Download Group Name: Chinese Music Group

Group Name: Chinese Music Group
Group members: Vicky Lee #19, Jiang Hong Huang#14, Miao Na Tan#36,Guo Hao Liang#21,
Yi Xiong Cai#2, Jia Lin Kong# 17
Chinese Traditional Instruments and Music
Traditional Chinese musical instruments can be divided into four categories:
stringed instruments, percussion instruments, plucked instruments, and wind
instruments. Ancient Chinese have left a wealth of musical instruments and classic
tunes. Erhu, Guzheng, Guqin, Xiao, Pipa, and other traditional Chinese music
instruments may alter your acquired definition of "music". The great works that have
been playing for hundreds or thousands of years may also echo in you.
Coming next, we will introduce four Chinese traditional musical instruments.

Pipa (琵琶): Pipa, a four-string lute in pear-shaped wooden body with a varying
number of frets ranging from 12–26, is an instrument that witnesses the cultural
communication. The instrument was introduced from Central Asia around 2,000
years ago, and became very popular in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), when the
society embraced exotic art forms fervently. Through ages, the instrument has
become an indispensable part of traditional Chinese music. The Pipa tunes have
very diverse styles, and are traditionally classified as either Wen Qu (civil and
mild tone) or Wu Qu (martial and fierce tone).

Xiao (箫): Xiao is a traditional Chinese wind instrument made of bamboo. Its
earliest appearance can be traced back to the Qiang nationality (one of the
Chinese minorities of China's Mid-West) in the 1st century. It became popular
nationwide around 600 A.D. usually played as a solo instrument; it is sometimes
also played with other instruments. An ordinary Xiao has six tone-holes. The tone
of the Xiao is extremely beautiful, suitable for expressing a peaceful or
melancholy mood. Xiao in ancient times also included the side-blown bamboo
flute, Dizi. Dizi is a major Chinese musical instrument, and is widely used in
many genres of Chinese folk music, as well as Chinese opera, and the modern
Chinese orchestra.

Guzheng（古筝）: It is a Chinese plucked zither typically with 21-25 strings.
Guzheng is build with a special wooden sound body with strings arched across
movable bridges along the length of the instrument for the purpose of tuning.
Guzheng can in principle be tuned to any desired scales. Traditionally, pentatonic
scale is used. Full scale can also be obtained by skillfully applying press on certain
strings from the other side of the bridge with the left hand. The Guzheng playing
appears (and sounds) like playing harp or piano. It can create sounds that can
evoke the sense of a cascading waterfall, thunder, horses' hooves, and even the
scenic countryside.

Erhu （二胡）: Erhu is a kind of violin (fiddle) with two strings, known in the
West as the “Chinese violin” or “Chinese two-string fiddle”. The strings are
usually made of silk, nylon or metal. The player creates different pitches by
touching the strings at various positions along the neck of the instrument. The
Erhu sounds similar to human voice, and can imitate many natural sounds such
as birds and horse. It is a very expressive instrument, most well-known for
playing melancholic tune, but also capable of play merry melody. The Erhu plays
the same role as the violin in the Western orchestras.
There are some masterpieces of Chinese traditional music below. Each piece of
the music has a story in it, and thus forming a specific aesthetic and spiritual enjoyment.

Spring Moonlight on the Flowers by the River (春江花月夜): It is one
of the most famous Chinese traditional music works. It had been popular
among ordinary people before the year 1875, and has become one of the
masterpieces in the treasury of Chinese classical music. The intro has a
background of musical harmony, and then a Pipa is plunked faster and faster,
giving out drumbeat-like notes. The technique, often used in folk music, of
phrases repeated over and over, and seemingly chasing one another, gives a
vivid impression of ripples on water. The understated melody, the fluid
rhythmical meter, the ingenious subtlety, painted a quiet scene of a river on a
moonlit night in spring.

Laughing over the blue sea (沧海一声笑): It is a classic fantasy martial arts
movie theme song which was composed and wrote the lyrics by Wong Jim. The
movie, The Swordman, directed by Tsui Hark in 1990s, adapted to a fantasy
martial arts novel, The Smiling, Proud Wanderer (笑傲江湖) which was written
by Jin Yong in 1967 during the time of the Cultural Revolution of China. The
Smiling, Proud Wanderer means to live a carefree life in a mundane world of
strife. An alternative English title is State of Divinity. It was intentionally written
as a reflection of politicians. The characters were representative of actual
politicians who lived during that time. The music is played combining traditional
Chinese instruments, Pipa, Dizi and Guzheng. It conveys a theme not only about
having power and strength to smile and looking down troubles, but also an
attitude, keeping a positive mind and letting go lots of trouble things. It is
somewhat like the song “Let It Be”.

"High Mountains and Flowing Water" (高山流水): This melody is a
masterpiece of Guzheng works. One of ten best ancient Chinese music pieces was
composed by Boya (伯牙) before 221 BC. There is a legendary friendship between
Boya and Ziqi. Whatever Boya tried to convey in his music, Ziqi would never fail
to understand. Boya said, “Amazing! Your heart and mines are the same!'” When
Ziqi died, Boya broke the strings and vowed never to play again. Thus, there was
the melody of High Mountains Flowing Water. It represents cherished friendship
in Chinese culture. It also conveys the same idea, the magnificence of high
mountains and the power of moving water. From that time on, people call their
best friend as “知音 (Zhi Yin)” which means the person who understands their
music in China.

Best Erhu Masterpiece Ever – Er Quan Ying Yue (二泉映月): Er Quan
Ying Yue means "second spring reflecting the moon." This piece of music is full of
heart-breaking soreness. It was written by Hua Yanjun (known as Ahbing), a
blind artist in 1930s. He had a very complicated life and suffered from poverty,
disease and repression from corrupted authorities in the old China. You will be
touched by the sadness beauty of music, the legendary life of Ah-Bing, his spirit
of integrity, honesty, and his talent. It is perhaps the most famous Erhu tune.