Chinese Music and Art is Unique, Special and Charming!!!By Ding Ma and Risa Takei

 Have you ever heard Chinese music? Do you like the special and unique instruments or music? Do you know the weird instruments that make the beautiful music? Chinese music and Chinese instruments are strange and different for western ears. But still, Chinese music and Chinese instruments are charming and interesting. (look at picture 1).

Picture 1. Representative of Classic Chinese musical Instrument---Guzheng

Picture 2. Chimes and Bells in

the Xia, Shang, Zhou

Dynasties

Xia, Shang, Zhou Dynasties

Chinese Music’s Special History

• Chinese music has a really long history. • In the Xia, Shang and Zhou , only royal families had time and money to enjoy charming Chinese music, which was played on chimes and bells (picture 2). 

Music and Dance in Tang Dynasty

In the Tang dynasties, dancing and singing was made on the mainstream, spreading from the royal court to the common people;

with the introduction of foreign religions, religious melodies were absorbed into Chinese music and were enjoyed by the Chinese people

at fairs, organized by religious temples(picture 3 and picture 4 above).

Song

Original operas started

appearing and the Chinese opera stages

began.Yuan Ming and Qing

During the Yuan

dynasty, qu, another type of literature

based on music

became popular.

Many traditional

instruments developed in this period.

Beijing opera

appeared and became

popular. Dynasties

Development of Chinese Music / Opera in Song, Yuan, Ming and

Qing Dynasties

Beijing Opera

Beijing opera is really popular and famous and continue to be appreciated even in modern times (Picture 5 and 6 above).

Learn About Some Awesome Chinese Instrument Facts!!!

•Chinese instruments are also an important part of Chinese music. •They are mostly unique and special. •There are 8 categories: Silk, bamboo, wood, stone, metal, clay, gourd and hide.

Stringed instruments are most important. They are usually made out of silk (including those that are plucked, bowed

and struck).

Erhu is a popular bowed instrument. It is a two stringed fiddle. I never knew that just two strings could make so much beautiful tones (Picture 7 and picture 8).

Erhu

Picture 7. Erhu. Picture 8. It shows someone playing the Erhu.

PipaPipa is a popular type of plucked string instrument, and it is similar to the

Spanish guitar in some ways. Many techniques have developed where it may be considered a awesome characteristic of Chinese music(Picture 9 is a Pipa and picture 10 is someone playing the Pipa).

Picture 9. Pipa.Picture 10. This shows someone playing the

Pipa.

Yangqin is a struck instrument with strings. It’s player must be accurate to hit the 7 to 18 sets of thin strings with sticks. This instrument is quite popular(common). I think this is a hard instrument to master. I also

think that this instrument requires practice (Picture 11 is a yangqin).

Yangqin

Picture 11. Yangqin.

Do You Like Chinese Music Or Chinese Instruments?

Chinese instruments and Chinese music are an

important and special part of Chinese culture and Chinese history. If you want to learn

about China, you can start by listening to some Chinese music. It will lead you to a

whole different experience. I love Chinese music and

Chinese instruments, do you?(Picture 12).

Picture 12.

Chinese Art By: Risa T.Have you seen Chinese art before? If you did, what did you see? I think you probably saw vases, weavings, sculptures, and the most popular art is... Chinese brush painting.

 Famous artists are Xio Lu and Ni Zan. What they did was Chinese brush painting. Chinese brush painting is the most popular art in China .You need paint, paintbrushes, water, and a long scroll of paper.

Did you know that calligraphy is very similar to Chinese brush painting? It is similar because you need the same things. And you mostly do the same things. I like calligraphy better than Chinese brush painting because I like to write or draw Chinese or Japanese Characters.

I think that the Chinese art is very beautiful and interesting. My favorite part of Chinese art is Chinese brush painting because it is very popular in China. And I did Chinese art in Japan. I also like Chinese brush painting because it is very fun.

Summary

Although Chinese art and Chinese Music are really different, they both are a charming and interesting part of Chinese culture and history. Both Chinese music and

art have facts about China. We both think Chinese art and Chinese music are awesome and interesting. What do you think about Chinese art and music?