The Origins of Music in China
Like so many other things, music has a long history in China. The beginnings can be traced as far back as the year 1000 BC. Artifacts have been found that show the beginnings of well-developed musical traditions. During 221-87 BC these traditions were further expanded and the Imperial Music Bureau was put in charge of how music should be played in the military and the Emperor’s courts. This was a time to establish folk music for the people and it was carefully controlled while being promoted to the people.
China celebrates music differently than other countries. Pieces are more likely to be played solo or only in small groups. The instruments used are more likely to be flutes, cymbals, drums and stringed instruments that are plucked. Though gongs are also played and strings are often bowed as well. The oldest instruments played in China are the pipes that were made from bamboo. The orchestras in China are divided into plucked strings, percussion, bowed strings and woodwinds. In the early days their ways of writing music were also quite different.
Music in China puts more emphasis on the single tone then it does on melody. This can be seen by the materials that the instruments are made of. They are usually made of bamboo, wood, silk, clay, metal or stone. In ancient times if a dynasty was seen to be failing it was just as likely to be blamed on their inability to find the proper pitch as it was on famine, war or other significant political issues.
As time moved on the Chinese government allowed the influences of Western music. This was promoted by the traveling of Chinese musicians to western countries. The music types interested them and were brought back to China when they returned. This also prompted the learning of the western method of writing music. Jazz infiltrated Chinese music. In the 1940s, Maoists were not pleased by this music that sounded like it came from the west and there were accusations of degenerate music being used to take over China. Soon music became limited to what was accepted by the government.
In 1949, after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, music changed again. Although certain types were still allowed, like revolutionary songs, most of the music being listened to was no longer western but instead music that was translated from Russian. Classical music remained and was popular as were new pieces written by Chinese composers. The Chinese Cultural Revolution of the late 1960s did nothing to help music in the country. It greatly controlled what was listened to. Preference was given to quiet harmonies that were very generic in nature. After the Cultural Revolution, music was once again opened up and the people were encouraged to compose again.
Rock was let in during the 1970s. Slowly soft rock was mixed with traditional Chinese music to create a new sound created totally by their new styles. Then in the 1980s, music changed from imitating western music and singing in English to their own styles with the rock songs being sung in Cantonese instead. Now in China you can hear Chinese bands singing heavy metal, new wave and punk just like in the west. After the 1980s, Chinese groups were allowed to tour not only their own country but foreign countries as well. The young people were attending concerts regularly now that western styles were no longer banned. They were listening to music that ranged from western rock and roll to jazz, folk, or classical. Chinese music had come a long way in the last three thousand years.
