Leyou has deeply rooted in the life of the people of Buyi and has been passed down from generation to generation. Leyou is a folk double-reed vertical joy instrument of the Buyi nationality. Shaped like a suona, without a bowl, it is played with a worm whistle, which can be played solo or as an accompaniment to singing. It is popular in the vast area of southwestern Guizhou.
Leyou is usually played alone, but also in ensemble forms with suona, xiao and other instruments. Leyou tune is a kind of song named after Leyou as an accompaniment, which is relatively rare in the folk songs of other ethnic groups. Leyou tune is relatively free in terms of sentence patterns and singing. Its lyrics are relatively concise, and the lining words in the lyrics are an imitation of the sound made by the musical instrument "Leyou".
Leyou tunes are mostly Shang tune and Yu tune. Its melody, jumping into the fourth or fifth degree is its characteristic interval; the tempo and rhythm are rich, there are long rhythms, there are dense and stable rhythms, and there are dynamic triplet rhythms, and the rhythm is mostly free-style. The structure is mostly one-stage and two-stage. When playing, the performer likes to repeat many times on the basis of a certain basic composition. Leyou tunes express a wide range of content, most of them have titles, and the content is more specific, from the invitation after recognizing, to the longing after parting, and the bitterness of lovelorn, etc., can be expressed in Leyou music.
Leyou's tune is euphemistic and melodious. Except for the regular beginning and end, the main melody can often be improvised without restraint. The same tune will change a lot every time it is played. After a long period of circulation, each piece of music has a specific content and a certain meaning. It is said that there are dozens of tunes in Leyou (or Lelang). Later, with the gradual emergence of concise and meaningful lyrics, it developed into a unique Bouyei love song. In Wangmo County, Ceheng County, Zhenfeng County and other counties in southern Guizhou, in the Buyi villages by the Beipan River, every night when the moon is sparse, you will hear the rich Buyi villages blown by Leyou or Lelang. Breath tune.