Chinese Music and Musical Instruments by List: History, Classification

Chinese music is a special kind of art that has been around for a long time. It is one of the oldest and most advanced musical styles in the world. The history of Chinese music is really impressive. It goes way back to 3000 BCE. There are lots of records of music in China showing how it was used in different festivals, religious events, and even in the palaces of emperors.

While we don’t have the actual music from all those times, we do have a lot of information about how music was important in ancient China. We have curated the list of Chinese music and musical instruments in table below.

Top 10 Traditional Chinese Instruments

Here are the top 10 traditional Chinese instruments:

Instrument	Description
Guzheng古箏	A plucked zither with movable bridges and multiple strings, commonly used in solo performances.
Erhu二胡	A two-stringed bowed instrument, similar to a violin, with a distinct sound.
Dizi 笛子	A bamboo flute with a unique sound, used in various genres of Chinese music.
Pipa 琵琶	A pear-shaped, plucked string instrument with four strings, known for its melodic qualities.
Guqin 古琴	A double-reed horn with a loud, piercing sound, commonly used in festive occasions.
Suona 唢呐	A double-reed horn with a loud, piercing sound, commonly used in festive occasions.
Xiao 箫	A vertical end-blown flute made of bamboo, known for its mellow tone.
Gu 鼓	The Chinese drum, a medium-sized drum with a barrel shape, played with two wooden sticks.
Bianzhong 编钟	Ancient Chinese chime bells, used for ritual and court music, producing different sounds when struck.
Hulusi 葫芦丝 — the Cucurbit Flute	A free-reed wind instrument with three bamboo pipes and a gourd wind chest, known for its unique and beautiful sound.

Chinese Music History

Ancient artifacts and writings

Chinese legends say that around 2697 BCE, Emperor Huangdi sent a scholar named Ling Lun to the mountains to cut bamboo pipes. These pipes were supposed to make sounds like the fenghuang, a mystical bird that represented harmony in the reign of a new emperor. This story marks the symbolic beginning of music in China, but it’s too late to help us find out about the music from before the Shang dynasty, which is the first dynasty we have historical proof of, around 1600–1046 BCE.

The sounds of ancient Chinese music disappeared after each performance because there were no recordings back then. The only remains we have are a few sturdy instruments found in archaeological digs, like clay flutes, stone chimes, bronze bells, and drums mentioned in inscriptions on oracle bones.

The earliest written records we have are from the Zhou dynasty, which came after the Shang dynasty. In these records, there’s a lot of talk about music, especially in books like the Liji, Yijing, Chunqiu, and Shujing. The Shijing, or Classic of Poetry, is also important because it contains the lyrics of 305 songs dating from the 10th to the 7th century BCE. These songs cover many topics and give us a glimpse into the musical traditions of ancient China.

Aesthetic principles and extramusical associations

Even though ancient Chinese writings are debated for their authenticity and dates, they give us fascinating glimpses of courtly parties, military parades, and folk festivals. But they don’t tell us about the actual music played. Howeve ancient Chinese philosophers like Confucius and Mencius, along with curious scientists, gave us a lot of detailed music theory and aesthetic principles.

In one famous legend, a scholar named Ling Lun searched for bamboo pipes that sounded like a mythical bird called the fenghuang. The story is charming, but it also reveals some interesting facts. Ling Lun’s goal was to create music that matched the universe, as explained in the “Annotations on Music” section of the Liji. This suggests that music was seen as a way to understand and classify the world.

Confucius also had similar ideas about music, believing that the choice of music and modes could affect a person’s moral well-being. It’s unclear how much these ideas influenced actual music performances, but there are ancient pictures showing wise men playing instruments like the seven-stringed zither (qin) in natural settings.

The legend also mentions that Ling Lun searched for bamboo in the western border area of China, showing that music in China was influenced by cultures from Central and West Asia. The legend emphasizes the importance of creating precise, standard pitches, suggesting that early Chinese musicians were concerned with accuracy and harmony.

Classification of Musical instruments

Chinese Musical instruments are grouped into different categories based on various criteria such as the way they produce sound and the materials they are made of. Here are some common classifications:

• Ancient Chinese musical instruments were classified using a system known as the “eight sounds” (ba yin), based on the materials used in their construction.

• The eight categories included stone, earth (pottery), bamboo, metal, skin, silk, wood, and gourd each representing different types of instruments.

