Sheng is a wind instrument played in ancient China. It has played an active role in promoting the development of the western musical instruments.

In 1978, earliest forms of sheng called paosheng were found in Hubei Province in a royal tomb of more than 2400 years ago.
The development of sheng can be traced back to 3000 years ago. The instrument is quite similar to another kind of instrument called the paixiao, in form. It was made up of several bamboo pipes bound together with ropes or wooden frames. In order to be distinguishable from paixiao, designers added to sheng bamboo reeds and a cup-shaped dou.

The cup-shaped dou is made of calabash, and the blowtorch is made of wood. A dozen of bamboo pipes are arranged on top of the dou. After the Tang Dynasty at 618-907 BC, performers began to make wooden dou. Later, it was changed into copper, and so was the reed.

There are different types of sheng in different places. After the 1949 at the foundation of the People's Republic of China, musicians and designers have attempted to improve on this instrument. It improved on such disadvantages such as narrow range, inflexible switching of the tones and slow performing. Those progresses have brought a new life to sheng.

Sheng sounds bright and sweet in tone, the alt of which is clear, the mediant soft, and the bourdon deep and loud. Among the traditional piped instruments, sheng is most capable of performing harmonies. Sometimes in the grand ethnic orchestra, the instrument of alto, mediant and bourdon tones must be played together.