Bamboo tube (pinyin: zhú tǒng) is a musical instrument used by the Hani people. It is a musical instrument evolved from living instruments. It is popular in Simao area of Yunnan Province, Xishuangbanna Dai-Aga Autonomous Prefecture and Honghe Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture. In ancient times, it was called "熷", which refers to the cooking method of using a bamboo tube as a utensil, and then "roasting", "burning", "steaming" and "stewing" and other methods to make the food cooked. Bamboo tubes are also made into various handicrafts, pen holders, desk calendars, etc., which are widely popular in the market.
The industrious and intelligent Hani people have gradually evolved the bamboo tube used to carry water in their lives into musical instruments for singing and dancing accompaniment. Bamboo tubes are mostly made of long and thick phoenix-tailed bamboo tubes (pictured). The tube is 100 cm to 120 cm in length and 7 cm to 9 cm in diameter. The upper end is open and trimmed into a 45-degree inclined plane. Bamboo joints are reserved at the bottom of the lower cylinder. Bamboo tubes have no fixed pitch, and the Hani people generally use twelve bamboo tubes with different pitches but loud pronunciation as accompaniment for singing and dancing.
The "Bamboo Tube Dance", which is popular in Mojiang, Jiangcheng, Lancang, Menglian, Jinghong and Menghai, is a popular entertainment activity among the Hani people. In the center of the courtyard dam of the village, the performers sang while holding the bamboo tube and slammed the bottom of the tube against the specially designed wooden board on the ground, making it emit a rhythmic "dong dong" sound. People formed a circle and followed the rhythm of the bamboo tube. Dance lightly and move slowly in a counter-clockwise direction. In addition to the elderly and children, the Hani people compete to participate, especially the young boys and girls are the most active. Every year during the Spring Festival, the Hani people live and celebrate all night long. The "Bamboo Tube Dance" is performed for three days and three nights. In addition to the bamboo tube, the accompaniment instruments of the Hani "Bamboo Tube Dance" also include cymbals and cymbals.