Lapa ( ). Culture: Chinese. Dimensions: Height: 37 in. (94 cm)Diameter (Of bell): 5 in. (12.7 cm). Date: 19th century.Like many other instruments, the straight trumpet was introduced into China from Central and West Asia during the Eastern Han dynasty (A.D. 25-220). Originally used with drums and loud wind instruments in state processions and military events, this type of trumpet served a number of purposes during the nineteenth century. It was played in pairs by soldiers, blown by firefighters when they had finished putting out a fire, and sounded at funerals and at the end of some theatrical performances. Itinerant knife grinders and peddlers used a smaller version. The laba exists in a variety of sizes, and like many Asian trumpets, it has a wide, shallow mouthpiece and is collapsible. Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA.