Hello Bruno.
No one knows the answers to your questions. There are theories however, tha=
t
attempt to explain them.
The most important change that occurred to the shakuhachi after the
instrument was imported into Japan from China was not those that you
mention, but rather the reduction of finger holes from six to five, and to =
a
lesser degree, the enlargement of these holes. The reduction was primarily
due, so the theory goes, to the growing desire of the Japanese of the time
to play music in Japanese modes rather than Chinese ones. The sixth hole wa=
s
not necessary in playing Japanese music. The enlargement of the holes bette=
r
allowed for manipulation of pitch which further allowed for playing Japanes=
e
modes.
One can easily guess why madake was chosen as the bamboo of choice,
replacing the thinner Chinese bamboo used to make the xiao. Madake is the
second most common bamboo in Japan, just after the even larger moso. When
making bamboo flutes, the first rule is to use bamboo that is available to
you! A side effect of using madake is that the bore, compared with the xiao=
,
became larger. This meant that the blowing hole was larger. This, in turn,
allowed for the development of the meri/kari technique of pitch
manipulation, again conducive to playing Japanese modes.
There was another Japanese bamboo flute descended from the Chinese one,
called the hitoyogiri. It had small holes (though also 5 of them), and
sometimes used thinner bamboo. It was almost impossible to meri/kari and to
partially open and close finger holes with this flute. It is no surprise
that it was delegated to the museum of nearly forgotten musical instruments
by the end of the 19th century.
The theory behind the use of the roots in the construction of the bamboo is
that the instrument made a better weapon when made with the heavier, 'spiky=
'
root end. The wandering komuso ('priests of nothingness'), all former
samurai versed to various degrees in martial arts, and perhaps some of thei=
r
lower status predecessors, the komoso ('straw mat priests) were not adverse
to using weapons to protect themselves while on pilgrimages.
Contrary to what many people think, the Edo period komuso were allowed to
wear and use swords. So the root end shakuhachi didn't necessarily replace
their swords, but it appears that it may have contributed to their defences=
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