The suona is a double-reed woodwind instrument. When it was first introduced to China, its loud strident tone made it extremely effective for inspiring soldiers in battle. Now the suona has been successfully included in traditional Chinese orchestras, and it frequently played in groups heard with the di, a kind of flute and the sheng, an elaborate mouth organ. The double reed is quite small and made of river reed. It is bound with thin copper wire or a type of reed cord. It has seven fingerholes on the front and one thumbhole on the back. The bell is a large flared one, made of metal, and fits over the lower end of the body. I bought this suona in Hong Kong, during my first trip to Southeast Asia, in December 1963.