Global Music Traditions (Episode 1)

Global Music Traditions (Episode 1):

China: The Indigenous  Music  of the Chinese people, Their music style, and their unique Instruments.

           China is known for many things.

The Great wall. Their affordable clothes. Their small but powerful disposable phones (chinko phone), their crazy architecture and their endearing buildings. In fact, the videos and images of the glass bridge still haunts some of us. But that aside, do you ever hope to climb that bridge someday? If you ever decide to go carry me along, I’m good at cheerleading.

China is also known for their crazy skilled kung-fu fighters, the questionable home movies they made that was quite popular growing up; drunken master, monkey style, what did we not hear really? All with a central plot of fighting and revenge.

Of course they’re also known for their creative and more importantly, helpful innovations (they may or may not have long lasting life but let’s face front and clap for the aesthetics please. If e easy do am).

Another thing China is quite known for is their deep involvement in music history. They are argued to have one of the oldest and most highly developed musical systems in the world. From their unique musical instruments (innovation has to be in their DNA at this point), to their complex systems of musical theory, to the systems of notation that allowed music to be preserved and transmitted from generation to generation as well as their heavy influence on other neighboring countries, China is unarguably one of the GOATS in the music world.

MUSIC IN ANCIENT CHINA

In modern pop culture, music is largely known for its value in entertainment, art. It is a social connector and a space of self-expression.

          In the medical field, it is associated with healing properties and is often used as hospice alternatives for patients with certain disorders. It has that calming effect. This was the likeness that Ancient China associated with music.

In ancient China, music was associated with purity and nature, treated as something sacred and divine. It was no ordinary thing, it was reverenced, a thing of awe and its earliest usage was for religious ritualistic events and large banquet festivals.

The earliest records of music in China date back to the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BCE), where music particularly played a vital role in rituals, ancestor worship, and court ceremonies. Basically, the ruling of China began with dynasties, which were headed by monarchs; Kings or emperors. The Shang dynasty is one of the earliest dynasties and comes right after the Xia dynasty. It was a very interesting period in Ancient China…well a mix of intensely serious and exciting. They had a strong military system in this period and a strong class distinction; the ruling class, the warrior class, and everybody else was just a bloody commoner.

Now the interesting part is that they had the weirdest and most exotic collection of royal pets, like Elephants. They were also party animals. Any excuse for a feast, they were active! Then they loved to live in grand style, everything was Bling and Big…well for those who could afford it.

It’s no surprise that that Music in the Shang dynasty was a thing of the Upper class. If you could produce or sponsor music, you had power, simple. The nobles practically controlled music and its practices for them to enjoy and it was served on the demands of Kings and the nobility. After the Shang dynasty came the Zhou dyansty. The Zhou dynasty signified a more dignified approach to music and in this period, music was given a formalized name; "yayue" (elegant music) and was once again used in state rituals and ceremonies, intending to promote order and harmony.

Then came Imperial China and the Qin dynasty. In this period, a cool emperor named Huangdi sent one of his scholars, Ling lien to a mountain area to cut Bamboo pipes that could imitate the sounds of an immortal bird, called the Fenghuang. The bird was no ordinary bird, it made very rare appearances and its presence or sound signaled harmony in the reign of a new emperor.

This man was sleek, to preserve that harmony forever he sought to create something that could reflect, imitate it even and give him power and stability in his rule. Well that One smart move led to the creation of the first musical pipes.

In the Han period, The imperial court established the "Yuefu," a government office responsible for collecting and preserving folk songs and for composing court music. The Tang dynasty was the golden age, where other neighboring cultures from Central Asia, India, and the Middle East blended with native Chinese styles. The Tang court also established the Imperial Academy of Music, which trained musicians and preserved musical traditions.The Song dynasty was their poetry era and it led to the rise of teahouse performances and public music, making music more accessible to the common people. In the Yuang dynasty Opera became a thing and in the Ming Dynasty it flourished. So music developed from Court to folk and then to the Opera we know today.

INSTRUMENTS IN ANCIENT CHINA:

Chinese instruments, were principally found in String, wind and percussions and the instruments fell into 8 categories; metal, stone, wood, clay, bamboo, string, guord and leather. Here are some pretty interesting instruments we uncovered along the way:

Under string instruments there are the: Guqin: A seven-string zither with a history of over 2,000 years, associated with scholars and intellectuals.

In the ‘Hang period’ instruments like Pipa; A four-string lute with a pear-shaped body, known for expressive range and complex finger techniques and Erhu; A two-stringed bowed instrument, often referred to as the "Chinese violin," known for its hauntingly beautiful tone, were developed during this time and became central to Chinese music.

Under the Wind instruments we have:

The Xun: The Xun is made with clay and is shaped like an egg with a few holes in it (a maximum of six). The instrument has a melancholic sound that inspires people to sobriety. It often imitated the sounds of the wind.

Bone Flute: Made 8000 Years ago, also imitating sounds of nature.

Clay Ocarina: Developed in the Shang period, similar to the Xun but with a flipple mouthpiece.  

Dizi: A bamboo flute, with a bright, clear sound, and a distinctive buzzing effect.

Sheng: A mouth-blown free reed instrument with vertical pipes, often compared to a portable pipe organ.

For Percussion Instruments: Gongs and Drums were widely used in both folk music and ceremonial contexts, they provide rhythm and dynamics in ensemble settings. And for Plucked Instruments came the Gu Zheng: A zither with 21 or more strings, played by plucking with finger picks, known for its resonant and melodic sound.

Chinese music dates back over 3,000 years, with roots in ancient rituals, court music, folk traditions, and religious ceremonies. It has been shaped by philosophical schools like Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism, which emphasize harmony, balance, and the connection between music and the cosmos

Music in Present Day China:

Since the 1980s, there has been a revival of traditional Chinese music, alongside the development of contemporary genres like Chinese rock, pop, and hip-hop. Modern Chinese composers like Tan Dun have gained international recognition for works that fuse Eastern and Western musical traditions.

            In terms of global influence today, traditional Chinese music is performed worldwide, and there is a growing interest in preserving and revitalizing those ancient musical forms. Simultaneously, Chinese contemporary music continues to evolve, contributing much to the global music scene.

Conclusively China remains an impactful figure to the development of music in the world, The history of music in China is a testament to the country’s long-standing cultural richness and its ability to adapt and integrate new influences while preserving its deep-rooted traditions. From ancient rituals to modern global fusion, Chinese music reflects the nation’s evolving identity and its significant contributions to the world’s musical heritage.

            Had fun learning about China? Well we did go and we’ll be back with more Global music traditions. Don’t blink so fast or you might miss it! ;)

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