Traditional Chinese Music

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Unit check #3 - WM

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83 Terms

1
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What is apart of the Chinese geo-cultural region?

  • Korea

  • Japan

  • Mongolia

  • Eastern half of Russia (Siberia)

2
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What is the “Ideographic Writing System”?

  • Developed by the Chinese a few millennia ago

  • Each symbol has a meaning rather than a phonetic sound

  • Common writing system throughout East Asia

  • District written languages gradually developed in Japan, Korea, and Mongolia

3
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What is the Chinese geo-cultural region?

Mainland

  • China

  • Taiwan

  • Hong Kong

4
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What are the 2 main Chinese languages?

Mandarin (Han people)

  • Official language of China, Taiwan, & Singapore

Cantonese

  • Spoken in above countries + Hong Kong & Macao

Dozens of minority languages (many indigenous)

5
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Qualities of China (mainland)

Capital: Beijing

Largest city: Shanghai

Most internationalized city: Guangzhou

  • Most Chinese live in eastern third

  • Western interior and Mongolia sparsely populated

6
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What is the Han ethnic group?

95% of mainland China (People’s Republic of China) & of Taiwan (Republic of China)

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Qualities of the Han ethnic group (4)

  • Arose along the Huang He (Yellow) River in northern China -2000 BCE

  • Spread throughout East Asia & settled mostly south of the Huang He River & north of the Yangtze River in China

  • Largest civilization in the world & considered the “original” Chinese civilization

  • “China-sized” outside influences, which were then adopted by neighboring cultures

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What is the North China Plain?

Center of Chinese Civilization

  • Most farming between Huang He (Yellow) and Yangtze Rivers

9
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What are the 3 main philosophical systems in China?

Focus on individuals rather than specific deities

  1. Daoism

  2. Buddhism

  3. Cofucianism

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What is the Daoism philosophical system?

  • (arose 3rd century BCE)

    • Focus on human interactions with nature;

    • “Dao” = “the way” (the natural flow of life)

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What is the Buddhism philosophical system?

  • (arose 543 BCE)

    • Focus on human interactions with spiritual world

    • Achieving enlightenment to escape cycle of rebirth of the soul

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What is the Confucianism philosophical system?

  • (arose 5th century BCE)

    • Focus on human interactions with other humans

    • Based on the ideas of Chinese philosopher & scholar Kong Fuzi (551-479 BCE)

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What are dynasties in China?

Many long-ruling dynasties over several millennia

  • Dynasty: a succession of related rulers (Ex: British monarchy)

14
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What is the Zhou Dynasty?

1046-256 BCE

  • Origin of traditional Chinese culture, including writing, music, and Confucianism

15
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What is the Qin Dynasty?

221-206 BCE

  • First Imperial Dynasty

  • 221 BCE: Conquered 7 warring states, ended Zhou Dynasty, & unified China

  • Established imperial system that lasted until 1911

  • “Qin”: Etymological ancestor of China

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Who was Qin Shi Huang?

259-210 BCE

  • Founder of Qin dynasty & first emperor of unified China

17
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What is the Great Wall of China?

  • Over 13,000 miles long

  • Started in earnest - 220 BCE

  • Additions for next 2000 years

18
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What is the Han Dynasty?

206 BCE-220 CE

  • Given its name to the majority Han ethnic group

19
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What is the Silk Road?

  • Ancient caravan trade routes

  • 4000 miles long

  • Origins: Han Dynasty (206 BCE)

  • Connected Eastern China w/ India, Central Asia, & eventually Europe

  • Used by merchants, pilgrims, monks, soldiers, nomads, & urban dwellers

20
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What is the Silk Road? Cont.

Marco Polo: 1271-1295

Main trades: Silk, tea, porcelain, spices

  • Cultural exchanges, Buddhism, Christianity, technology, disease, music, instruments, & disease.

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What is the Yuan Dynasty?

1271-1368

  • Established by invasion of the Mongols from the North

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What were the “Mongols”?

Nomads from the North that crossed the Mongolian plateau to invade China in the 1200s & 1300s

  • Mongols’ success attributed to the use of horses (short & stocky) in warfare

  • Mongol empire spread through Asia & as far as Eastern Europe

23
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Who is Kublai Khan?

  • Grandson of Genghis Khan

  • 1271: Founded Yuan Dynasty, & ruled as first Yuan emperor until 1294

  • Made Beijing the capital

24
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What was the Ming Dynasty?

1368-1644

  • Established by the Han, who replaced the Mongols

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What was the Qing Dynasty?

1644-1911

  • Established by invading Manchus from the Nort

  • Codified the 56 nationalities recognized in China today - began appropriating their traditions as “part of China”

26
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What was the role of the arts in Chinese identity?

