'
ChineseMusicdatesbacktothedawnofChinesecivilizationwithdocumentsandartifactsprovidingevidenceofawell-developedmusicalcultureasearlyastheZhouDynasty(1122BC–256BC).Today,themusiontinuesarichtraditionalheritageinoneaspect,whileemergingintoamorecontemporaryformatthesametime.
AordingtoMencius,apowerfulruleronceaskedhimwhetheritwasmoralifhepreferredpopularmusictotheclassics.Theanswerwasthatitonlymatteredthattherulerlovehissubjects.TheImperialMusicBureau,firstestablishedintheQinDynasty(221–07BC),wasgreatlyexpandedundertheEmperorHanWuDi(140–87BC)andchargedwithsupervisingcourtmusicandmilitarymusicanddeterminingwhatfolkmusicwouldbeofficiallyrecognized.Insubsequentdynasties,thedevelopmentofChinesemusicwasstronglyinfluencedbyforeignmusic,especiallyCentralAsia.
TheoldestknownwrittenmusicisYoulanortheSolitaryOrchid,attributedtoConfucius(seeguqinarticleforasampleoftablature).Thefirstmajorwell-documentedfloweringofChinesemusicwasfortheqinduringtheTangDynasty,thoughtheqinisknowntohavebeenplayedsincebeforetheHanDynasty.
InancientChinathepositionofmusicianswasmuchlowerthanthatofpainters,thoughmusicwasseenascentraltotheharmonyandlongevityofthestate.Almosteveryemperortookfolksongsseriously,sendingofficerstocollectsongstoinspectthepopularwill.OneoftheConfucianistClassics,ShiJing(TheClassicofPoetry),containedmanyfolksongsdatingfrom800BCtoabout400BC.
ThefirstEuropeantoreachChinawithamusicalinstrumentwasJesuitpriestMatteoRiiwhopresentedaHarpsichordtotheLeeimperialcourtin1601,andtrainedfoureunuchstoplayit.
DragonDance
Thefamousdragondancewithmusicisalsoarememberedtradition.ItisseenonChineseNewYearacrosstheworldbymillions.Itisnotknownwhenthetraditionstarted,butitisbelievedtobethousandsofyearsago,asentertainmentofformeremperors,royalsandnobles.
TraditionalmusicinChinaisplayedonsoloinstrumentsorinsmallensemblesofpluckedandbowedstringedinstruments,flutes,andvariouscymbals,gongs,anddrums.Thescaleispentatonic.BamboopipesandqinareamongtheoldestknownmusicalinstrumentsfromChina;instrumentsaretraditionallydividedintocategoriesbasedontheirmaterialofposition:animalskins,gourd,bamboo,wood,silk,earth/clay,metalandstone.Chineseorchestrastraditionallyconsistofbowedstrings,woodwinds,pluckedstringsandpercussion.