A wooden melodica kept at the Palace Museum. [Photo/dpm.org.cn]

Wooden melodica

The melodica is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and the harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole, allowing air to flow through a reed. Melodicas are small, light, portable, and easy to learn, making it a popular toy in the Forbidden City.