“Echo from heaven” is what they call it. Right here we can hear the pigeon whistle. It is a traditional heritage of old Beijing.
The pigeon whistle has a long history. It is a culturally distinct symbol. The Hutong and Siheyuan represent old Beijing. People can still hear this beautiful symphony. But it is becoming harder to hear in the modern city.
In the 1970s and 1980s, people in Beijing woke up to a special morning call. That call was the pigeon whistle. People living in hutongs raised pigeons. They lived in their quadrangle dwellings. But the concrete jungle encroached fast. Residents moved out. They lost the best environment for this pleasure.
The pigeon whistle carries the memories from generation to generation. Craftsmen try their best. They want to protect this intangible cultural heritage. They do not want it to fade. This is especially important in a developing society.
One of the best whistle craftsmen in Beijing is Ma Kewei. He has been making whistles since 1982. They are usually made with gourds and bamboo. Ma plants his own gourds and bamboo. He wants to make the best whistles. He says they should be lightweight. This allows the pigeons to carry them easily. Different shapes create different tunes. A flying chord is composed. The great Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang called it “the symphony in the sky.”
Ma’s friend is Mu Ruixin. He is also a pigeon fancier. He relocated his pigeons. He moved to a remote community near Beijing. This was after moving out of the hutong. He knows how to attach whistles. He gently and tightly attaches them to his birds’ tail feathers. After that, pigeons should be placed in their homes. This allows them to get used to the weight on their tails.
Another pigeon whistle maker is Zou Liming. He is also a pigeon fancier. He has more than 50 years of experience. Making whistles and playing with pigeons are a big part of his life. Zou says the whistles should be lightweight. This ensures the pigeons have an easy time carrying them. The pigeons should be placed in their homes for a while. This helps them get used to the weight on their tails. Different shapes produce different tunes. A flying chord is composed.
On the day to celebrate the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China 100000 pigeons were released into the sky. 30 pigeons came from Zou’s breeding. Zou was honored to contribute to the grand ceremony. The pigeon whistle carries the memory from generation to generation.
Beijingers attach a whistle to their pigeons. When the pigeons fly, the whistle rings. Few pigeons with whistles can be found nowadays. But the sounds of old Beijing can still evoke memories. They deliver messages about culture history and personal feelings.
Street hawkers vendors and pigeon whistles were the sounds of traditional Beijing life. These sounds can still be found in a museum. Old Beijing was a city of distinctive sounds. It is an echo from heaven.