Western China Songs · Book 2: Minjun and Creation

Author: Shi Fu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-11-01
Features: Edited by Mr. Shi Fu, the "Songs of Western China" series compiles folk songs collected by the author himself, as well as folk songs collected and adapted by other domestic composers, and songs reflecting the lives of Western people created using Western musical materials. Compiling such a collection is a monumental and arduous task, but it holds extraordinary significance. Mr. Shi Fu has worked extensively in Xinjiang for a long time, absorbing ample nourishment from Western folk music, dedicating himself to the study of Western music, accumulating rich knowledge and materials. He has also composed many musical works involving Western themes. With great enthusiasm, he has compiled this rich collection of songs, and I am honored to write the preface for this monument-like songbook.
The geographical concept of Western China, in a broad sense, refers to the vast region west of the line from Aihui in Heilongjiang to Tengchong in Yunnan, including most of the Northwest, a portion of the Southwest, and small parts of Northeast and North China. The world-famous "Silk Road," from the ancient capital Chang'an through the Hexi Corridor to Dunhuang, into Xinjiang, across the Kunlun Mountains, and reaching Central and Western Asia, was flanked by the ancient regions known as the northern deserts and Tuofan. Since the Han and Tang dynasties, these areas have been a place where Chinese and Western cultures have.
On this magnificent and fertile land of Western China, numerous hardworking and pure ethnic minorities live. With their own hands, they have developed and built this land while also expressing their lives through remarkable musical talent, leaving behind invaluable and abundant musical treasures. Folk songs are one of the distinctive genres among them. The Western folk songs edited by Mr. Shi Fu are based on his long life in the vast Northwest, collecting folk songs from various ethnic groups along the sides of the "Silk Road." The named "Songs of Western China" refers to this concept. "Songs of Western China" introduces folk songs and composed songs from various regions along the Silk Road, providing music enthusiasts with a relatively concentrated source of singing and research materials. The charm and unique colors of folk music in these regions shine brightly in the treasure trove of Chinese music. Many outstanding folk songs have been passed down in China and overseas over the past century, earning the title of "masterpieces of folk songs."
Many of the composed songs in this collection are widely sung by the masses. These songs carry the rich fragrance of the Northwest's earth, and their melodies can be heard to have absorbed and expressed folk music. The spread of Western music into the Central Plains and its own development has a long history. Not to mention the distant past, the 1930s marked the beginning of a modern flourishing period. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Western music entered its second flourishing period with significant self-development. Today, Western music, under new opportunities, is undoubtedly stepping onto new heights. Under any circumstances, Western music always develops while preserving its own traditions. Our approach to this history embodies both inheritance and innovation, as the saying goes, "Without the past, we cannot understand the present or create the future."
Over the past century, the encouraging developments in Western music have shown two aspects: "self-development" and "active introduction from the interior." This "source" and "search" form a mutual relationship. The series collection is a valuable historical record, allowing people to understand the state of folk songs in Western China. To convey this result to readers is the mission of Mr. Shi Fu in compiling this collection. Here, I warmly congratulate the publication of the series collection.