Nithya Priyan

In 2008, the successful Beijing Olympics showed the world a new China in vigorous development. The fantastic Chinese culture was then recognized by the outside world. More and more foreign friends become interested in learning Chinese culture. As a part of culture Chinese music has also attracted the attention of other countries. This article will introduce some basic information about the Chinese folk music. 

There are a lot of traditional music instruments used by the Chinese. These instruments are totally different from western instruments. According to the way of playing Chinese folk music instruments are roughly divided into four categories. They are Aerophones, Percussions, Plucked Instruments and Bowed Instruments. Following are the names of instruments mainly included in each category.  

1. Wind Instruments:

Xiao (a vertical bamboo end-blown flute), Flute, Suona, Sheng(a reed pipe wind instrument) and Bawu, etc.    Wind instruments’ sounding body is usually made of bamboo or wood.

2. Percussions:

Copper-made – bass gong, small gong, Cymbals, hitting bells;

Wooden – Clapper (Ban), Bangzi (high-pitched wood block), Muyu (wooden knocker /wooden fish)

Leather-made – Drums

3. Plucked instruments:

Horizontal - Zheng, Guqin (seven-string zither), Yang Qin

Vertical – Lute, Yue qin, Three-string (Sanxian), Liuqin (small, fretted lute with a pear-shaped body and four strings), Tamboura

4. Bowed Instruments:

Erhu (two-stringed fiddle ), Banhu (two-stringed fiddle with a coconut resonator and wooden face)

Among the instruments listed above, erhu, flute, lute, Yang Qin, three-string, xiao and sheng also belong to the group of string and bamboo instruments. In an ordinary Chinese national orchestra, the most common instruments playing the main melody are Yang qin, lute, erhu, suona and flute, etc. Modern Chinese national orchestra also use western string instruments, such as cello and double bass, to enrich the band’s bass part.

Chinese folk music has gone abroad. Since 1998, the Central Chinese National Orchestra has held quite a few New Year’s concerts in the Wiener Musikverein. They also toured many cities in France and the United States. The orchestra’s Concerts themed “Golden Echo （金色回响）”, “the Land so Rich in Beauty（江山如此多娇）”, “Splendour of Folk Music(泱泱国风)”  and “Impression ∙National Music(印象∙国乐)”, etc. have established good reputations in the audience. The national orchestral concerts “Beautiful Xinjiang(美丽新疆）” and “Tibet Spring（西藏的春天）”, which are based on civil folk music have also been welcomed by the audience.

In China, there are several other large orchestras like the Central Chinese National Orchestra. In order to promote national music, quite a few large-scale national orchestras have been set up throughout China since 1949. Some of the most famous are Shanghai National Orchestra, China Broadcasting National Orchestra, Guangdong National Orchestra, China Youth National Orchestra, etc. Meanwhile, all provinces have their own provincial National Orchestras. And there are also countless amateur folk teams of various types performing in urban and rural areas. They play in parks and streets, inheriting the traditional instruments and music in the form of self-entertaining. Chinese folk music’s revival makes a large number of national instrumentalists stand out, which is really gratifying. Music has no boundaries. We hope Chinese folk music continues to flourish and bloom with its unique charm and brilliance on the world music stage.

Following is a selection of a few Chinese folk music, from which you may have a glimpse of Chinese folk music’s elegant demeanor.

Mix - Beijing Opera Melody (ensemble - Beijing tune)

Erhu - Galloping Horses (Erhu - horses gallop)

Guzheng - Moon Night (zither - moon night / silence is golden)

Lute /Pipa – Shepherdess Song (琵琶 – 牧羊曲)

Flute – A Spray of Plum Blossoms （笛子 – 一剪梅）

If you are interested in listening to more Chinese folk music, click the following to find what you like: 

Guitar and Harmonica Lessons Online –  Quality Music Lessons For Two Instruments At The Price Of One: