The cucurbit silk is unique in shape and structure, it is made of a complete natural gourd, three bamboo tubes and three metal reeds. The whole gourd is used as an air chamber. Three bamboo tubes of different thickness are inserted into the bottom of the gourd. Each bamboo tube inserted into the gourd is inlaid with a copper or silver reed. The sound hole, called the main pipe, is flanked by attached pipes. There are only reeds on it, no sound hole (referring to the traditional cucurbit silk), and can only produce harmonics that resonate with the main pipe. Usually, the left-side pipe makes a "3" sound, and the right-side pipe is silent (or a low-pitched "6" sound).

This musical instrument uses the gourd as the air chamber and the gourd mouth as the mouthpiece. The whole body is about 30 cm long. Common three-pipe, but also single-pipe, double-pipe or four-pipe cucurbit silk. No matter how many bamboo pipes there are, the middle one is the main pipe, and the rest are the auxiliary pipes. There are several sound holes on the main pipe, generally the first six and the other one. The traditional cucurbit silk auxiliary pipe does not have a hole above it. Only a hole is made at the bottom of the pipe body, which is blocked with a plug. The plug and the pipe body are wired together. Open it with your pinky finger. The improved cucurbit silk does not use the traditional plug, but opens a sound hole above the pipe body like the main pipe. This is more convenient for the repeated use of the auxiliary pipe sound when playing, and the control is free and more flexible. When playing, the fingers control the sound holes of the main supervisor to play different sounds. If the main and auxiliary pipes are turned on at the same time, several pipes will sound together when playing. The melody only comes from the main pipe, and the auxiliary pipes are only set off by harmonious and continuous single notes, usually one Pronounce the a sound, and a tube produces the e sound, resulting in a harmony effect.
The gourd silk of the Achang nationality is similar to that of the Dai nationality, and is made of gourds and golden bamboo tubes. The length of the blowing pipe is 6 cm, the length of the main pipe is 50 cm, and the length of the auxiliary pipe is 33 and 17 cm respectively. On the side of the two auxiliary pipes that are close to the main pipe, there is a bamboo piece respectively, which is tied with the main pipe with a thread.
In Ximeng Wa, three bamboo pipes are inserted into the bottom of the gourd, sealed with wax, and the upper end and the bamboo blowpipe are only two centimeters long. The main pipe is used to play the melody, and the two auxiliary pipes emit a continuous tone of a perfect fifth to accompany the melody. If a continuous tone is not required or a single continuous tone is required, the auxiliary pipe can also be blocked.