Music of Northeast China

Music of the Northeast of China is tied closely to the region’s history. Musical traditions of the Bang Zi Theatre and folk instruments such as the Dizi, Xiao and Baijiao Gu originate in the region. Folk songs from the north east are noted for their contributions toward nationalistic music the popular communist-era song “The East is Red” based upon a traditional Northern Shaanxi melody. The popularity of western musical traditions in the Harbin province are internationally recognised with the northern city being named a ‘music city’ in 2010 by the United Nations. Contemporary folk as well as modern pop music continue to contribute to the diverse musical traditions of the region. Prominent performers from the Northeast include the mid-20th-century film composer Lei Zhenbang and pop stars Xiao Ke and Na Ying.
Regional History.
Harbin.
China’s oldest symphony orchestra, the Harbin Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1908, and China’s first music school ‘Harbin No.1 music school’ was founded twenty years later in 1928. The city is described as a “gateway for Western Classical Music in China”, a large Jewish diaspora in the region of some 20 000 throughout the 1920s in many ways credited for the city’s rich musical heritage.
The Harbin Summer music festival was established in 1958 and in 2010 the United Nations recognised Harbin as a Music City.
Traditional Music.
Styles of traditional folk singing within the north eastern region mirror the rhythmic and melodic intonations of the regional dialect.
Manchurian Shamanism.
Odd numbers play a significant role in folk music traditions of China’s north eastern region. Unique to Manchu Shamanism are the practices of, the division of the three levels of the cosmos, the worshipping of three goddesses and the belief of three souls. The significance of odd numbers is reflected in drumming patterns that form the musical accompaniment to Manchu ritual practices.
Rhythmic patterns are devised based on the placement of accents on 3 beats, 5 beats, 7 beats or 9 beats, each conveying a different spiritual meaning. Ethnomusicologist Lisha Li maintains that “80% of Manchu shamanic music is based upon the 3,5,7,9 beat”. Rhythmic unison between the singer and drummer is a common musical device employed in north eastern ritual music. Manchurian music has no known notation and is largely based upon the pentatonic system. This system employs five modes “the Kung, Shang, Chiao, Chih and Yu (these are the equivalent of do, re, mi, sol, la,)”, with 7 notes within each mode. Traditionally, shamanic melodies are heavily based upon 3 notes with very narrow pitch range.
Nationalistic Music.
Music of the period is described as a “strong emotional force in shaping Chinese consciousness during the two major military conflicts in the 1930s and 1940s” . Many songs were produced and employed politically by the Communist party as a “political tool” in working toward the defeat of both the Nationalists and the Japanese. Songs from the period were composed to be sung aloud in order to reach the largely illiterate population, the collective practice of singing bolstering patriotic sentiments and encouraging a sense of community. During the Jangxi soviet period Mao placed emphasis on the importance of gathering folk tunes, due to the appeal of their “collectivity and simplicity”. 
Notable north eastern songbooks from the period include:
·      "Folk Songs of Hebei" which was mimographed
·      "Selected Songs of the Resistance Movement against Japan"
·      "Selected Folk Songs of Northern Shaanxi"
Notable songs include: 
The piece was first performed in November 1945 by the Northeast Song and Dance Ensemble in Shenyang “and it subsequently became one of the most widely sung tunes in China”.
The People's Singing Society.
The People’s Singing Society also known as ‘Mingzhong geyonghui’ was founded in February 1935 in response to the Japanese Invasion of the north eastern region of Manchuria. Liu Liangmu, a well-known member of the society is noted in saying “we are singing for the sake of national liberation”. Liu is known for collecting many well-known choral songs from the period and publishing them in the popular book ‘Collected Songs of Youth’ also known as Qingnian geji. Group Choral music is known to have especially grown in popularity toward the end of the 1930s following the official declaration of war between Japan and China in July 1937. By August 1937 13 choral groups were recorded touring China spreading nationalistic singing traditions.
Traditional Instruments.
Dizi.
The Chinese Transverse Bamboo flute known as ‘Dizi’ or ‘Di’ is commonly associated with the traditional instrumentation of both Northern ‘Bang Zi’ and Southern ‘Kun Qu’ theatre music. The Di gained widespread popularity throughout the Ming Dynasty and remained a staple of theatre accompaniment for over 250 years until the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1911. Di vary in length and construction in relation to the style of regional music. The Northern ‘Bang Di’ is traditionally over a foot long, made from bamboo and consists of 7 holes covered by a reed membrane, with a pitch range of two octaves. 
Xiao.
Xiao or Dongxiao is a traditional Chinese vertical end blown flute widely used in Chinese folk music for its “mellow and melancholic” tone.The oldest known Xiao, carved from bone is dated circa 6000BC, however the instrument’s origin is more commonly attributed to the bamboo flutes of the Han dynasty. The construction of a modern Xiao consists of 7 finger holes and one thumb hole on the back. Between 70-80cm in length the Xiao has a range of two octaves similar to the Di. The ‘Bei Xiao’ is commonly used in folk music of the northern region and differs from southern variants due to the close U-shaped mouthpiece. Multiple clay statues have been excavated displaying figures playing Xiao style flutes, the earliest dating between 25 - 220 AD. 
Baijiao Gu.
The Baijiao Gu also known as the ‘Octagonal Drum’ is an instrument widely used in the shamanic and ritualistic practices of the Manchurian peoples. The drum frame is constructed out of wood often decorated with inlaid bone.Small bells similar to the western tambourine are mounted on each side, and a drum skin typically made of snakeskin is played in a struck manner. 
Each side of the drum represents a flag of the Manchu people. Folkloric tradition dictates the drum’s origin alongside the snare drum during the battles of the Eight Banner Military throughout the Qing Dynasty. Traditionally the drum is often played whilst dancing and is accompanied by a harpist and a singer who recount traditional Chinese stories. The Beijing Monochord "Danxian" is also commonly accompanied by the Baijiao.