• Examples of instruments in these categories included stone chimes, vessel flutes, and tubular flutes for stone, earth, and bamboo respectively.

• Metal instruments comprised zhong bronze bells and large bronze drums like the tonggu, which were prevalent in Southeast Asia.

• Stringed instruments, like the sheng mouth organ, were categorized under silk due to their twisted silk strings.

• Drums were classified as skin instruments, while percussive clappers were grouped under wood.

• The sheng mouth organ, considered a gourd instrument, featured seventeen bamboo pipes set in a gourd or wooden wind chest.

• Variants of the sheng can be found across Southeast Asia and influenced Western instruments such as the reed organ, harmonica, and accordion.

Guzheng古箏 — a Chinese Zither

The guzheng is a popular Chinese instrument like a zither. It’s been around for more than 2,500 years! A modern guzheng usually has 21 to 26 strings. It’s about 1.63 meters long, which is like 5 feet 4 inches.

One famous melody played on the guzheng is called ‘High Mountain and Running Water’ (高山流水). People love listening to this beautiful music.

Erhu二胡 — the Chinese Violin

The erhu is like a violin, but it only has two strings. People play it with a bow, just like how you play a violin. In the Western world, it’s sometimes called the Chinese violin. You can often hear the erhu in Chinese opera shows and traditional music groups.

One of the most famous pieces of erhu music in China is called ‘Two Springs Reflect the Moon’ (二泉映月). It was composed by a blind musician named Ah Bing (阿炳) who used to play music on the streets. He wrote this music to express his sadness about his tough life. ‘Two Springs Reflect the Moon’ is now a beautiful example of traditional Chinese music played on the erhu.

Dizi 笛子 — a Chinese Transverse Flute

The dizi, also known as hengdi, is another favorite Chinese instrument. It’s a type of flute that’s played sideways, unlike the traditional Western flute. People often play it in Chinese folk music or opera. Dizis usually have six or more holes for fingers to cover. One hole is covered with paper, which gives the flute a unique buzzing sound that people enjoy.

One popular piece of music played on the dizi is called ‘Moon on Guan Mountain’ (关山月).

Pipa 琵琶 — the Chinese Lute or Chinese Guitar

The pipa is a traditional Chinese instrument with four strings. It has a pear-shaped wooden body and frets like a guitar, usually ranging from 12 to 26 frets. Modern pipas have been adjusted to fit better with Western-style music. They now use steel strings, so players wear special finger plectra. Pipa musicians are often seen on stage or entertaining at special events or restaurants.

The pipa has been played in China for over 2,000 years, with many ancient stories and poems about it. One famous story is about Wang Zhaojun, who was sent to marry a ruler in northwest China to maintain peace between two nations.

Guqin 古琴 — Chinese Seven-String Instrument

The guqin is one of China’s oldest plucked instruments also known as the qixianqin or ‘seven-stringed zither’ (七弦琴) because it has seven strings. Its main part is a long, narrow wooden soundbox. Famous melodies like Gao Shan 《高山》 (‘High Mountains’) and Liu Shui 《流水》 (‘Flowing Water’) are played on the guqin. These were originally played by a renowned Chinese musician named Bo Ya, who had a close friend named Zhong Ziqi, who deeply understood Bo Ya’s music.

Bo Ya broke his guqin when Zhong Ziqi died. These melodies symbolize the ideal of true friendship in Chinese culture. In Chinese zhiyin (知音, meaning ‘to know the tone’) refers to a close friend.

Suona 唢呐 — the Chinese Trumpet

The suona, also known as the laba or horn, is a type of Chinese wind instrument. It consists of a wooden body and a tubular brass or copper bocal with a small double reed attached to it. It has a bell-shaped metal mouth. The suona has been a significant musical instrument in northern China for weddings and funeral processions because of its sharp and resonant sound. It’s also used in yangko folk dances, accompanied by drum music, and in local opera and ballads.

Popular melodies played on the suona include ‘Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix’ (百鸟朝凰) and ‘A Flower’ (一枝花).

Xiao 箫 — a Chinese Vertical End-Blown Flute

The xiao, also known as the dongxiao is a Chinese vertical end-blown flute. Typically made of bamboo, it has holes on the top. It’s believed that the xiao originated from an end-blown flute used by the Qiang ethnic groups of Southwest China in ancient times. Playing techniques for the xiao are similar to those for the bamboo flute, and it’s best suited for playing long, quiet and sentimental songs.

