Shop:
Shen Yun Creations
Artist Fashion
Shen Yun Collections
Shen Yun Performing Arts
  • The Performance
    9 Characteristics of Shen Yun
    Classical Chinese Dance
  • The Company
    Our Story
    Artists
    Challenges We Face
    About Shen Yun
    Performing Arts
    Symphony Orchestra
    Press Releases
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • News
  • Blog
  • 5,000 Years
    Chinese Dance
    Music
    Vocal Music
    Shen Yun Costumes
    Digital Projection
    Shen Yun Props
    Stories and History
    Shen Yun and Traditional Chinese Culture
  • FAQ
  • Newsletter Support Employment Search
    English
  • 中文正體
  • 中文简体
  • 日本語
  • 한국어
  • Česky
  • Deutsch
  • Español
  • Français
  • Indonesia
  • Italiano
  • Nederlands
  • Polski
  • Português
  • Pусский
  • Svenska
  • Việt
  • עברית
  • What's New Buy Tickets
    Menu
    Shen Yun Logo
    Tickets
    What’s New
    Menu
    • The Performance
      • 9 Characteristics of Shen Yun
      • Classical Chinese Dance
    • The Company
      • The Company
      • Our Story
      • Artists
      • Challenges We Face
      • About Shen Yun
        Performing Arts
      • Symphony Orchestra
      • Press Releases
    • Videos
    • Reviews
    • News
    • Blog
    • 5,000 Years
      • 5,000 Years
      • Chinese Dance
      • Music
      • Vocal Music
      • Shen Yun Costumes
      • Digital Projection
      • Shen Yun Props
      • Stories and History
      • Shen Yun and Traditional Chinese Culture
    • FAQ
    • Shop
      • Shen Yun Creations
      • Artist Fashion
      • Shen Yun Gift Shop
    Shen Yun 9 Characteristics Link Image

    What Makes Us Unique?

    DISCOVER THE 9 CHARACTERISTICS
    • Employment
    • Support
    • Subscribe
    • Search
    Language
    • 中文正體
    • 中文简体
    • 日本語
    • 한국어
    • Česky
    • Deutsch
    • Español
    • Français
    • Indonesia
    • Italiano
    • Nederlands
    • Polski
    • Português
    • Pусский
    • Svenska
    • Việt
    • עברית
      Explore
      Back Explore > Suona

    Suona

    A
    A

    Your browser does not support the audio element.

    One of the instruments most unique, playful, and distinctively Chinese-sounding is the suona. The suona is a double reed woodwind instrument. A mouthpiece is connected to a wooden pipe shaft with holes and a flared copper end. Notes are played by fingering, and players use their mouth to control the suona’s volume, pitch, and timbre.

    Skillfully played, the suona produces clear, bright notes that sometimes resemble birdcalls. Not surprisingly, one of the most famous suona pieces is called “Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix.”

    The suona is a popular sight in many traditional Chinese folk rituals. It heralds the bride’s arrival in Chinese weddings, accents rites in funerals, and commemorates abundant harvests in festivals. Along with the erhu and pipa, the suona is one of the cornerstones of Chinese music.

    In the Shen Yun Performing Arts Orchestra, the suona adds that extra flair to a special character in a story—sometimes to wonderfully humorous effect.

    February 13, 2011

    RELATED CONTENT
    • Dizi Flute V2
      Dizi - Bamboo Flute
    • Erhu V2
      Erhu - the Chinese Violin
    • Pipa V2
      Pipa - Chinese Lute
    • Pengling Bells V2
      Pengling - Hand Bells

    Previous

    Gong

    Next

    Dizi - Bamboo Flute

    Tags

    • Folk Traditions
    • Chinese Musical Instruments
    • Chinese music
    • Traditional Virtues
    RELATED CONTENT
    • Dizi - Bamboo Flute
      Dizi Flute V2
    • Erhu - the Chinese Violin
      Erhu V2
    • Pipa - Chinese Lute
      Pipa V2
    • Pengling - Hand Bells
      Pengling Bells V2
      Shen Yun logo golden
      Shen Yun logo golden

      Shen Yun Performing Arts is the world's premier classical Chinese dance and music company, established in New York in 2006. It performs classical Chinese dance, ethnic and folk dance, and story-based dance, with orchestral accompaniment and solo performers. For 5,000 years, divine culture flourished in the land of China. Through breathtaking music and dance, Shen Yun is reviving this glorious culture. Shen Yun, or 神韻, can be translated as: “The beauty of divine beings dancing.”

      About
    • Shen Yun Performing Arts
    • Shen Yun Symphony Orchestra
    • Challenges We Face
    • Shen Yun & Spirituality
    • Meet the Artists
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Press Releases
    • Employment Opportunities
    • Videos
    • Latest & Featured
    • About Shen Yun
    • Meet the Artists
    • Reviews
    • News & Blog
    • News & Reviews
    • Featured
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Explore
    • Chinese Dance
    • Music
    • Vocal Music
    • Shen Yun Costumes
    • Digital Projection
    • Shen Yun Props
    • Stories and History
    • Shen Yun and Traditional Chinese Culture
    • Shen Yun Creations
      Artist Fashion
      Shen Yun Collections
      Friends of Shen Yun
      Tian Yin Music Store
      Guestbook
    • Support
    • Subscribe
    Shen Yun Performing Arts Official Website Artist Fashion Shen Yun Collections Friends of Shen Yun Copyright ©2022 Shen Yun Performing Arts. All Rights Reserved.
    Contact us Terms Privacy Site map