Both xiao, the vertical bamboo flute, and di, the horizontal bamboo flute, are traditional wind instruments in China.

The xiao enjoys an older history than the di because it has been around for 3,000 years, whereas the di found its way into China during the 2nd century B.C. from Central Asia. In its early days, the xiao was something of a panpipe consisting of 16 bamboo pipes. Today, the xiao appears mostly in the form of a single flute, and, easy to be made, it is rather popular among the Chinese. The two earliest panpipes found in the tomb of King of Zeng at Suixian County in Hubei Province in 1978, dating back to the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.) consist of 13 fine bamboo pipes each, arrayed in progressively reducing lengths. The xiao's soft and graceful tones are ideal for solo and ensemble playing to express profound feelings in long-drawn, soft and sentimental melody.