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Chinese music, the art form of organized vocal and instrumental sounds that developed in China. It is one of the oldest and most highly developed of all known musical systems. Chinese music history must be approached with a certain sense of awe.
- William P. Malm
According to legends, the founder of music in Chinese mythology was Ling Lun who, at the request of the Yellow Emperor to create a system of music, made bamboo pipes tuned to the sounds of birds including the phoenix.
In the developmental process, Chinese music has profoundly influenced adjoining regions, while in turn absorbing musical elements from neighbors. We will explore this musical history and development, instruments and genres, regional variations and contemporary Chinese music.
- Eric M. Meyer
The early history of Chinese music can be traced back to ancient times, with the earliest known examples dating back to the Xia Dynasty (c. 2070–1600 BCE). During this period, music was primarily used for ceremonial and religious purposes, and was often played on instruments such as bronze bells and stone chimes.
Within the broad field of expressive culture, Chinese music includes a vast panoply of genres and usages: ancient and new; folk and elite; commercial and ritualistic; indigenous, imported, diasporic, and exported.
China provides some of the earliest traces of music making. These are mainly in the form of well-preserved musical instruments, the tangible evidence of music. Over several millennia, musical instruments from regional indigenous traditions as well as from India and Central and West Asia were assimilated into the mainstream of Chinese music.
Oct 23, 2023 · Specific topics include archaeology of Chinese music, ancient Chinese music theory, “barbarian” dances in Chinese antiquity, kunqu opera qupai, Shijing songs, disputes over Hong Kong’s music history, and turning points in Chinese musical modernity.
