Opera skill: Wu Yin and Si Hu

Wu Yin and Si Hu, or Five Yin and Four Hu,are terms for Chinese opera. They are about the proper pronouncing skills.

Yin means note in pronunciation.FiveYin,the five notes of the ancient pentatonic scale, refers to the five places where air streams pass through to make different sound. It includes Hou(throat)Yin,Chi(through teeth)Yin,Ya(teeth)Yin,She(tongue)Yin and Chun(lip)Yin.

Four Hu, referring to the proper shapes of the performer's mouth when pronouncing, falls in four categories --Kai Hu, Qichi Hu, Hekou HuandCuokou Hu.

Only when the performer gets full understanding and control ofWuYinandSi Hu,can he make the proper and articulate pronunciation when performing.

Nowadays, when we say someone is Wu Yin Bu Quan (an idiom), we mean that this person is not good at singing at all.