  • Music/theatre perceived as strongly influential on people’s thinking/behavior

  • Music considered to be important for encouraging "ethical”
    morals, character, & behavior

27
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What are a traditional Chinese music fundamentals?

  • Sung folk songs, narrative song, & theater form the core

  • Based on anonymous melodies that take vocal, instrumental, solo, and ensemble forms

  • Melodies based on 5 possible pentatonic scales (diao)

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What are prevalent textures of traditional Chinese Music fundamentals?

  1. Monophony (solo): single melodic line (vocal & instrumental)

  2. Heterophony (ensemble): different versions of the melodic line

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What are a traditional Chinese music fundamentals? cont.

  • Timbre/ornamentation are important

  • Percussion accompanies music. dance, & opera

  • Programmatic titles to most songs, alluding to nature, literature/myth, mood, or musical structure

    Ex: “Autumn Moon & Lake Scenery”.

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What is the Chinese pentatonic scale Diao?

  • Five possible pentatonic scales

    • Gongdiao: 1-2-3-5-6

    • Shangdiao: 1-2-4-5-7

    • Juediao: 1-3-4-6-7

    • Zidiao: 1-2-4-5-6

    • Yudiao: 1-3-4-5-7

  • Approximate the black keys on the piano

  • Most common: Gongdiao & Zidiao

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Gongdiao social & cosmological significance

Cardinal Points: Center

Political structure: King

Virtues: Faith

Colors: Yellow

Elements: Earth

Heavenly bodies: Constellations

Planets: Saturn

Flavors: Sweet

Emotions: Desire

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Shangdiao social & cosmological significance

Cardinal Points: West

Political structure: Minister

Virtues: Righteousness

Colors: White

Elements: Metal

Heavenly bodies: Earth

Planets: Venus

Flavors: Pungent

Emotions: Melancholy

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Juediao social & cosmological significance

Cardinal Points: East

Political structure: People

Virtues: Benevolence

Colors: Blue

Elements: Wood

Heavenly bodies: Stars

Planets: Jupiter

Flavors: Sour

Emotions: Anger

34
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Zidiao social & cosmological significance

Cardinal Points: South

Political structure: National Affairs

Virtues: Respect

Colors: Red

Elements: Fire

Heavenly bodies: Sun

Planets: Mars

Flavors: Bitter

Emotions: Joy

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Yudiao social & cosmological significance

Cardinal Points: North

Political structure: Natural world

Virtues: Knowledge

Colors: Black

Elements: Water

Heavenly bodies: Moon

Planets: Mercury

Flavors: Salty

Emotions: Fear

36
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How is Diao characterized?

How they are realized in performance

  • Instrumentation

  • Range

  • Rhythm

  • Ornamentation

  • Cadential formulas

  • Opera characters

37
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What are 3 instruments that have been performed for over a millennium?

  1. Pipa

  2. Erhu

  3. Guqin

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What is the Pipa?

  • 4-stringed pear-shaped, plucked lute

  • Quintessential instrument

  • Performed as solo instrument

  • Uses raised bamboo frets

  • Associated with banquet music & storytelling

    Techniques: Bending strings to change pitch, continuous rapid roll w/ 5 fingers on sustained tones

39
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What is the Hu (or huqin)?

Bowed Fiddles

  • Introduced from Mongolia during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 CE)

  • Held vertically

  • Bow hairs pass between 2 melodic strings, tuned a 5th apart

40
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What is the Huqin Family? (6)

Over 30 types of Hu instruments

  • Leihu

  • Erhu

  • Zhonghu (Lower register)

  • Gaohu (Higher register)

  • Jinghu

  • Yehu (Coconut fiddle)

41
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What is the Erhu?

Most Prominent Hu: Two-string fiddle

  • Horse-hair bow: slides between 2 strings tuned a 5th apart

  • Wooden body, snakeskin head

  • 2 rear tuning pegs at top

  • Touch strings at different points to change pitch

  • Emotional-sounding due to similar range to human voice

42
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What is the Guqin (“ancient Qin”)?

  • Plucked zither 7 silk strings dating back to 200 BCE (Han Dynasty)

  • One of the world’s most ancient instruments to be in continuous use

43
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What is a Sizhu?

Si (“silk”)

Zhu (“bamboo”)

  • Silk & Bamboo Ensemble

    • Informal ensemble of mostly fiddles, lutes, & flutes

44
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What is the Bayin (Eight Materials)

Organological system for classifying instruments based on materials rather than sound vibration

  • Similar to Western brass, woodwinds, strings, etc.

45
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What are the 4 district regional styles of Sizhu?

  1. Jiangnan (south of the Yangtze River) - The Shanghai region

  2. Guangdong - from Guangdong province in the south

  3. Chaozhou - from Eastern Guangdong province

  4. Nanguan - From Xiamen in Fujian province

46
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What are the musical traits of Sizhu? (4)

  • Tuneful & easily accessible music

  • Consistent volume level throughout

  • Clear duple meter

  • Simple rhythms

47
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What are the musical traits of Sizhu? cont.