The sound of the xiao is said to resemble the sweet call of the phoenix, which is considered the king of birds in Chinese culture. The melody ‘Autumn Moon Over the Calm Lake’ perfectly captures the sound of the xiao.

Gu 鼓 — The Chinese Drum

The Chinese drum, also known as the tanggu, is a traditional Chinese musical instrument. It’s a medium-sized drum shaped like a barrel, with two heads made of animal skin, mostly buffalo hide.

To play it, you need two wooden sticks. The sound it makes depends on how hard you hit it and where on the drum skin you hit. Tanggu drums come in different sizes, from small to big. The bigger the drum, the lower the pitch of the sound it makes.

One famous piece played on the tanggu is ‘Fisherman’s Song of the East China Sea’.

Bianzhong 编钟 — Chinese Chime Bells

The bianzhong, also known as Chinese chime bells, is an ancient Chinese musical instrument. It consists of a set of bronze bells arranged on a large frame, each bell producing a different tone. By striking the bells with a wooden hammer or bar, different sounds are produced.

China is the earliest known country to create and use chime bells, dating back 2,000 to 3,600 years ago. In ancient times, chime bells were the primary instrument used for China’s ritual and court music. One representative piece played on the bianzhong is ‘Moon and Flower in the Spring River’.

Hulusi 葫芦丝 — the Cucurbit Flute

The hulusi is a special wind instrument linked with ethnic minorities in Yunnan and South China. It features three bamboo pipes and a gourd wind chest with a mouthpiece.

Its beautiful sound, simple appearance and ease of learning make the hulusi popular among students, music enthusiasts, and travelers in China and abroad. One famous melody played on the hulusi is ‘Phoenix Tail Bamboo under Moonlight’.

5 Famous Types of Chinese Music

Here are five famous types of Chinese music:

• Traditional and Folk Chinese Music: This type of music includes ancient melodies, traditional instruments, and folk songs passed down through generations. It reflects the rich cultural heritage and diverse ethnic traditions of China.

• Chinese Opera: Chinese opera encompasses various regional styles such as Peking opera, Cantonese opera, and Kunqu opera. It combines singing, acting, martial arts, and elaborate costumes to portray stories from Chinese history, mythology and literature.

• Regional and Cultural Chinese Music: Different regions of China have their own distinct musical styles and instruments. This category includes music from areas like Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Yunnan each with its unique cultural influences and musical characteristics.

• Western and Modernized Music: With globalization and cultural exchange, Western music genres like pop, rock, jazz, and classical have gained popularity in China. Modernized Chinese music often blends traditional Chinese elements with Western musical styles, creating a fusion of sounds.

• Patriotic and National Music: Patriotic music celebrates Chinese patriotism, national pride, and revolutionary history. It includes songs like “The East Is Red” and “Ode to the Motherland,” which evoke strong feelings of loyalty and devotion to the country. National music also includes anthems and ceremonial music played during official events and ceremonies.

Conclusion

Chinese music and musical instruments play a important role in preserving and celebrating the rich cultural heritage of China. From the melodious tunes of traditional instruments like the guzheng and erhu to the vibrant performances during festivals, Chinese music continues to enchant audiences around the globe. Whether it’s in traditional festivals or modern performances, Chinese music continues to be loved by people all over the world, showing how special it is to Chinese culture.

Chinese Music and Musical Instruments – FAQs

What are some traditional Chinese musical instruments?

Traditional Chinese musical instruments include the guzheng (zither), erhu (bowed instrument), pipa (plucked string instrument), dizi (flute), guqin (seven-stringed zither), suona (double-reed horn), xiao (vertical flute), and many others.

What is the significance of Chinese music in Chinese culture?

Chinese music has a deep cultural significance, reflecting the country’s long history, diverse ethnic groups, and rich traditions.

How old is Chinese music?

Chinese music has a history spanning thousands of years, with archaeological evidence dating back to the Neolithic era. The earliest known musical instruments, such as bone flutes, have been found in ancient Chinese archaeological sites.

What are some famous Chinese musical genres?

Famous Chinese musical genres include classical music, folk music, opera (such as Peking opera and Cantonese opera), regional music (representing various ethnic groups and regions), contemporary pop music, and patriotic music.

What is unique about traditional Chinese musical instruments?

Traditional Chinese musical instruments are often made from natural materials such as bamboo, wood, and silk. They have unique shapes, construction techniques, and playing methods that distinguish them from instruments in other cultures.