Ding-dong is an ancient musical instrument of the Li nationality. Ding-dong has been circulated among the people in Dongfang, Baoting, Baisha and Ledong in Hainan for a long time. In the era of slash-and-burn farming in the Li family, the mountains were densely covered with forests, and there were many wild animals. The crops were often destroyed by wild animals. Especially when the rice on the mountain hurdles was mature, wild boars would come to steal food in groups, often nibbling away the pieces of rice on the mountain hurdles overnight. All of them turned the rice fields that were about to be harvested into wasteland. In order to protect the fruits of their labor, the Li family built a thatched hut in the mountains to guard the crops. They also cut down two dead wood sticks more than 5 feet long and hung them in front of the shed, and beat them with two short wooden sticks to intimidate the wild beasts. This is the origin of Ding Dong.
"Ding Dong" is made by hanging two wooden pieces about two meters long. When playing, two chasing sticks are tapped on different parts of the two thick woods, and a different tonal impact sound will be produced. Listening to it, I feel that the sound is strong and rough, deep and melodious. Wherever the Li family lives and grows crops, this primitive and rhythmic "ding dong" sound will be heard. On the stage of performing arts, Chinese artists have created a world-class musical masterpiece with their superb performances--tapping the moving score on the log. People seem to be reluctant to name this ancient and novel national instrumental music with any elegant and gorgeous words, and have to name it onomatopoeia-ding-dong with the image of the sound it produces under percussion.