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Traditional
Chinese music came into being when accompanied the people's productive
activities. Chinese music can be traced far back into far remote ages. Around 3,000
years ago, when European music was just experiencing its first breath
of life, a complete musical theory and sophisticated musical instruments
began appearing in China. In the slave society just royal families and
dignitary officials enjoyed music which was played on chimes and bells
when they offered sacrifice.
By the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), the imperial court set up a Music
Bureau, which was in charge of collecting and editing ancient melodies
and folk songs. Because of commercial contacts with Central Asia, foreign
music entered China and modified as well as improved Chinese music. By
the time of Emperor Xuan Zong (713-755 AD) of the Tang Dynasty, the court
organized the Pear Garden Academy. Singing and dancing troupes which cultivated
a large number of musicians and laid a firm foundation for Chinese music.
In the Song Dynasty (960-1279AD), original opera such as Zaju and Nanxi
was performed in teahouse, theatres. Ci, a new type of literature similar
to lyrics prevailed. Ci could be played and sung. During the Yuan Dynasty
(1279-1368AD), qu, another type of literature based on music became popular.
This was also a period when many traditional musical instruments were
developed such as the pipa, the flute, and the zither.
During the Ming (1368 – 1644AD) and Qing Dynasties (1644 – 1911AD), the
art of opera developed rapidly and diversely in different regions. Latter
the Peking Opera became popular.
Besides these types of music, Chinese farmers composed folk songs, which
also developed independently with local flavor. Folk songs described the
contents of daily life such as fishing, farming, and herding.
Traditionally the Chinese have believed that sound influences the harmony
of the universe. In ancient time the Chinese musical entertainers were
relegated to an extremely low social status because ancient Chinese culture
was dominated by Confucian teachings and people believed that music was
used not to amuse but to purify one's thoughts or for rituals.
As with anything, traditional Chinese music had many different variations
depending on the time period, region, and individual. Each imperial court
had its own specialty. Each dynasty focused on different aspects of the
music. And within each dynasty, different regions and localities possessed
their own style of music. As with Western music, solo performances of
musical instruments also exist. Some musical pieces are performed slowly
to creating a relaxing ambience while others are performed very quickly
to mark an atmosphere of excitement and festivity.
Chinese music is basically pentatonic-diatonic, meaning that the basic
pentatonic scale can be modulated within a diatonic context. The variations
of rhythm, beat, tone quality, and embellishments in traditional Chinese
music are highly distinctive and unlike their Western counterparts. This
is mainly due to the unique sounds and playing styles of traditional Chinese
musical instruments.
Traditional Musical Instruments
Traditional Chinese musical instruments can be divided into four categories:
stringed instruments, percussion instruments, plucked instruments, and
wind instruments. The following are just a few of them:
Lute (Pipa) belonging to plucked instruments. Originally
named after the loquat fruit, the earliest pipa known 
was
found to have been made in the Qin Dynasty (221 BC – 206 BC). By the the
Tang Dynasty (618 – 907AD), the pipa had reached its summit. It was loved
by everyone--from the royal court to the common folk--and it occupied
the predominant place in the orchestra. Afterwards, the pipa underwent
improvement in playing techniques and structure. Players then changed
from holding the pipa transversely to holding it vertically, and from
using a plectrum to using the fingers to pluck the strings directly. In
modern times, the volume and resonance has also been improved.
Guqin It is a seven-stringed zither without bridges,
the most classical Chinese instrument with over 3000 years of history.
It is literally called qin yet commonly known as "guqin" where
"gu" stands for ancient. Confucius (around 600 BC) was a master
of this instrument. To learn to play qin used to be regarded as a very
important element for education for the purpose of enriching the heart
and elevating human spirit. In Imperial China, a scholars and ladies of
the high society were expected to master the four arts, namely, the qin
(guqin), qi (weiqi or Go), shu (Calligraphy), and hua (painting). The
guqin has historically been regarded as the symbol of Chinese high culture.
Unfortunately only small number of people in China could play the instrument,
because classical musical education of this kind has never reached general
public. The situation for today has not been improved much. The situation
for lute (pipa) was similar. Due to this reason, a lot of ancient repertoires
were lost with the pass-away of masters or the written scores were burned
or destroyed in war or turmoil. However, the guqin repertoire has been
much better preserved than all other instruments. Since November 2003,
Guqin has been registered as one of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of
the humanity by the United Nations' Educational, Cultural and Scientific
Organization (UNESCO)
Zheng or Guzheng It was Chinese zither with movable bridges
and 16-25 strings. It also belonged to pluck instrument.
Erhu, also called 'Huqin', belonging to stringed instrument,
which
was
introduced from the western region during the Tang Dynasty. During the
Song Dynasty (960 - 1279), it was refined and improved and new variations
appeared. It was also an important instrument for playing the melody of
Beijing Opera. Besides Erhu, there ware also Zhonghu, Gaohu and Hore Headed
Fiddle, which are string instruments.
The Horse-headed fiddle is a bowed stringed-instrument with a scroll carved like a horse's head.
It is popular in Mongolian music. With a history of over 1,300 years,
it even influenced European string music when Marco Polo brought one back
from his jounery through Asia. Its wide tonal range could express the
joy or pathos of a melody to its fullest.
When playing, the player usually stands the Erhu on his lap, and moves
the bow across the vertical strings.
Flute belonging to wind instrument. The earliest flute
was made from bone over 7,000 years ago. In the times since then, most
flutes were made of bamboo, which allowed even common people to play it.
By covering the 
holes
and blowing through the side hole while moving the fingers flexibly between
the six holes, a sound will be produced that is leisurely and mellifluous
like sound from far away. This always reminds people of a pastoral picture
of a boy riding on a bull while playing a flute.
Xun, which is made of clay with egg
shape. It can play sorrowful melody.
Sheng is another popular wind instrument. It has a lot
of vertical pipes with wholes combined together.
Yangqin is Chinese dulcimer, belonging to percussion
instrument. It has a squared soundboard with a lot of strings
. When played musicians used hummer to strike on the strings. Of course China also has other percussions such as drum, gong, bell, clapper and cymbal.