  • Continuous heterphonic playing - ensemble can sound “busy” to Western ears

  • “Bright” & “thin” timbres

  • Pieces held together by short melodic motives. use of a single diao, & a consistent heterophonic texture

48
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What is the social context of the Sizhu ensemble? (3)

  • An “amateur” tradition, mostly played by non-professionals

  • Performed in informal gatherings at tea/club houses by a social club

  • Performance intended for the performance & relaxation of the performers

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What is the social context of the Sizhu ensemble? cont.

  • Heterophony, basic melodies, & simple rhythms contribute to inclusivity

  • Originally allowed ordinary working people artists without a low-class reputation

  • Taught in music conservatories

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What is the Jiangnan Sizhu?

  • Folk tradition from Jiangnan (“south of the river”): region around Shanghai

  • The most prominent regional style

  • Repertoire: about 20 anonymous pieces

51
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What are Sizhu instruments?

  1. Dizi

  2. Yanqin

  3. Pipa

  4. Erhu

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What is the Yanqin?

  • Hammered dulcimer w/ double & triple coursed strings

  • 3-5 sets of bridges, arranged chromatically

  • Introduced from Persia (now Iran) via the Silk Road during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 CE) - derived from the santur

  • Originally silk strings (softer timbre), then bronze strings, now steel strings (brighter sound)

  • Both solo & ensemble instrument

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What is the Yanqin? cont.

  • Yanqin is struck with 2 bamboo hammers w/ rubber tips

  • “Double hammers” have two striking surfaces, allowing players to play up to 4 notes simultaneously

54
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What is the Dizi?

  • Horizontal bamboo flute

  • Different sizes, ranges, and diao

  • 6 finger holes, 1 blow hole, 1 membrane hole

55
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What is the Paiban?

Wooden clapper

56
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What are Guqin performance characteristics?

  • Fretless plucked zither w/ 7 strings, originally twisted silk

  • Long, rectangular wood soundboard

  • 11-13 inlaid circles marking vibration points

  • Tuned by twisting pegs on the underside

  • Strings plucked w/ 1 hand, vibration stopped w/ the other

57
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What are Guqin performance characteristics? cont.

  • Sparse, quiet, & intimate sound

  • Played in free rhythm

  • Timbres - Plucked sounds, tone-bending, scraping, harmonics

  • Fundamentally pentatonic w/ anchor pitches

  • Tablature-style notation as old as the instrument

  • Short motives rather than extended melodic lines

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What are Guqin social characteristics?

  • Instrument of the scholarly class (literati), from which the government chose its officials

  • Associated w/ Confucian philosophy & ideals of balance, harmony, order, moderation, & subtlety

  • Also associated with Daoist philosophy of entering the flow of the universe (“chi”) through communion w/ nature & self

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What are the Daoist artistic aesthetics?

  • Depiction of empty space in paintings, reflecting “the lone scholar” communing w/ nature (the focal point)

  • Chuang Tzu - 1 of the greatest Daoist writers, flourished 250 BCE

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Confucian & Daoist sensibilities in Guqin playing

  • Form of sonic meditation & self-cultivation - a quiet & intimate art played in solitude or w/ soulmates

  • Not for public, neither presentational or participatory

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The Modern Era - Republic of China

1911: Popular revolution overthrows a Qing Dynasty

  • Sun Yat-Sen attempts democracy modeled on U.S. Constitution

  • Influx of Western elements

  • Suspicion of traditional elements

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The Modern Era - Republic of China cont.

  • 1920s: Start of power struggle between Nationalist Kuomintang Party (led by Chiang Kai-Shek) & the Chinese Community Party (led by Mao Zedong) elements

  • Japanese occupation of China (1937-1945)

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Important dates (1937-1949)

  • World War II: Japanese Occupation of China (1937-1945)

  • Civil war between Communist & Nationalist Parties, resulting in Communist victory (1946-1949)

  • China-Kai-Shek flees to Taiwan, where he establishes the Republic of China (ROC) - 1949

  • Mao Zedong establishes the People’s Republic of China (PRC) - The most influential leader of Modern China (1949)

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What is the Cultural Revolution?

1966-1976

  • Social/political movement set in motion by Mao Zedong & his wife Jiang Qing (to avoid blame for the 1966 famine)

  • Attempted to preserve “true” Communist ideology by purging traditional & capitalist elements from Chinese society

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What are Red Guards?

Youth paramilitary groups that enforced CCP doctrine

  • “Little Red Book” - Part of a widespread propaganda campaign - contained talks & statements by Chairman Mao

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What was the “Destroy the Four Olds” ?

