Music of China

• What is one of the oldest civilizations in the world?

  China
• When can China's written history be traced back to?

  17th B.C (Shang Dynasty)
• How did China influence other Asian countries?

  Through trading interests
• What type of documents record different types of music in China?

  Historical Chinese documents
• What evidence supports the existence of a well-developed musical culture in China?

  Archaeological artefacts and historical documents
• During which dynasty was a well-developed musical culture present in China?

  Zhou Dynasty (1122 BC – 256 BC)
• How did music evolve in China over time?

  It developed into various forms through succeeding dynasties
• What do the Chinese believe about sound?

  It influences the harmony of the universe
• From what were the first musical scales in China derived?

  The harmonic series
• How are the dotted positions on the Guqin related to the open string?

  They are equal string length divisions
• How many positions does the Guqin have?

  13 positions
• What type of scale is most commonly used in Chinese music?

  A pentatonic scale
• What are the names of the notes in the Chinese pentatonic scale?

  gōng 宫, shāng 商, jué/jiao 角, zhǐ 徵, yǔ 羽
• What are the three kinds of traditional Chinese music?

  1. Chinese opera music - meant for theatrical performance
  2. Ensemble or Orchestra music - for cultural audiences
  3. Solo instrumental performance
• What are the eight classifications of Chinese musical instruments?

  1. Silk
  2. Bamboo
  3. Wood
  4. Stone
  5. Metal
  6. Clay
  7. Gourd
  8. Hide/Pigskin
• What is the Pipa?

  A four-stringed lute with 30 frets
• What is the shape of the Yueqin?

  Moon-shaped
• How many strings does the Guqin have?

  7 strings
• What is the Erhu?

  A two-stringed fiddle played with a bow
• How is the Yangqin played?

  Strings are struck with two small bamboo beaters
• What is the Hsiao?

  An end-blown flute made from bamboo
• What is the Muyu made from?

  Mulberry wood
• What is Bianqing?

  A rack of stone tablets struck with a mallet
• What is the Xun?

  A Chinese vessel flute made of baked clay
• What is the Sheng?

  A Chinese mouth organ with bamboo pipes
• How is the Tanggu played?

  By striking the central area with wooden beaters
• What is the Mo Li Hua?

  A Chinese folk song from the Jiangnan region
• What does the term "jasmine flower" refer to in the context of Mo Li Hua?

  It is the meaning of the song's title
• How do performers enhance their performance in Chinese opera?

  By using formal hand gestures