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Music
The variations of rhythm, beat, tone quality, and adornments in Chinese music are contrasted with the Western styles. This is due to the unique sounds and playing styles of traditional Chinese musical instruments. Chinese instruments can be separated into four basic categories based on the methods applied to the instrument: blown, bowed, plucked, and struck. A popular 'blow' instrument is the ti, a wooden horizontal flute made from bamboo tube and posses a clear, sharp and pure tone. Another instrument of this category is the Chinese pan flute or p'ai-hsiao. The pan flute is the ROC emblem of Chinese music, chosen because of its graceful external form. The array of Chinese violins called hu-ch'in includes instruments that have only two strings with a bow permanently caught between them. This instrument produces a soft, elegant tone and occupies a position equally important to the violin in the Western orchestra. Chinese plucked instruments come in a wide variety, perhaps overtaking those in any other countries. The pi-pa is an example of a plucked instrument. Currently, the most popular plucked traditional Chinese instrument in Taiwan is the ku-cheng, a 16 or 21 stringed zither.
Chinese music is fast developing in Taiwan. Music matured from traditional folk tunes and professional orchestra gain overwhelming support and vitality from Taiwan's cultured society.
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Around
3,000 years ago, Chinese music came to form. Just when Europeans were
experiencing its first hint of music, a complete musical theory and sophisticated
instruments began to take flight in China, as advocated by Confucius.
During the Han dynasty (206BC-220AD) a Music Bureau was established to
collect and edit ancient tunes and folk songs. Due to foreign contacts,
Chinese music was improved and modified according to foreign influences.
The
Chinese also has its own unique percussion to complement its other musical
instruments. Percussions are named wu-ch'ang. Westerners now use Chinese
percussion as part of their composition because of the variety of percussion
available.