Traditional Chinese music influenced by Zen Buddhism
Zen is a school of Buddhism in China. Its doctrine focuses on an enlightened mind, becoming a Buddha after sudden enlightenment, natural Buddhist nature, and relief. Zen highlights inwardness and sudd...
Classification of Chinese drama
Since the establishment of the Drama Reform Committee in July of 1950, less than a year after Liberation,all Beijing opera plays have been divided into three categories that are based upon the themati...
Suona, a traditional Chinese musical instrument
The suona is a world musical instrument, widely spread in more than 30 countries in Asia,Africa, and Europe.The suona emerged in China in abouit the third century. There is an image of a musician play...
The plot of Chinese Beijing opera
Most Beijing opera plays are anonymous,having been devised by actors as vehicles through which to display their own performance skills.Many have never been published and exist only as part of the oral...
Taoism in traditional Chinese music
Ancient Chinese philosophy included two types of concepts about "heaven": One was "the Dao (natural way) of heaven,"which was to say, heaven was nature. Just as Laozi said,"Pe...
Traditional Chinese musical instruments made from bamboo
The naturally hollow interior of bamboo is believed to be symbolic of humility and modesty, its hardiness in winter of human endurance and longevity. Over a dozen flute names appear in Zhou texts,thou...
The Development of Chinese Music during the Song and Yuan Dynasties
The urban economic boom in the Song Dynasty (960-1279) led to the emergence of"goulan,""washe"and other entertainment places that catered to the cultural lives of the people.In the...
Beautiful and Melodious Chinese Ditty
"What a beautiful jasmine flower..." This beautiful and melodious song called Jasmine Flower is familiar to the world.According to Qian Renkang, an expert on Chinese music, Jasmine Flower is...
Ancient wooden musical instruments in China
Several highly idiosyncratic percussion instrumients are included within this category, all with strong symbolic associations. The idiophone known as zhu is essentially a wooden box with outward slopi...
Music development in China during the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties
The Xia Dynasty (2070-1600 BC)saw the beginning of the transition of Chinese society from a primitive one to one of slavery. The music dances, previously for totem sacrifices,were used to extol monarc...
