ISALC: ESL 382: Computer Applications

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Culture Capsules: People, Places, and Processes Janet and Nuch Please listen to our message.

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Traditional Chinese Musical Istruments
Janet

Music took an important position on many occasions in ancient Chinese life.(1) In early China, music was performed for royal and noble groups. When marches or important ceremonies were held, music was used to show great and solemn attitude. That style of music was called “graceful music”. And the music used in folk celebrations was called “common music”, which developed later.

Until Zhou Dynasty (1111B.C. - 222 B. C.), the musical system and the distinction between graceful and common music were made by the government. During this period, musical instruments were first divided into eight groups according to their materials. The eight groups included gourd, earthenware, hide, wood, stone, bronze, silk and bamboo. The four kinds of instrument, which are called wind instruments, plucked string instruments, bowed string instruments, and percussion instruments were not brought into China from the West until modern times.

According to the Chinese historical record, the first kind of musical instruments appeared about seven thousand years ago. These were simple percussion instruments, such as drums,(2) and simple wind instrument such as flutes (Di).(3) They were used in wars and marches. During Zhou Dynasty, the most popular instruments in graceful music still were percussion, but the wind instruments had become more complex. There were more than seventy kinds of musical instruments at that time. From 770 B. C. to 221 B.C., the common music was developed and the instruments they used attached importance to ease of transport such as Zheng,(4) a plucked string instrument.

During Han Dynasty to Tang Dynasty( 206 B. C. - 960 A. D.), because of the development of traffic and the increase of trade with nearby countries, the instruments were influenced in shape and style. The most important one is Pi-Pa.(5) It came from Central Asia during the Han Dynasty and became most popular in the Tang Dynasty. It looks like a Spanish guitar, but the player sits and holds the Pi-Pa upright on his or her legs. (6)Because of chaos caused by war during this period, the distinctions between graceful and common music were not so clear like before. At this time the Pi-Pa which almost had been only used in graceful music and traditional opera stared to also be used for the background music when someone was telling folk stories. In much literature, the authors liked to describe its shape and sound.

Another important instrument spread into China during this period. Hu Ch’in, which is a kind of bowed string, first appeared in China during Tang Dynasty, but it became common instruments and popularly used in traditional operaduring Song Dynasty (960 A.D –1270 A.D.). The Erhu(7) is the most famous member in Hu Ch’in family. And the name “Erhu” came from its two strings. Its place in Chinese music is just like the violin in Western music because their sounds are very similar. But the sound of Erhu has a thinner tone due to the smaller resonating chamber.

In brief, Chinese musical instruments have a long history. They have been influenced many countries’ music instrument as the countries interacted. Therefore, foreign music and instruments became trend at different periods of time in China, and they stimulated the Chinese traditional style and kept it fresh. Today, there are still many people who play traditional Chinese music instrument. They add many different elements from other music style into their performance, and this is why such an ancient thing still is able to catch young people’s interest and won’t be considered an antique that was only useful in the past.

Images:

(1)http://www.regenttour.com/china/music/index.htm

(2)http://www.regenttour.com/china/music/index-3.htm

(3)http://www.tco.gov.tw/teach/tco431.htm

(4,5)http://www.lib.uconn.edu/~csa/culture/music.html

(6)http://www.philmultic.com/pipa/index.html

(7)http://www.tco.gov.tw/teach/tco432.htm

Resources:

1.http://www.bigskymusic.com/b-world.htm

2.http://www.lib.uconn.edu/~csa/culture/music.html

3.http://www.sco-music.org.sg/english/co/co.html

There are many kinds of musical instruments in every country. In Thailand, some musical instruments came from China because, in ancient times, Thai people migrated from China and separated themselves to become Siam, the old name of Thailand. Some instruments came from India and we adapted them to become our own. Thai musical instruments were popular in the royal households. Only royal people could play and learn them. However, in the present times, many people who are interested in Thai music also can learn them. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is a good performer of several Thai musical instruments. She is a leader for the younger generations to become interested in the value of Thai music. Nowadays, there are four categories in Thai musical instruments.

