Huáng / Huángpiàn (-)
original: 簧, 簧片
term used for single reeds, the tongue of which is attached to a frame, in which it can vibrate freely (i.e. without touching the frame); Occurs in several eastern Asian hornpipes and mouth organs (Compare accordion "reeds")
Each of the reeds (plural forms don’t occur in Chinese); Because of the construction of the Yuán shēng, its up-cut free-vibrating reeds are placed upside down, thus giving the impression of being down-cut; According to the internet source, "The reeds are tuned by weighting the tips of the reeds with a substance called chu sha [朱砂 (zhūshā [cinnabar]) ?; ws]. This is a mixture of wax, rosin and oxide of mercury. The poisonous quality of the latter ingredient is said to be the reason that many older Sheng players are of [sic] not of completely sound mind"; NB: Interestingly, 簧 (huáng, without addition) translates as "reed", as well; By itself, 片 translates as "a flat, thin piece; slice; flake".
Sachs, Curt: Real-Lexikon der Musikinstrumente: zugleich ein Polyglossar für das gesamte Instrumentengebiet [Berlin, 1913]. Hildesheim, 1964 [facsimile], p.369 (»Moule).
Moule, Arthur C.: A list of the musical and other sound-producing instruments of the Chinese [Shanghai, 1908, Jl. of the north China branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 39]. Preface by Harrison Ryker. Buren, 1989 [facsimile], p.90.
张跃进 [Zhāng Yuèjìn]: 笙教学教程 [Shēng jiàoxué jiàochéng; Shēng teaching course], 北京 (Běijīng), 2012, p.3.
ws (linguistics [➺ Dictionaries, &c.])汉英词典 (Hàn Yīng cídiǎn) / A Chinese-English dictionary. 北京 [Běijīng], 1985, p.296 (簧: 簧片; ➺ p.519 (片 ➀), p.913 (朱砂).