CHINA Group 4

For several thousand years 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 and of dispelling unrest and lust, rather than as a
form of amusement.
Traditionally, 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 that dynasty’s through
standard of pitch. A result of this philosophical orientation was
that the Chinese theoretically opposed music performed solely
for entertainment.
1. YUEQIN
It is a moon-shaped lute with
shorter neck and four strings,
played with a spectrum, used
for accompanying local
operas.
2. PIPA
It is a four-stringed lute with
30 frets and a pear-shaped
body. This instrument has an
extremely wide dynamic
range and remarkable
expressive power.
3. ERHU It is a two-stringed fiddle and one of the most
popular Chinese instruments. It is used as a solo
instrument as well as in small ensembles or large
orchestra, and by various ethnic groups.
 4. YUNLUO
Literally “cloud gongs” or “cloud of
gongs”, the yunluo is a set of ten
small tuned gongs mounted in a
wooden frame. The yunluo’s gongs
are generally of equal diameter
but different thickness. The thicker
gongs produce a higher pitch.
5. SHENG
It is also called as Chinese mouth organ and
looks like a set of panpipes with 12 to 36
bamboo pipes. Each pipe is of different
length with a brass reed at the bottom and
a hole that must be blocked in order for the
note to sound. This makes it possible to
sound several notes simultaneously, so
chords and melody can be performed at
the same time. Sheng is one of the oldest
Chinese musical instruments.
6. DIZI
It is the traditional Chinese flute. It can have a membrane
over an extra hole to give the characteristic rattle effect.
The player plays the dizi by blowing across the mouthpiece
and produces the different notes by stopping the six holes
found in the rod.
7. ZHENG
An ancient Chinese instrument that has an arched surface and
an elongated-trapezoid with 13 to 21 strings stretched over
individual bridges. Its playing range spans three to four
octaves.
8. PENGLING
These are two small bells made of high-tin bronze, without internal
clappers, and hemispheric or bottomless gourd-like in shape. The
instrument has a delicate, clarion and melodious tone. It is a
coloring rhythmic instrument, either in ensembles or in theatre music,
bringing an effect of peaceful dreams.
 QUIZ TEST 1
IDENTIFICATION:
Identify the given picture.
1.

A. Pengling
B. Dizi
C. Sheng
2. A. Zheng
B. Yunluo
C. Dizi
3.

A. Dizi
B. Sheng
C. Zheng
 A. Pipa
4. B. Erhu
C. Yueqin
 A. Sheng
5. B. Yueqin
C. Erhu
 TEST 2
SCRAMBLED WORDS:
Arrange the following.
6. NSENH
7. ULNYOU
8. NLNIPGEG
9. NQUYEI
10. APIP
 TEST 3
TRUE OR FALSE: If the
statement is true, write
Zhēnzhèng. If false, write
Jiǎ.
NUMBER 11

A Pipa is a four-stringed lute

with 30 frets and a pear-
shaped body.
NUMBER 12

Erhu is also known as the “cloud

of gongs”.
NUMBER 13

A moon-shaped lute with shorter neck and

four strings, played with a spectrum is call
a Yueqin.
NUMBER 14

Zheng is also called as Chinese mouth

orgamn and looks like a set of panpipes
with 12 to 36 bamboo pipes.
NUMBER 15

Erhu is one of the most popular

Chinese instrument.
ANSWER KEYS
TEST 1
1. A
2. B
3. C
4. A
5. B.
 TEST 2
6. SHENG
7. YUNLUO
8. PENGLING
9. YUEQIN
10. PIPA
 TEST 3
11. ZHENGZHENG
12. JIA
13. ZHENGZHENG
14. JIA
15. ZHENGZHENG