Worldwide Traditional Music

Traditional Music of China

The characteristics of Chinese traditional music are classical and elegant lyrics, poetic words, neat and beautiful melody and multi-ethnic musical instruments. It also has its unique aesthetic style. Chinese traditional music can be traced back to 7000-8000 years ago during the Neolithic Age. At the beginning, the music was connected to five elements of nature: metal, wood, water, fire and earth (金木水火土). The main use of music in ancient China was used for pleasure, religion ceremonies, entertainment, and to blend with the sounds of nature. Chinese orchestra, which developed in the early 20th century, is composed of four types of instruments: plucked strings, bowed strings, woodwinds, and percussion. There were more than 70 types of musical instruments used in ancient China. Many of these instruments have more than 3,000 years of history.

Here are three examples of tradition instruments：

Xiao (萧)

Xiao (萧） is a Chinese vertical end-blown flute. Usually, it is made of bamboo and has holes on the top. The playing techniques for the xiao are like those for the bamboo flute. It is also the most suitable ancient Chinese instruments for playing long, quiet, and sentimental songs. The xiao’s sound is thought to have the sweetness of the phoenix's call. The phoenix is regarded as the king of birds in Chinese culture.

Pi Pa（琵琶）

Pipa（琵琶） is a traditional Chinese musical instrument with four strings. This instrument has a pear-shaped wooden body with frets like those on a guitar. Pipa has been played for more than 2,000 years in China. There are many ancient stories and poems about this instrument.

Bian Zhong（编钟）

Bian Zhong（编钟） is an ancient Chinese musical instrument. It is also called the Chinese chime bells. Chime bells are a set of bronze bells hanging on a big bell cot, arranged according to different tones of bells. Using a wooden hammer or bar to knock the bronze bells produces different sounds. They were the major instrument used for China's ritual and court music in ancient times.

What do most people feel when listening to Chinese traditional music?

While listening to Chinese traditional music, I immerse myself in the melody and the rhythm that always takes away any jitters or nervousness and helps decrease my heart rate and anxiety. It can provide a sense of awe and wonder when listening to it being inspiring and uplifting. Fast tempos can psychologically and physiologically rejuvenate, helping me to get energized for the day.

Korean traditional Music

Traditional Korean music can be divided into folk music and religious music. Usually slow, solemn and complex, they are uniquely characterized by their intertwining and long, elaborate melodic lines. The earliest references of Korean music can be seen from the extant text of Samguk sagi (history of the three kingdoms) in 1145, as the music later reaches its peaks of excellence under the Lee kings of the Joseon dynasty between 1392-1897. Traditional music in Korea includes a range of fascinating instruments which continue to captivate many people today.

Gayageum (가야금)：

Gayageum is a traditional Korean plucked zither with 12 strings and a hollowed-out chamber made of paulownia wood. A widely known traditional Korean musical instrument, the gayageum is notable for its beautiful and clear tone. According to the Samguksagi, the gayageum was developed around the sixth century in the Gaya confederacy by King Gasil.

Daegeum：(대금)

Daegeum is a large bamboo flute used in traditional Korean music. It has a range of uses such as court, aristocratic, and folk music, as well as in contemporary classical music, popular music, and film scores. There are two types of daegeum: Jeongak and Sanjo, which both have a unique buzzing membrane.

Gayageum and Daegeum are merely a few of the extensive, diverse, and captivating range of Korean traditional instruments. Although traditional music may easily be forgotten in the modern world, hidden by contemporary music (such as K-pop), people should strive to retain and reveal its unique and distinctive nature to the global society.