Miao Lusheng Reed-Pipe Music

The lusheng is the most important traditional Miao instrument, made of multiple bamboo pipes inserted into a wooden wind-chest, with a history stretching back thousands of years; lusheng music pervades Miao festivals, ancestor ceremonies, weddings and harvest celebrations—'Miao people cannot live without the lusheng.'

Lusheng playing is inseparable from lusheng dance; performers play and dance simultaneously, with ensemble playing producing rich harmonic textures; pieces follow established modal patterns but also allow improvisation, with specific tunes and movements prescribed for each occasion.

Inscribed in 2006 on the first national ICH list, lusheng music is the core carrier of Miao musical culture and one of Guizhou's most important minority-culture ambassadors to the world.

Miao villages in and around Guiyang perform lusheng music and dance at festivals; stage productions such as 'Colorful Guizhou Wind' feature the lusheng as a centerpiece of their shows.