Yanyue: Court Music of China
Yayue (雅樂), “ritual music,” and Yanyue (燕樂), "entertainment music,” were types of imperial court music in China. The basic conventions were established in the Western Zhou period (西周, ca. 1045 BC–771 BC) and have been important to East Asian music and dance cultures since then. This lesson will focus on Yanyue, which arose during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE). Important instruments used in Chinese court music include bianzhong (编钟, bronze bells) and different types of plucked zither, such as se (瑟), and zheng or guzheng (筝/古筝). Through a variety of creative engagements, this lesson offers students imaginative space to explore the history and culture of Chinese court music, learn about traditional Chinese instruments, and perform songs using the pentatonic scale.
Lesson Paths & Learning Objectives
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- Identify different purposes of Chinese court music.
- Explain how societal hierarchies related to music in ancient Chinese courts.
- Design the artwork for their own guzheng (musical instrument).
- Identify relationships between countries in East Asia on a map.
- 20+ minutes
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- Aurally identify and describe the sounds of two Chinese court instruments.
- Identify the direction of melodies played on guzheng.
- Describe the scientific properties of two Chinese court instruments (e.g., size, pitch, construction materials).
- 20+ minutes
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- Demonstrate the pentatonic scale (through singing and playing instruments).
- Learn and perform a popular Chinese children’s song that uses the pentatonic scale.
- Compose an original melody using the pentatonic scale.
- 20+ minutes
Bibliography
Text
Fletcher, Peter. 2001. World Musics in Context: A Comprehensive Survey of the World’s Major Musical Cultures. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Li, Yi. 2005. The Structure and Evolution of Chinese Social Stratification. Lanham, MD: University Press of America.
Audio
Xia, Jing. "Pronunciation Recordings: Lesson 4, China." recorded 2022. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, m4a audio.
Ding, Boling. "Pingsha Luo Yan." On China. Paris, France: AUVIDIS / IICMSD / UNESCO, UNES08071_103, 1985, streaming audio.
Video
Unknown videographer. 世上難得一見，整套編鐘編磬演奏再加舞蹈 (It's Rare to See in the World the Whole Set of Bianzhong Bells and Dance). Wuhan, China: YouTube Video, 2011. Video, 2:29. Posted by lcwhk.
Farrell, Kate, producer. The Moon over the Mountain Guan, featuring Jiaoyue Lyu. Recorded April 13, 2016. New York City, NY: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2016. Video, 2:47. Filmed in The Astor Chinese Garden Court at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Streamed via YouTube.
MTSU Center for Chinese Music and Culture. Introducing Chinese Music and Chinese Musical Instruments: Bronze Bells. Murphreesboro, TN: MTSU Center for Chinese Music and Culture, 2020. Video, 6:20. Streamed via YouTube.
Walden, Jennifer and Jing Xia. Guzheng Sweeps. Recorded 2022. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2025. Four videos. Streamed via YouTube private channel.
Walden, Jennifer and Jing Xia. Guzheng Bends and Vibrato. Recorded 2022. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2025. Four videos. Streamed via YouTube private channel.
SoundofChina Guzheng. Guzheng: "Spring River Flower Moon Night", featuring Carol Chang. YouTube video, 2009. Video.
Xia, Jing. Comparing Mandarin Language Tones with Guzheng Embellishments. Recorded 2022. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2025. Four videos. Streamed via YouTube private channel.
Walden, Jennifer. Pentatonic Scales: Guzheng and Bronze Bells. Recorded 2022. Personal collection. Two videos. Streamed via YouTube private channel.
Unknown director. Ba Lu Buo (Chinese Kid Song Lyric- Pulling Radish). YouTube Video, 2021. Video, 2:32. Posted by Easy Chinese Learning.
Images
Unknown artist. A Group of Women in a Garden, Entertaining Themselves with Music and Dancing, mid-18th century, painting. Washington, DC: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, H x W: 28.3 x 18.3 cm (11 1/8 x 7 3/16 in). Gift of Charles Lang Freer.
Piacquadio, Andrea. "Person with Toy Airplane on World Map," digital image. Pexels, 2020.
OpenClipart. "Political Map of the World," digital graphic. FreeSVG, 2020. cropped version of world map.
Unknown photographer. "Set of Six Graduated Bells (Bianzhong)," photograph. In Resound: Ancient Bells of China. Washington, DC: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Exhibition October 14, 2017 - July 5, 2021. Bells are gift of Arthur M. Sackler.
Unknown maker. "Marquis Yi's Set of 65 Bells," circa 433BCE, musical instrument. In Look and Listen, Chinese Bells, Ancient to Digital, Keith Wilson, curator and video narrator. Washington, DC: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, January 29, 2021. Courtesy of the Hubei Provincial Museum.
Unknown artist. Dragons, circa mid 18th - early 19th century, katagami (paper textile). New York City, NY: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, H x W: 44.5 × 80 cm (17 1/2 × 31 1/2 in.).
Unknown artist. Mural from the Tomb of Xu Xianxiu in Taiyuan, 571 AD, mural. Wikimedia Commons, December 31, 2011. Uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by 如沐西风.
Truong, Kamaryn. "Chinese Court Music Timeline," 2024, digital graphic. Jing Xia consultant. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.
