On the Musical Characteristics of Xia and Shang Dynasties

During this period, China was basically in a slave society. In the Xia Dynasty, two opposing classes were formed between slaves and peasants, and between kings and nobles. After Yu's death, his son Qi succeeded to the throne without election. Hereditary system came into being.

Then came the Shang Dynasty, where mental and physical labor were separated. During this period, the earliest written record in China-Oracle Bone Inscriptions, which we are familiar with today, came into being.

With the establishment of slavery, the music of this period also formed two different and opposite music cultures.

During the Western Zhou Dynasty, the feudal policy was implemented, and the use of music was further than that of the previous generation, and a "ritual and music system" appeared.

Second, the life reflected by music:

Generally speaking, there were two kinds of musical opposition in Xia and Shang Dynasties, that is, the opposition between the ruling class and the ordinary working people.

The earliest music appeared in music and dance. Music and dance in Xia dynasty were mainly for pleasure, which was an integral part of luxury life, while Shang dynasty was a little more progressive than Xia dynasty and was more used for sacrifice, because religion was very prosperous at that time; There is also Lust and Desire by Shang and Zhou Dynasties. From some ancient poems, we can also see some music and dances at that time, including labor production, marriage system, war situation, slave life, people's curse on rulers and so on. It can be seen that the music of this period appeared in two different places in two different ways and had two different functions.

Third, Ge Zhile

"Yesterday, Ge Zhile, three people fucked oxtails, and their mouths were full of songs:"

One said, "carrying people."

The second one is "Xuanniao"

Three words "hence the name vegetation"

Four words "Fen Gu Wu"

Five words: "respect for heaven"

Six words: "Building Emperor's Merit"

Seventh, "the virtue in the earth"

Eight said, "the pole of the total beast"

-"Lu Chunqiu" Volume 5 "Summer Ancient Music"

"Ge Yaojia" has entered the stage of primitive agriculture.

The Music of Songs is the earliest song and dance in the history of China.

Ge Zhile is the earliest aerobics dance and bionic qigong in history.

Therefore, Ge's music can be said to be one of the important sources of culture and art in China.

Fourth, the relationship between the ruling class and music:

Slave owners in Xia and Shang dynasties used music: strengthening theocracy; Praise his martial arts and shock the people; Take music as a tool to enjoy yourself and so on.

(1) Theocracy

They claim to be the representatives of God, sanctifying divination and raising their status. In an attempt to drown the reality of music, the mystery of asking God for divination is linked with music. The person who manages divination is called "witch" and is also an expert in dance. It can be seen that the music of that era was closely related to some sacrificial dances, divination and other things, which was also a musical feature at that time.

(2) bragging about martial arts, shocking people.

The appearance of the music and dance "Dayun" embodies this purpose. Use these to let the "ruling ideology" run through the people.

(3) Music enjoyment in the slave owner stage.

This is a common situation in early history, and music is their common entertainment tool.

Music and dance in Xia Dynasty are mainly enjoyment, which is an integral part of luxury life, while in Shang Dynasty, it is.

Some progress, mostly used for sacrifice, witchcraft and so on.

During the Western Zhou Dynasty, the relationship between rulers and music became more obvious and prominent.

Yiliudai music and dance

Referred to as "Six Music",

Including "Cloud Gate" by Huangdi in primitive commune era;

Tang Yao's Great Salt;

Yu Shun's Dapan [A3];

Yu Xia's "Summer";

"Big Cloud" in Shang Tang's Slave Society

And the "Great Wu" of the Zhou Dynasty in feudal society.

These were epic music and dances at that time, mostly praising the supreme rulers of various periods.

Uh, Liu Xiaowu.

Dance: Holding feathers and silks-land gods and valley gods as symbols of national rights.

Feather Dance: Holding half a feather-offering sacrifices to temples and four gods.

Royal dance: wearing a feather hat and jade clothes, dancing with colorful feathers-offering sacrifices to the gods and praying for rain.

Dancing with oxtail-a sacrifice

Dry Dance: Dancing with the Shield —— Military and Sacrificing Mountains and Rivers

People dance: dancing with bare hands-offering sacrifices to the stars and temples.

Rulers attach great importance to these two kinds of music and dance, which are usually used to teach aristocratic children and take charge of the highest music officials.

Sansan Music-Folk Music and Dance

Music of foreigners-music of other nationalities or tribes

But these two kinds are ignored, and they are all managed by the lowest-level music officials.

Religious music and dance-more attention

In addition, the rulers also use music to create occasions for the application of music: they should not only emphasize their dignity, but also emphasize the sanctity of religion; Music programs: treated differently through course selection; Band arrangement: all bands are centered on the seats of the nobility and are required from the interests of the rulers.

