Shang dynasty music

Music in Shang Dynasty belongs to witchcraft civilization. Due to the development of productive forces at that time, the production level of bronzes increased rapidly, which further promoted the development of musical instrument production technology in Shang Dynasty. In addition, divination became a common practice in Shang dynasty, and witchcraft music accounted for a large proportion. For example, on important occasions such as sacrifices, wizards or witches often perform traditional music and dances of their own tribes. With the development of music, the appearance of musical instruments marks the initial establishment of the legal system of ancient music in China, which indicates that the development of music at that time has gradually matured.

The Development of Music in Shang Dynasty and Music Theory

Shang is a primitive tribe living in the lower reaches of the Yellow River. Their totem is a mysterious bird (swallow). At the end of the summer, he lived in this area of Henan. Under the leadership of the Tang Dynasty, he destroyed the summer and established the Shang Dynasty. Before Pan Geng moved to Yin in Shang Dynasty, it was still in the early stage of slavery. Judging from the two-tone holes or three-tone holes in the early Shang Dynasty sites such as Erligang in Zhengzhou, the music culture in this period was not particularly developed. The music of Shang Dynasty really entered the heyday of civilization, which can be proved by various musical instruments groups decorated with ferocious and terrible patterns such as gluttony and dragon patterns unearthed from the tomb of Yin Ruins in Anyang after the capital Anyang was established.

Hedge pottery can play the third interval. The late Shang dynasty has been finalized. There are five sound holes, and the pitch is "A", which proves that there was an absolute concept of pitch at that time. Musical instruments in Shang Dynasty include percussion instruments, wind instruments and stringed instruments, which can be described as "eight tones". There are full-time musicians playing in venues and teaching in professional schools, and their musical instruments are still excellent, especially the appearance of pitch standard instruments, which shows that the music at that time had a high standard.

The Development of Musical Instruments in Shang Dynasty

In the late Shang dynasty, there were quite a variety of musical instruments, and the production technology was also very clever. Percussion instruments include cymbals, horns, bells and drums of various shapes. Cymbals and priests were originally ritual vessels symbolizing the power of clans and nobles at the end of primitive society, made of pottery. Shang cymbals are divided into big cymbals and small cymbals because of their different sizes. Among them, a single cymbal is called "harmony" by some people. A collection of osmium is called osmium editing. Small stirrups are common and generally consist of three pieces.

In Shang Dynasty, musical instruments were flute, hedge, harmony, speech and flute. There are two shapes, big and small, each with five sound holes. Generally in groups of three, such as one unearthed from Yin Tomb in Huixian County.

There are many kinds of green stones, jade and copper in Shang Dynasty. It can be divided into two types, one is a single big chin, such as the tiger-patterned stone chin unearthed from the Yin tomb of the military officer village in Anyang, with gorgeous decoration and melodious voice. According to sound measurement, its pitch is the same as that of Shiqing unearthed from Xia Feng site in Xia County, Shaanxi Province. One is knitting, which is usually a set of three. In recent years, a set of five sets arranged in parallel has been unearthed in the western area of Yin Ruins. There is also a kind of drum, the drum cavity is made of wood, the outside is painted, and the drum surface is covered with catkins, also known as catkins.

The chimes of the Shang Dynasty were made of bronze, and they were either held in the hand or placed on the seat, and some of them could be hung for fun. A single big clock called "Yong" is often played with drums. A set of chimes is called chimes, generally three sizes. Judging from the unearthed artifacts, the large stone chimes unearthed from the tomb of Wuguan Village in Anyang City are embossed in the shape of a tiger with an open mouth, and the decorative patterns are integrated with the artifacts. It is the earliest large-scale musical instrument discovered by the musical instrument group in Shang Dynasty, and it is also a sculpture with high artistic value.

Since the Shang Dynasty, China's music and musical instruments have entered an era of trust and history. Folk music and court music have made great progress. Due to the development of agriculture, animal husbandry and handicraft industry, bronze smelting and casting reached a high level, and correspondingly, the level of musical instrument production at that time also made a leap, and a large number of exquisite and luxurious musical instruments appeared. The music culture of Shang Dynasty condensed the culture of Yin and Shang Dynasties, which was the first-class level in the world 3000 years ago, and the first peak of singing, dancing and music appeared in the history of China, which also laid the foundation for the traditional music in the national culture of our Chinese sons and daughters.