Ken

Japanese: 塤 - けん

A ball-shaped flute used in Chinese and Korean gagaku (ceremonial music at Confucius temples, and in Korea Munmyōgaku) and a type of ocarina. The mouthpiece is round at the top and is blown from the top. There are five finger holes, two at the back for the thumbs and three at the front for the left and right index fingers and the right middle finger. It is made so that when all the finger holes are closed, a C note is produced, and when all the holes are open, a B note is produced. Clay flutes have been excavated from the Erligaoka site in Henan Province, China, and from the Ayaragigo site in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. The use of stone and clay flutes is confirmed to have begun in the Zhou dynasty.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

中国･朝鮮の雅楽祭祀楽(孔子廟楽，朝鮮では文廟楽)に用いる球型の笛で，オカリナの一種。吹き口はまるい頂点にあり，上から吹く。指孔は5孔で，後ろに両親指用の2孔，前に左右の人差指と右中指用に3孔ある。指孔全部閉じて吹いたときにハ音を出し，全部開けたときにロ音を出すように作る。中国河南省二里岡遺跡から，日本では山口県綾羅木郷（あやらぎごう）遺跡から土笛が出土している。石笛や土笛は周代から使用が認められる。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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