Verb (abbreviation of verb) ritual and music system:

It can be seen that in the Western Zhou Dynasty, the class and grade of music were very obvious. Another important reason is the establishment of the "ritual and music system". During this period, the rulers regarded ceremony and music as equally important and closely linked, as an effective means to maintain social order and consolidate dynasty rule. Moreover, the system of applying music is strictly stipulated at all levels. In order to improve the music system, they also established more professional music institutions.

There are many positions in music institutions:

1. As the supreme leader, he taught Guo Zi virtue, music language, music and dance.

2. Musicians: Xiaowu, Wei, Yu, Huang, Gan, Ren, etc.

3. Mastery: Mastering six rhymes, six similarities, five tones, eight tones and six poems.

4. Primary school teachers: teach drums, drums, drums, drums, flutes, pipes, strings, songs, etc.

5. Meng Meng: Play the above instruments with the master.

6. Qing teacher: Zhang Jiao struck the chime.

7. Wei Moshi: Teaching in Oriental yi dance

8. Canon Yong: Handheld musical instruments and harmony instruments.

9. Manager: Palm dancers, etc.

Having such a detailed orientation in a music institution will inevitably involve music education. The six generations of music and dance and small dance mentioned above are mainly taught to aristocratic children. Then, the music education here is mainly based on the children of princes and nobles and some young people selected from the folk (initially involving the folk). The purpose of letting them learn is to let them rule the vast number of subjects with music. The rulers of the Zhou dynasty clearly pointed out that it was used to make the people not resist and maintain peace.

Music and cultural exchange

Although the Han nationality occupies an important position in China, it has had political, economic and cultural contacts with other ethnic minorities since a long time ago, and it has become more and more frequent.

About 20 15, a "Fangyi" tribe once brought music and dance to Wang Xia. Later, many ethnic groups performed dances in the Xia Dynasty.

In the Shang Dynasty, aristocratic children from many places came to study military affairs, including martial arts and music.

During the Western Zhou Dynasty, music and culture were mainly exchanged with foreign countries. For example, Zhou Muwang is a king who loves music and travel. He went west with a grand band around 964 BC, which had a great influence in the local area. On his way back, he met a foreign artist. Zhou Muwang was fascinated by his skill and took it back to China. Although it was a trivial matter, it had a certain impact on the music exchange at that time. Both countries spread their own music and cultural ideas for each other.

Six, musical instruments and music law

In the Xia Dynasty, musical instruments were mainly used as pleasure tools for rulers, among which the main musical instruments were drums, bells, plates and pipes. According to the information contained in Zuo Zhuan Xuan Gong, bronze musical instruments and chimes have been recorded in Xia Dynasty.

The records of musical instruments in Shang Dynasty are mainly reflected in Oracle Bone Inscriptions. The main musical instruments are drums, stones and clocks. In addition, some cymbals, bells, words, harmony, love and music have been added. Therefore, there is no textual research on whether there are stringed instruments in Shang Dynasty, but according to the development of Shang Dynasty and the general law of musical instrument history, there should be stringed instruments.

Great progress has been made in the music law of Shang dynasty: the homophony of various musical instruments has been discovered by Shang people; In the long-term music practice, several intervals with particularly harmonious relations have been found-the original scale has been initially formed; The appearance of semitone is a prerequisite for the invention of the twelve laws theory.

Musical instruments of the Western Zhou Dynasty: percussion instruments took shape at the beginning of this period and gradually matured, laying the foundation of rhythm. Among the musical instruments at that time, the most representative ones were drums, bells and pots. There are many records in The Book of Songs, mainly musical instruments used for song and dance accompaniment occasions, and there are physical records of stringed instruments "Qin and Se" in this period.

Due to the gradual improvement of musical instruments at that time, the specific classification of musical instruments appeared, based on different materials.

"Three years and four seas suppress eight tones."

-"Shangshu Shundian"

Eight tones were classified by ancient people according to the material of musical instruments.

"They are broadcast in eight tones-gold, stone, earth, leather, silk, wood, baa and bamboo."

-"Li Zhouguan Chunzongbo"

Among the eight tones, the most kinds of musical instruments are leather and bamboo wind instruments, and metal instruments also account for a considerable proportion. It can be seen that the metal casting industry and the technology of music law at that time have shown the progress of lewd music culture.

"The stone is moving, the silk and bamboo are moving, the poem is in the Tao, the song is singing, the ground is singing, and the wood is in the festival."

-"Mandarin"

Judging from the development of music history, some specific concepts and twelve-law system of music in this period have been completed, and the seven-tone scale has been applied.

In terms of musical rhythm, twelve tones and seven tones have appeared in the Western Zhou Dynasty.

"Five tones, six methods and twelve tubes, rotating into a palace."

