Fou Drum

Everyone was impressed by the drum formation at the beginning of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic game. However, very few people can recognize the drum inside or outside China. Indeed, it is a modern variation of an ancient instrument called Fou （缶）.

Indeed, Fou is not originally a music instrument. It is indeed a large pot like container to store wine or other liquid. Since most Fous are made by earth, few of them have make it to today after thousands of years. You can find one made by bronze in Shanghai Museum as the photo below. It must be used by aristocrats since it is covered by gold.


A square shaped Fou is also not uncommon. Following must be the one that inspired the design used int he opening ceremony. It is unearthed at 1978 from Zeng Houyi Tomb of Hubei Province. The Fou shown here has two layers. Ice or hotwater can be put in between the layers to keep the wine cool or warm. if you happen to have a similar Fou today, you can show it off as an wine chiller or a buffet service table.


Then how did the Fou become a music instrument? Very simple. When you are drinking high and you want to sing, what will you do? Grab anything you can reach and make beat. Even in today’s party, people often hit the cup with a fork to call the attentions. Due to the convenience of the Fou in a banquet, it is natrually became the instrument of choice for casual music. However, the sound is not drum-like as you can try yourself with a pot filled with water.

The Fou used in the opening ceremony is indeed quite a departure from the original Fou. First, it is in fact a drum, or a Fou-shaped drum. If you hit a Fou with the force shown by the actors, the Fou will be pieces. Second, Fou was not considered a real music instrument, or a musician’s instrument, even in its hay days. However, it is often used to show the warm welcome of the host in a party.

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