MUSIC OF EAST ASIA

MUSIC OF
CHINA
China spans approximately It has the biggest
5,250 km from east to west
and 5,500 km from north to
south. Its land border is
BASIC FACTS population of any country
in the world and is the
largest country in Asia.
around 20,000 km long, Almost entirely
while its shoreline is encompassing the East
approximately 14,000 km Asian landmass.
long.

China's longevity and resilience

are unparalleled among nations.
China has the world's biggest
With over 4,000 years of recorded
temperature difference between
history, China is one of the few
its northern and southern borders,
countries that also flourished
from the desert in the northwest
economically and culturally
to the tropical monsoon in the
during the earliest stages of world
southeast.
civilization.
 MUSIC OF CHINA
Chinese culture was dominated by the teachings
of the philosopher Confucius. He conceived
music in the highest sense as a means of calming
the passion of dispelling of unrest and lust, rather
than as a form of amusement.
The Chinese believed that sound influences the
HARMONY OF THE UNIVERSE.
Significantly, one of the most important duties of
the first emperor of each new dynasty was to
search out and establish the dynasty is through
standard of pitch.
HARMONY OF THE UNIVERSE
 DISTINGUISHING
CHARACTERISTICS OF
VOCAL AND
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
OF CHINA
 INSTRUMENTAL
VOCAL MUSIC MUSIC
It is a type of singing
performed by one or
more singers, with or It is intended to performed
without by a musical instrument or
Instrumental group of instruments
accompaniment
 VOCAL MUSIC OF CHINA
 It is traditionally sung in a thin, non-resonant voice or in
falsetto
 It is usually sung in solo rather than choral
 All traditional music is melodic rather than harmonic
MO LI HUA (Jasmine Flower)
 MO LI HUA ( 茉莉
花 )which means ‘Jasmine
Flowers’, is a popular
Chinese folk song. It was
created during the
Qianlong Emperor period
of the Qing Dynasty (18 th

Century)
 Mō Lì Huā (Jasmine Flower)
English Translation:
Beautiful jasmine flower
Beautiful jasmine flower
Sweet-smelling, beautiful, stems full of
buds
Fragrant and white, everyone praises
Let me pluck you down to give to
someone
Jasmine flower, jasmine flower
 INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC OF CHINA
 Instrumental music is played on solo instruments or in small
ensembles of plucked and bowed stringed instruments, flutes, and
various cymbals, gongs, and drums.
 Chinese instrumental music is HETEROPHONIC; it is played with
more than one instrument or an instrument together with a voice
EMBROIDERED POUCH BY Lei Qiang
 EMBROIDERED POUCH BY Lei Qiang

Lei Qiang is a master

player of the erhu. Born
in 1960 in Shaanxi
province in the People's
Republic of China.
 EMBROIDERED POUCH BY Lei Qiang

Lei Qiang is a master

player of the erhu. Born
in 1960 in Shaanxi
province in the People's
Republic of China.
Let’s Recall
 Let’s Recall
1.It is a type of singing performed by one
or more singers, with or without
Instrumental accompaniment
Answer: ______________
 Let’s Recall
1.It is a type of singing performed by one
or more singers, with or without
Instrumental accompaniment
Answer: Vocal Music
 Let’s Recall
1.It is a type of singing performed by one
or more singers, with or without
Instrumental accompaniment
Answer: Vocal Music
 Let’s Recall
1. It is popular Chinese folk song. It was
created during the Qianlong Emperor
period of the Qing Dynasty (18th
Century)
Answer: _______________
 Let’s Recall
1. It is popular Chinese folk song. It was
created during the Qianlong Emperor
period of the Qing Dynasty (18th
Century)
Answer: MO LI HUA (Jasmine Flower)
 Let’s Recall
1. It is intended to performed by a
musical instrument or group of
instruments
Answer: _________________
 Let’s Recall
1. It is intended to performed by a
musical instrument or group of
instruments

Answer: Instrumental Music

 Let’s Recall
1. He is a master player of the erhu.
Born in 1960 in Shaanxi province in
the People's Republic of China.

Answer: _____________
 Let’s Recall
1. He is a master player of the erhu.
Born in 1960 in Shaanxi province in
the People's Republic of China.

Answer: Le Qiang
 Let’s Recall
1. It is a Chinese traditional instrumental
Music composed by Le Qiang

Answer: ____________
MUSIC OF JAPAN
 Basic facts about JAPAN
1. The oldest company in the world is in Japan
2. In Japanese culture it is polite to remove your
shoes
3. Over 80% of land in Japan is mountainous
4. About 1500 earthquakes strike Japan every
year
5. Japan has the 11th largest population in the
world
The music of Japan often
represents natural sound,
and the sound of life through
percussion, wind, and stringed
instruments.