-"The Book of Rites, Liu Yun"

It can be seen from this that the tone sandhi and mode have changed in this period.

Seven. abstract

During the Xia and Shang Dynasties, the struggle between the two musical cultures began. Both "rulers" and "ruled" use music. On the one hand, it is used to convey one's wishes, consolidate one's sovereignty and have fun. On the other hand, it was used as a weapon for class struggle against slave owners. The Han nationality has had contacts and exchanges with other ethnic minorities; Musical instruments are mature in pitch and master the interval relationship.

During the Western Zhou Dynasty, feudal society and music culture flourished. The establishment of ritual and music system and specialized music institutions has made music education develop initially. China and the West began a musical exchange. With the gradual increase of musical instruments, the classification of "eight tones" appeared. The twelve-method system and the seven-tone scale have been applied by people.

Eight, the change of homework

1 What are the characteristics of music in Xia and Shang Dynasties?

Generally speaking, in the Xia and Shang Dynasties, music and dance gradually broke away from the characteristics of primitive clan music and dance, and were more occupied by slave owners. From the content, they gradually broke away from the initial totem worship and became an ode to those who conquered nature, such as the Six Generations of Music and Dance. In the Xia Dynasty, music was mainly used for revelry, which allowed the rulers to indulge themselves and even caused contradictions within the ruling class. It can be said that music was a means of enjoyment and a tool to strengthen their political rule in the Xia Dynasty. During the Shang Dynasty, the enjoyment of music was common, but the regulations prohibiting dancing, drinking and singing were formulated based on the experience of the previous dynasties. But the biggest difference is that witchcraft prevailed in Shang Dynasty. Because of the low level of productivity and cognitive ability at that time, superstitious thoughts came into being and witchcraft came into being. Their styles are all religious colors such as praying for rain, so there is a big cloud.

Witch music is a very distinctive song and dance music in Shang Dynasty and even ancient music. At the end of Shang dynasty, there appeared "lewdness", indulging in "debauchery", extravagance in Shang and Zhou dynasties, and "wine pool and meat forest" The pleasure of pornography is gorgeous and extravagant.

In the Western Zhou Dynasty, what was the more obvious and prominent relationship between rulers and music?

First of all, the music and dance of the Six Dynasties came into being. Most of these dances eulogized the ancestors of the rulers and their achievements, intended to publicize the rationality of the clan slave owners' rule, served to consolidate their sovereignty, reflected that the power and prestige of the monarch had been deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and further set off the rulers' ideological control over the people with music.

Secondly, there are several parts in the six small dances, some of which use bird feathers as tools to dance, which shows that we attached great importance to some symbolic things at that time. Judging from some dances, people regard themselves as spiritual bodies, which shows that people's status has been improved at that time.

There are also the establishment of music institutions (job rankings), strengthening music education (training princes and nobles) and so on. These are the manifestations of the music class and hierarchy in the Zhou Dynasty, that is to say, the relationship between rulers and music is more systematic and rigorous than the previous generation, and it also promotes the close relationship between rulers and music.

3 Rites and Music System (Supplementary)

In the early Zhou Dynasty, in order to strengthen their rule, the rulers implemented the policy of "sealing Wang Jian with the same surname", enfeoffed the royal nobles of the Zhou Dynasty to various places, and established the vassal state of the Western Zhou Dynasty. After Zhou Wuwang's death, the young king succeeded to the throne, and King Wu's younger brother Ji Dan became the Duke of Zhou. "The Duke of Zhou spat, and the world belongs to his heart" reflects his loyalty and seriousness. Duke Zhou's "Rites and Music System" summarized, inherited and improved it on the basis of "establishing the country by dividing the countries", thus systematically establishing a complete set of "Rites and Music System".

Rites and music complement each other, linking grades with music. Within the ruling class, the level set is embodied in "eight emperors, six kings and four kings". In terms of the "rites" of the Zhou Dynasty, the dance team of the Emperor of Heaven used eight people (that is, 64 people), six people, four kings and two people. Because of different classes, the number of dance teams used is different, which contains a certain ideological level.

4 Eight-tone Music (Supplementary)

Gold: Zhong, Qi, Yong, Pu, Yu, Ju, Duo and Ou.

Stone: jade plate, special plate, woven plate.

Earth: easy, easy.

Leather: drums, earth drums, foot drums, long drums, won drums, lei drums, ling drums, land drums, Jin drums, won drums, national drums, etc.

Silk: Qin, Qin, Zheng and Zhu.

Wood: Bang, bang.

Hmm: Swings, springs, sheng, bird's nest, and, yeah.

Bamboo: Xiao, Yan, Guan, Zhu, Zhu, Chan, Zhong, Wei, Chi, Zhu and Ying.