Yexiao, called "liao" in Miao language, is named after it is mostly played at night. It is a unique single-reed gas-sounding instrument of the Miao people.

When playing, the tube is upright. The ring finger and index finger of the right hand press the first and second holes, the ring finger and index finger of the left hand press the third and fourth holes, and the thumb of the left hand presses the back hole of the five-hole night flute. The mouth contains a mouthpiece, and the airflow enters the impulse air distribution valve from the airway, so that the air column in the tube vibrates and sounds.

Due to the different lengths and diameters of the tubes during production, the sound of the tubes is not the same. Generally speaking, g-e1, through flat blowing and over blowing, has a sound range of nearly two octaves.

The tone of Yexiao is soft, beautiful, and very pleasant. Some are similar to the clarinet of Western instruments, but it is more delicate than bright. Often used for solo, ensemble or singing accompaniment, it is most suitable for playing slow and lyrical tunes.

According to the memory of the Miao elders, there were dozens of Yexiao tunes in the past, but unfortunately not many were circulated, and the difference between them was not big. It mostly expresses delicate thoughts and feelings by playing folk songs with content, so the material of Yexiao is mostly from folk songs.