1966 - Campaign encouraging the destruction of traditional “old”

  • Culture

  • Customs

  • Habits

  • Ideas

Homes of the literati ransacked - cultural artifacts, art, & Guqins destroyed

Guqin - Seen as a prohibited instrument, associated w/ intellectualism

Millions displaced & persecuted

  • Public humiliation, arbitrary imprisonment, torture, & seizure of property.

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Qualities of music during the Cultural Revolution

Chairman Mao - used music/theater to fight enemies & control citizens

  • Traditional/Western classical musical practices were blended to carry a revolutionary Socialist message - only message allowed

  • As in Bulgaria, the Western influence was thought to “uplift” & “modernize” Chinese folk music, even though the CCP was staunchly anti-capitalist

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Ex: Qualities of music during the Cultural Revolution (2)

  • The CCP’s Navy Orchestra - combined erhu w/ Western symphonic instruments & musical approaches

  • Traditional Beijing Opera became “Revolutionary Beijing Opera” (Western symphonic instruments & harmony added, plots of “Socialist Realism”)

  • New music set Mao’s words to music & praised him

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When did the Cultural Revolution end?

1976 - With Mao’s death

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Qualities of “Beijing Spring” (3)

Late 1700s

  • Brief period of liberalization

  • Economic reforms: shift from planned economy to socialist-market economy

  • Outside, capitalist cultural influences seep in

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Qualities of “Beijing Spring”

Spring 1989

  • University students gather in Tiananmen Square to mourn the death of liberal reformer

  • Led to a nationwide democracy movement, similar to other worldwide movements

May 20, 1989

  • Party authorities declare martial law & mobilize 300,000 troops to Beijing

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What was the Tiananmen Square Massacre?

June 4

  • Troops with assault rifles & tanks inflict thousands of casualties on unarmed civilians

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Post-Cultural Revolution struggles for cultural legitimacy

Between China (PRC) and Taiwan (ROC)

  • Expressive culture (music, art, language) - used by PRC for..

    • Recognition of Guqin as a “Masterpiece of intangible Cultural Heritage” (ICH) by UNESCO in 2005

      • Reinstated the instrument’s important to traditional Chinese music

      • Resulted in celebrations, new students, & concert hall performances

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What is UNESCO?

Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003)

  • Provided an international framework, funding source, & identification & protection of what was deemed “Masterpieces of Intangible Cultural Heritage” (ICH recognition)

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What is UNESCO? cont.

CCP applications for ICH recognitions a form of cultural imperialism

  • Way for the Han majority to dominate the cultural expressions of the 55 ethnic minorities of China

  • Greatly reduces the # of cultural narratives in China receiving global recognition

  • Start to see static preservation efforts

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What is the CCP cultural imperialism via UNESCO called?

Uyghurs of Xinjiang Province & the Muqam of Meshrap gatherings

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What are Uyghurs? (2)

  • The largest ethnic minority in China’s Xinjiang Province in the far northwest-rugged mountains & vast desert

  • Most identify as Muslim but classified by CCP as atheist

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What are Uyghurs? cont.

Human rights of Uyghurs violated by CCP, along with other Xinjiang minorities

  • Sent to re-education camps

  • Prohibited from practicing religious activities & ceremonies

  • Forced sterilization of women & forced labor

  • Human rights violations led to a U.S. diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics & Paralympics in Beijing in 2022

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What is The Meshrep?

  • A traditional grassroots male gathering that typically includes a planned format of poetry, music, dance, & conversation

  • Usually held in mosques, public gathering sites, or the courtyard of a member’s family home

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What is The Meshrep? cont.

  • Maintains Uyghur identity & culture by teaching young people social rules & enacting community

  • Typically includes discussions of moral questions & a musical practice called Muqam

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What is the Muqam?

  • The musical portion of the Meshrep, but also performed outside this event

  • Performances of folk ballads & poems bear witness to history & present-day affairs

  • 12 main regional styles covering both solo & ensemble performance

  • Includes both folk & classical music

  • Distinctive dances accompany the music

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What is the Muqam cont.

Xinjiang Province’s location at a central point in the Silk Road = combination of Middle Eastern & traditional Chinese musical influence in Muqam

  • Middle Eastern influence found in singing, instrumentation, and scales

  • Traditional Chinese influence found in timbres & use of string and wind instruments as the lead instruments

  • Both influences emphasize melody & it’s diversification

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UNESCO ICH Recognition of Muqam

  • CCP applied for this, NOT members of the Uyghur community

  • CCP’s success = increased popularity of Muqam throughout China

  • CCP starts to take over the practice, sterilizing it for consumption = diminishing grassroots performances

  • Resulting narrative - “Muqam is Chinese and was always Chinese, therefore the Uyghur are as well.”