I have to preface this review with a brief explanation of Pigeon Whistles. An aeolian instrument, the pigeon whistle is typically carved from lightweight gourds and reeds. For the instrument to sound, it must be attached to a pigeon, which is then released into a circular flight pattern. When several whistles of varying pitches are attached to flocks of trained pigeons, the sound is eerily ethereal, varying in intensity as the birds change speed, altitude, and direction. Whistles may have anywhere from a single pipe up to 35 individual pipes. The practice of releasing whistle-bearing pigeons dates back at least 200 years. So far, I have only experienced the resulting music through recorded audio and video, but I hope someday to hear the real thing.

Wang Shixiang is a scholar of Chinese art and culture. Renowned for his studies of ancient Chinese furniture and lacquerware, he has a personal preference for so-called slighted art forms, and a self-proclaimed “addiction” to the pigeon sport. The original manuscript of this book was written in Chinese in the late 1980s and translated to English soon after. My hardcover copy includes both versions, and an updated section of full color plates depicting the various types of whistles.

Although this is admittedly one of those books I purchased simply because of my interest in an obscure topic, it is very nicely put together, and a brief but comprehensive study of the artifacts as well as the more well known artisans who created them. As far as I know, it is the only publication on Pigeon Whistles available to date, and contains quite a bit of information on the author’s extensive collections.

The volume doesn’t promise it so it is probably unfair to say, but I wish it had more information on the “why” and the “how” of this dying art form. Being an experimental musician who raises pigeons, I’d love to be able to train a small flock to bear whistles. Guess I will have to keep looking for that “Pigeon Whistle DIY” manual, but in the mean time Mr. Shixiang’s book is a good primer.