Harvest Drum - A Special Instrument

Harvest Drum is popular among regions of Northeast China, Inner Mongolia, Hebei and Anhui Provinces. It's a kind of feature instrument used mainly by the Han and Manchu people.

It is said that the drum came into being in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and was named as Harvest Drum in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

According to folk legends, the Harvest Drum was a tool used by Manchu hunters. Hunters were beating drums when they pursued an animal. And they kept beating drums to express their pleasure when they got back with their preys.

Harvest Drums have many different features. Those used by Manchu are oval-shaped. The ones used by Han people are round, oblate or peach-shaped. The drum in Mongolia is only oblate-shaped.

People like dancing accompanied by Harvest Drum playing, especially when they celebrate festivals.