First of all, there are plucked instruments, such as a Jakhae (photo) (sound) (1), whose name comes from a crocodile because its body looks like the crocodile. There are few components in this instrument, for example, there are three strings along its body, and all of them are attached by knots in the tail end. It’s an important instrument in all string ensembles. Second, bowed instruments, such as a Saw Sam Sai (photo) (sound) (2)and a Saw U (photo) (sound) (3), are made of half a coconut shell for their body. In China and Japan, they also have some musical instruments that look like the Saw Sam Sai and Saw U. Their name also comes from the characteristic sound that people hear when they are played. There are three strings in the Saw Sam Sai; on the other hand, there are two strings in the Saw U. Third, percussion instruments, such as Ranad-Ek (photo) (sound) (4), Khawng Wong Yai (photo) (sound) (5), and Ta Phon (photo) (sound) (6), etc, are divided into three types depending on whether the instruments are made of wood, metal, or leather. The Ranad-Ek is very important in Thai musical ensembles. The Khawng Wong Yai is a circle of gongs, inside of which the player sits. The Ta phon, which is one of the rhythm instruments, is used in the piphat ensemble, which is a type of ensemble that is comprised of percussion and wind instruments. Finally, wind instruments are classified in two groups, a Khlui (photo) (sound) (7)(flute types) and a Pi (photo) (sound) (8)(pipe types). The Khlui is made of bamboo and looks like the Mulali of India, which is a double clarinet with a wind chamber, and the Japanese flute. Both the Khlui and Japanese flute are played vertically like the western clarinet; on the other hand, the Mulali is played horizontally like the western flute. The Pi is the true Thai instrument which Thai people used in the ancient times. Its name also comes from the sound that it makes when it is played.

In conclusion, music is very important part for our life because everyone likes music. Some people like pop music, jazz music, or rock music. Nowadays, there are many choices and Thai music is one of them. Have you ever experienced about Thai music and musical instruments? The sound of Thai musical instrument is very nice and peaceful. You should try to listen and know some information about the musical instruments.

Images:

(1) http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Thai/music/classical/instruments/khryang_ditt.htm

(2,3) http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Thai/music/classical/instruments/khryang_sii.htm

(4,5,6) http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Thai/music/classical/instruments/khryang_tii.htm

(7,8) http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Thai/music/classical/instruments/khryang_paw.htm

Resources:

1. http://www.thailandheritage.com/art/instrument.asp

2. http://www.dontrithai.com/history/point.htm

3. http://sunsite.au.ac.th/thailand/Thai_Arts/music.html

Because of natural environment, the cultural interchange around all Asian countries was very frequent. Therefore, we can see lots of the musical instruments in several countries are different and similar. In our topic, we will only focus on bowed string instruments because we think they are very interesting and should be known.

The history of bowed string instruments in China has developed for thousands of years. Unlike the other musical instruments, ancient Chinese did not create the bowed string instruments. In China, we call all bowed instruments Hu-ch’in. The word “Hu” means “didn’t originate from China.” Actually, it means, “came from another country.” More specifically, it means, “came from the countries of central Asia.” From the end of theTang Dynasty to early Song Dynasty (about 960 A.D.), Hu-ch’in was introduced to China, and later it became very popular in Chinese opera and in common music. Hu-ch’in is the name of all bowed instruments in China, and there are many members in Hu-ch’in family. But the pronunciation of the instruments’ names always ends with “hu”. They all have small bodies and long necks and are played with a bowed. Their main material is wood. The necks and framework of the musical boxes are usually made of wood, but the surface of the musical boxes has different material, such as cloth and animal hides. Different size and material of musical boxes can make different sounds. And some of them have different numbers of strings. Erhu, Banhu, and Caohu are the most common to see in Hu-ch’in family. On the other hand, in ancient times, there was an ugly Thai musical instrument that people usually played in Ayutthaya period. That was “Saw, there are three components to the Saw. The first component is a body that is made from half of a coconut shell. Some is made from bamboo, ivory, or a large coconut without lumps; that depends on kinds of Saw. The second component is three strings in the order ‘so’, ‘re’, and ‘la’ sound. The third component is a handle that is a sling made from three hundred horsetail hairs. Every component is very important in Saw.

There are three kinds of Saw: Saw Sam Sai, Saw U, and Saw Duang and all have some similarities to Chinese instruments. Saw Sam Sai looks like san hu-sh’in, which is one of the bowed instruments in China. Both are three-stringed instruments with frets on the neck. Saw U also is similar to er-hu, which comes from China, and both are two-stringed instruments. Saw U does not have frets; however, u-hu has frets along the neck. Saw Duang and hu sh’in have similar characteristics. Saw Duang may have been copied from hu chin, which is a Chinese musical instrument because they have similarities in shape, number of strings that are two strings, and they are made from wood. The name of both Saw Sam Sai and Saw U comes from the sound produced when it is played; on the other hand, Saw Duang comes from its shape. We have to sit while playing the Saws.

In conclusion, there are some differences and similarities in both bowed Chinese and Thai musical instruments. The records show that Saws might have come from China while the Chinese say Hu-ch’in didn’t originate them. However, all of these instruments have a similarity in shape. In our opinion, we think both instruments are very interesting because their shapes are beautiful. In addition, the sound that they make when they are played is very sweet and flowery.

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