Brief History of Chinese Music (Revised Edition)

Author: Wu Zhao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1993-12-01
Features: China is a multi-ethnic country. Over the long span of history from ancient times to the modern era, the people of all ethnic groups have jointly created the superior musical culture of the motherland. Today, facing such a rich and diverse musical cultural heritage, the authors Wu Zhao and Liu Dongsheng, based on a large amount of relevant literature, archaeological data, and sociological survey data, provide a comprehensive and general discussion of the history of Chinese music. They not only explain their own research insights over the years but also introduce the research findings of many domestic and foreign scholars, reflecting the origins and developments of Chinese music. The book also briefly introduces some theories of ancient Chinese music scholars, such as the belief in the Yue Ji (Book of Music) that music should reflect social reality and should serve an educational function, and so on. Although these ideas have historical and class limitations, they can still serve as references for us. The historical materials used in the book are both direct and indirect, but the book consistently strives to highlight the musical main thread, occasionally emitting or revealing sounds, so reading it does not feel monotonous.