Music in ancient China was mainly used for 3 purposes; rituals, cultural unification and healing.
RITUALS
According to Chinese mythology and folklore, dragons have often been an auspicious symbol. Many times, they are regarded as a symbol of good luck and have been largely used in rituals during the ancient times to pray for rainfall in times of drought. These rituals are called dragon dance. News. Chinese Dragon Dance. By Conrad Poirier. [Public Domain]. Via Wikimedia Commons.
News. Chinese Dragon Dance. By Conrad Poirier. [Public Domain]. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Tet dragon dance. By Egul_. [CC BY-NC 2.0]. Via Flickr.
Tet dragon dance. By Egul_. [CC BY-NC 2.0]. Via Flickr.
The main instruments involved in the dragon dance are cymbals, gongs and drums. Since it was a dance that needed great teamwork and coordination, the instruments used reverberates and energizes the dancers and spectators. Each particular instrument mentioned above makes loud noises and strong rhythm necessary for the dance. Like how conductors wave their batons when conducting a band, dragon dance’s conductor control of the flow are the results of the precise sound and rhythm of the instruments. The length of dragons used for rituals differs greatly, it was believed that the longer the dragon, the more luck they bring. Terrace rice fields in Yunnan
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It was believed that music had the power to bring people of different background together. Music was universal and was an important tool for harmony and control of the state. Xunzi, a statesman and philosopher who lived in China shortly before the Qin Empire described his views on the using of music for cultural unification. He believed that this was a means to respect and obey their ruler, integrating the same set of behaviors, beliefs and any cultural norms. It was important, as the use of music as a tool for mass psychology was effective and useful in bringing massive social order in
Music was a large part of everyday life in Ancient Greece. The people thought of music as a gift from their gods, associating different instruments with specific gods. Their term for music was not limited strictly to vocal and instrumental melody, but referred to dance, lyrics, and even poetry reading. Music was brought into many facets of life for Ancient Greek citizens, from weddings and funerals, to banquets and religious festivals. Education and Drama were also parts of Ancient Greek life to which music was integral.
| In the industry of hand crafted goods their pottery showed various types of patterns carved or painted onto them, even stones had fine pictures painted onto them. They usually wrote in a special ink, they had various forms of writing like hieroglyphics, and self-explanatory characters. They usually carved these onto animal bones or tortoise shells. Architecture was built into houses made of wood or carved out of the earth into rows. They listened to folk music and palace music. With their practice in bronze they made fine musical instruments, people engaged into music but they were divided into 3 sections; Wu, music slavery, and Gu.
Music was a big part of the daily life of ancient Greece. Greek children learned a musical instrument at a young age. Music continued to be a part of their lives throughout adulthood. It was
Mo Tzu proposes and argues the idea that music is wrong because it interferes with production of what is needed for humans to survive. Throughout his argument, Tzu makes several points in regards to how music does not benefit man because it does not meet any of their three main concerns: food, water, and shelter. Tzu strategically concludes with evidence from ancient Chinese texts that defend his argument. With the remainder of this essay, I will refute Mo Tzu’s argument against music and prove that music is good and beneficial to humans. First, I will explain how music improves cognitive development of those who have suffered illness or disease. When those who are ill listen to music, they get better, and are able to contribute to society
music was so much a part of life that they did not consider it a separate activity.
The first instruments were the rustling of the wind in the trees. The first primal sound a child is exposed is their mother’s heartbeat; mothers around the world instinctively vocalize soothing sounds to their children. The healing power of music dates just as far back, the first written medical records see music as a means to heal the spirit. Some cultures today use traditional music as an analgesic during some operations.
The Qin dynasty created the first unified Chinese empire. They did this by utilizing a legalistic approach to government. The Qin believed that the nature of mankind is inherently evil and only through a strict code of laws with severe punishment could the government achieve reliability and stability. Because the emperor feared the people and the inherent rights and privileges established with the teachings of Confucus, he ordered all books on Confucianism burned and beheaded everyone opposed to the government including their families. All weapons owned by private citizens were confiscated; the metal from these weapons were used to cast the gigantic metal statutes and bells that adorned the imperial
After I returned from my survival test, the two old people trained me in dragon ways, which took another eight years. Copying the tigers, their stalking kill, and their anger had been a wild, bloodthirsty joy. Tigers are easy to find, but I needed adult wisdom to know dragons. ‘You have to infer the whole dragon from the parts you can see and touch,’ the old people would say. Unlike tigers, dragons are so immense, I would never see one in its entirety. But I could explore the mountains, which are the top of its head. ‘These mountains are also like the tops of other
Music was an important role of the ancient Egyptian lifestyle and is where many musical instruments that are used today developed. It was played in temples for worship, during holidays and social events. Music was also used to make workers more productive because it was found to be more bearable and motivating. This article describes the importance of these instruments by explaining how they originated, the structure of them, and how they are used for worship.
Music played a significant role in the lives of ancient Greeks. They believed that music fostered one’s relationship with the gods, and some instruments, such as the lyre, were created by the gods. Music and dance were also taught
ascend to heaven by ridding on the back of a dragon. These dragons are be
Music provided rhythm for chores, such as working in the field, and it was also used to celebrate important events as well as
In the book, the author tries to define the dragon and states that it was seen to look like a giant snake. He also explains how people saw dragons as sacred whereby it was seen as some type of guardian to the people and provided them with protection and natural needs like rain. The book also tells of people, who had negative beliefs against the dragons; these were mostly Christians who to some extent even fought with the dragons. The belief that dragons were strong and mighty was seen as true since people who defeated dragons, mostly armies, were remembered as very great men. The popular belief that dragons guard great treasures in their caves is seen in this novel whereby the author states that people in those days tried to enter dragon caves which were guarded by these dragons.
Music in Mo Tzu’s China was a historical and religiously based event. Music has always been a form of expression in Chinese cultural history, whether it is among the musical festivals of the common people, or the extravagant operas held in the courts of the ruling class aristocracy. Other than these forms of musical entertainment, more critical were the “rites” often closely associated with the “music” of the time. In fact, “rites-music” is a more general term often used to describe these early practices of playing and performing ritualistic
When studying the rich history of arts and recreation in the Song Dynasty, it is evident that there were many newly pioneered practices that completely captivated the populous and became the epitome of several long-established genres. When one observes the progression of visual arts through the Song Dynasty, landscape painting established itself as the most prevalent and important of the multitude of forms in this genre. Close examination of entertainment reveals that the dramatic arts, with emphasis on shadow-puppeteering, became the most enjoyed form of amusement in the Song Dynasty. Finally, nothing had become more delightful than the everyday life of a citizen, which never had a dull moment. Chinese art and recreation came to a