It's useful to be able to read Chinese musical notation.

With this knowledge, you can read sheet music for Chinese and other Asian songs that you can find on the internet. Plus, you'll be able to read the fingering chart that comes with your Chinese instrument.

You'll need to know two Chinese notations. The first is that for individual notes. The second is the notation used to write complete scores, called Jian Pu (or jianpu).

You can read my tutorial article on how to read both Chinese notations here.

It's pretty easy to learn the Chinese notations and it's quite a valuable skill to have when learning and playing the xun.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes the simplest musical instruments offer the greatest potential for self-expression. The xun certainly fits this description.

The xun is not the easiest folk flute to play. But with its soothing voice, millennia of tradition, and many intriguing variants, it will certainly capture your interest.

Related Articles

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Gallery

Here are a few photos of xun that caught our interest...