It includes a large group of

performers in distinct
styles, both traditional and
modern.
 VOCAL MUSIC OF JAPAN
 It is based on the intervals of human breathing rather
than mathematical timing
 It is based on how Japanese musicians show their
spiritual self-mastery in mastering his or her
instrument, more than simply perfecting a technique
of some sort on how they give value to their
performance and composure
SAKURA (Cherry Blossoms)
SAKURA (Cherry Blossoms)

This beautiful
traditional Japanese
folk song depicts the
cherry blossom that
bloom in spring.
Cherry Blossoms, Cherry Blossoms
(English Translation)
Cherry blossoms, cherry Cherry blossoms, cherry
blossoms, blossoms,
Blanketing the Across the Spring sky,
countryside, As far as you can see.
As far as you can see. Is it a mist, or clouds?
Is it a mist, or clouds? Fragrant in the air.
Fragrant in the morning Come now, come,
sun. Let’s look, at last!
Cherry blossoms, cherry
blossoms,
Flowers in full bloom.
 Instrumental Music
 It is basically meditative in
character
 Its performance is highly
ritualized
 Musicians show their spiritual
self-mastery in their
performance and composure
GAGAKU
 GAGAKU

 It is an ancient COURT MUSIC of Japan which

means 'elegant music’
 Gagaku ensemble consist of 16 to 30 musicians.
 The music is mostly monophonic, which means one
melody at a time with no underlying harmony.
GAGAKU
Let’s Recall
 Let’s Recall
1. It is a traditional Japanese folk song
depicting sprig, the season of cherry
blossoms

Answer: Sakura (Cherry Blossoms)

 Let’s Recall
2. Their vocal music is based on the
intervals of _________ rather than
mathematical timing

Answer: HUMAN BREATHING

 Let’s Recall
3. It is an ancient COURT MUSIC of
Japan which means “elegant music”

Answer: GAGAKU
 Let’s Recall
4. It is a Chinese traditional instrumental
Music composed by Le Qiang

Answer: EMBROIDERED POUCH

 Let’s Recall
5. The Gagaku music is mostly
___________, which means one melody
at a time with no underlying harmony.

Answer: MONOPHONIC
 Let’s Recall
6. It is popular Chinese folk song. It was
created during the Qianlong Emperor period
of the Qing Dynasty (18th Century)

Answer: MO LI HUA (Jasmine Flower))

MUSIC OF
KOREA
 FUN FACTS ABOUT KOREA
1. South Koreans are one year old when born
2. It’s common in Korea to ask about blood types
3. Couples at Christmas, families at New Year
4. FOUR is the scariest number!
5. Gangnam Style was the first song to hit one billion
views on YouTube
 MUSIC OF KOREA
Korea's folk music represents the soul
and sound of traditional Korean villages
with an eclectic array of music forms
including numerous folk songs, various
forms of instrumental pieces, pansori,
and shaman ritual music.
 VOCAL MUSIC OF KOREA
-Refers to music from the Korean peninsula
ranging from prehistoric times to the division of
Korea into South and North in 1945.
-It includes court music, folk music, poetic
songs, and religious music used in shamanistic
and Buddhist traditions.
-Koreans sang songs when they could not
hold their sadness in
ARIRANG ( 아리랑 )
 ARIRANG ( 아리랑 )

Arirang is a tragic
song of separation
and lost love. It is
also a song of
farewell
 ARIRANG ( 아리랑 )
The word Arirang
means “the hill”. It
pertains to the foothills
of Korea where most
Koreans had partings
on
 ARIRANG ( 아리랑 )
The word Arirang
means “the hill”. It
pertains to the foothills
of Korea where most
Koreans had partings
on
 ARIRANG ( 아리랑 )
The song evokes the
feeling of the tears
shed by Koreans and
the remembrance of
their sad stories
 ARIRANG (English Translation)
Arirang, arirang, arariyo...
You are going over Arirang hill.
My love, you are leaving me
Your feet will be sore before you go ten ri.

Just as there are many stars in the clear sky,

There are also many dreams in our heart.
There, over there, that mountain is Baekdu Mountain,
Where, even in the middle of winter days, flowers bloom.
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC OF KOREA
- traditional music represents a world of
captivating rhythms and melodies whose sounds
draw listeners in like a breath.

- traditional Korean instruments can be

broadly divided into three groups: string, wind,
and percussion instruments.
Korean Traditional Music (Part Six)
 Korean Traditional Music (Part Six)
SINAWI it is sometimes
spelled shinawi, is a
traditional Korean music.
It is performed by a
musical ensemble, and
traditionally accompanies
the rites of Korean
shamanism.
 Korean Traditional Music (Part Six)

Korean sinawi music

originally accompanied
propitiatory rites presided
over by a female shaman,
or mudang.
I.Written Activity (5 points)
Directions: Answer the following question in essay form. Write your answer in a one
whole sheet of paper. (at least 3 – 5 sentences)

1.What is the message and function of the traditional folk songs

China: MO LI HUA
Japan: SAKURA
Korea: ARIRANG