Unknown artist. [Man with Bow and Arrow], n.d., painting. In The Dr. Paul Singer Collection of Chinese Art of the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery. Washington, DC: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, 25.6 x 21 cm (10 1/16 x 8 1/4 in). A joint gift of the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation, Paul Singer, the AMS Foundation for the Arts, Sciences, and Humanities, and the Children of Arthur M. Sackler.
Unknown artist. Portrait of Yinti, Prince Xun (1688-1755), and Wife, mid-18th century, ink and color on silk. Washington, DC: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, 187.6 x 161.8 cm (73 7/8 x 63 11/16 in). Purchase—Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program and partial gift of Richard G. Pritzlaff.
Unknown artist. A Garden Party, 1500s, Ink and color on silk. Image adjusted by Kamaryn Truong. Washington, DC: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, 25.6 x 338.7 cm (10 1/16 x 133 3/8 in). Formerly attributed to Qian Xuan / Freer Collection, Gift of Charles Lang Freer.
Unknown artist. Portrait of Qing Courtier in Winter Costume, 19th-early 20th century, ink and colors on silk. Washington, DC: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, H x W: 188.7 x 98.5 cm (74 5/16 x 38 3/4 in). Purchase—Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program and partial gift of Richard G. Pritzlaff.
Unknown photographer. Elderly Chinese Gentleman, 1940s, photograph. Washington, DC: National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution, 9 7/8 in x 7 3/4 in; 25.0825 cm x 19.685 cm.
National Museum of Asian Art. Bianzhong Bells, photograph. In Resound: Ancient Bells of China. Washington, DC: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Exhibition October 14, 2017 - July 5, 2021. Gift of Arthur M. Sackler.
Unknown maker. "Se Stringed Musical Instrument, Reproduction," 2013, musical instrument. Photo uploaded by Gary Todd. Wikimedia Commons, 2013. Reproduction of original from the tomb of Zhao Mo, King of Nanyue, Western Han, Guangzhou. Originally posted to Flickr by Gary Todd. Posted to Wikimedia Commons under CC0 license in March, 2021 by Aldermanseven.
Xia, Jing. "Guzheng," 2022, photograph. Personal Collection.
Xia, Jing. "Guzheng Drawing," 2022, drawing. Personal Collection.
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Xia, Jing. "Guzheng Detail 1," 2022, photograph. Personal Collection.
Folkways Records. Ellie Mao: An Anthology of Chinese Folk Songs. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, 1963, album cover.
Xia, Jing. "Guzheng Detail 2," 2022, photograph. Personal Collection.
Xia, Jing. "Guzheng Detail 3," 2022, photograph. Personal Collection.
Crace, Frederick. "Ceiling Decoration, Probably for Conservatory/Music Room," 1802 or earlier, drawing. New York City, NY: Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Design for the Royal Pavillion, Brighton. Museum purchase through gift of Mrs John Innes Kane.
TUBS. "China in Asia," digital graphic. Wikimedia Commons, 2011. Adapted from "Asia laea location map" by Uwe Dedering.
Kampus Production. "Group of Children Standing on Green Grass Field," photograph. Pexels Free Images, 2021.
Leonard G. "Concert Group Pano," photograph. Wikimedia Commons, 2004.
Unknown maker. "Bianzhong Bells from the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng," circa 433BCE, musical instrument. Wikimedia Commons, January 29, 2005. Original upload to Chinese Wikimedia by Zzjgbc.
Unknown photographer. "Bianzhong," photograph. In 10 Traditional Chinese Musical Instruments, by Chang, Wang. China Culture, 2014.
Lee, John. "Chinese Lanterns with Garlands Hanging between Buildings in Street," photograph. Pexels Free Images, 2021.
張鶴 (Cheung Hok). "陽關三疊 (Three Refrains on the Yang Pass Theme)," 1864, musical score. In 琴學入門 (Entry Level Qin Lessons). Wikimedia Commons, 2007. Uploaded to Wikimedia commons in March, 2007 by HenryLi.
Walden, Jennifer. "花德珍 (Hua Dezhen)," 2022, musical score. Personal Collection.
Rose, Jill. "A Close-up Shot of Red Mallets above a Xylophone," 2019, photograph. Pexels Free Images.
Walden, Jennifer. "Western and Cipher Notation (Ex. 1)," 2022, digital image. Personal Collection.
j4p4n. "Hand Drawn Xylophone," digital image. FREE*SVG, 2019.
Walden, Jennifer. "Western and Cipher Notation (Ex. 2)," 2022, digital image. Personal Collection.
National Museum of Asian Art. "Bianzhong Bells," digital interactive feature. In Resound: Ancient Bells of China. Washington, DC: National Museum of Asian Art, Smithsonian Institution, Exhibition October 14, 2017 - July 5, 2021. Bells are gift of Arthur M. Sackler.
Unknown Ming court artist. "The Emperor's Approach," Xuande reign period (1425–1435 AD), silk scroll. In Chronicle of the Chinese Emperors: The Reign-by-Reign Record of the Rulers of Imperial China. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd, 1998. Image from Paludan's book uploaded to Wikimedia by PericlesofAthens on May 25, 2009.