| | | |  |  | | | | | Shakuhachi
The literal translation of the Japanese flute, the shakuhachi (“one and eight-tenths”), refers to the original standard measurement—54.5cm—of the Chinese flute, thus testifying to its Chinese origins. Nowadays, it is made of bamboo. Common to all shakuhachi are the four finger-holes and the thumb-hole. Its length, however, varies. Although the shakuhachi is a flute of simple construction, it is very difficult to master. It is played by blowing against the sharp edge of the open upper end of the pipe.
The shakuhachi made its way from China to Japan around 800 BC. The Zen Buddhist order of Komuso monks chose the shakuhachi as its symbol and created the then novel form of meditation; the shakuhachi was important with respect to breathing and developing an awareness of sound. For a long time, the shakuhachi was played solely for the purpose of spiritual exercise. Only in the nineteenth century did the instrument become an integral part of ensembles. It later became increasingly popular in contemporary art music and has now caught on pop music.
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