Images from The Beede Gallery Qudi (Transverse Flute), China, early 20th century Click on images below to see larger images NMM 4410. Qudi, China, early 20th century. Transverse, bamboo flute with bone end-caps. Inscribed in red ink with imitation Chinese characters. Twenty-four bands of silk thread coated with black lacquer. Traditionally, a thin, vibrating membrane (dimo) is peeled from the interior of a bamboo stalk and adhered to the flute using peach sap, giving the qudi its characteristic buzzing sound. Longer flutes like this are often played in the kunqu opera, where they are called kundi. Sound is produced by blowing across the single hole to the left of the dimo-covered hole. Overall length: 66.7 cm. Arne B. Larson Collection, 1979. Views of the End Caps   Click arrow to continue Beede Gallery Tour Go to Beede Gallery Tour Index Go to Virtual Gallery Tour Index Go to Annotated Checklist of Musical Instruments From East Asia on Display at the NMM National Music Museum The University of South Dakota 414 East Clark Street Vermillion, SD   57069 ©National Music Museum, 2007 Most recent update:   December 6, 2007 You are the 496th visitor to this page since November 28, 2007. The University of South Dakota Return to Top of Page