Guoyue

Guoyue (國樂; literally "national music") is a modernized form of Chinese traditional music written or adapted for some form of grand presentation, usually through a large orchestra of Chinese instruments. It was created in mainland China beginning in the early 20th century and is frequently broadcast on radio and television in the People's Republic of China. It is also the primary form of Chinese music taught in conservatories in China, as well as in Taiwan and Singapore.

Characteristics

Guoyue is practically measured at the political and ideology level. There are basically two spectrums.

The light end is the typical "Patriotic Music". It is usually performed by some collection of instrument or orchestra. It is equivalent to national anthems performed in other countries, perhaps taken more seriously by the Chinese government.

The extreme end is termed "Revolutionary Music". It almost has a sense of cult-like presentation that is accepted only in mainland China. There is often a political or Maoist agenda behind it. Some may even classify it as "Propaganda Music".

However, this usage of the term are limited to English speaking areas; in China, Taiwan and Singapore, the term refers to traditional Chinese music as a whole.

Perspective

Within mainland China, guoyue is not necessarily seen as negative, as it can represent both a communist and socialist view. Outside of the mainland, especially in the more democratic and commercialized parts of Asia, guoyue is often seen as revolutionary and pro-communistic almost without question.

History

"The Red Sun" Album featuring young Mao Zedong on the cover

Origin

In the 1920s, as part of the New Culture Movement, the guoyue music genre came about to promote greater patriotism after the fall of the last dynasty. Many groups in Shanghai associated themselves as "National Music Clubs" (國樂會) such as the Datong Music Club.[1] Identity and national pride became important during the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War throughout the 1930s.

Birth of Revolutionary songs (1949–1970s)

In 1949 the Kuomintang relocated to Taiwan, and the People's Republic of China was established. The Communist Party would promote revolutionary music while suppressing traditional music and Chinese popular music.

The songs were presented differently from the usual national anthems, since the government made a genuine effort to upgrade the music for a political cause. An example is Lin Biao in 1964 promoting that "all Chinese were urged to learn from the People's Liberation Army", who were taught 11 revolutionary songs. For the musicians of the era, they were expected to model their work after the army's musical organization The Communist movements and propaganda during the 1960s and 1970s was successful enough that people listened to revolutionary music as a main genre. The national anthem of March of the Volunteers was suspended in favor of The East Is Red during the cultural revolution.

1980s

In 1980 the Chinese Musicians' Association was formally elected to the "International Musicological Society". Chinese musical groups toured foreign countries, and foreign musical organizations performed in China. In the mid-1980s popular ballads, western folk and classical music still drew the greatest audiences, but other kinds of music, including previously banned western jazz and rock and roll, were being performed with greater acceptance especially among the youth.

Mao nostalgia period (1990s)

As recent as 1991, anthems to Mao Zedong were updated into disco-like arrangements released in Shanghai by the China Record Company. The album titled "The Red Sun" (紅太陽) became an instant best seller. For nostalgia, social, patriotic or entertainment purposes, there are many reasons why the genre have leaned so close to commercial music in the past. A lot has to do with the Communist censorship imposed in other genres, giving the people less choice.

2000s

Guoyue music made its comeback into mainstream popular music in the 2000s by Taiwanese composer Jay Chou and songwriter Fan Wenshan, who coined the term Zhongguo Feng (中國風; lit. Chinese Wind) to describe the style of the album Eight Dimensions which fuses modern rock and contemporary R&B together with traditional Chinese music.

Style

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Regular non-maoist patriotic songs can be found in other parts of Asia

Patriotic Songs

Guoyue patriotic songs ensembles range from chamber groups to quite large orchestras which are led by a conductor. Orchestral guoyue compositions are often arranged in concerto-like form, for solo instrument and orchestra, and often incorporate some use of Western harmony.

Usually it combines traditional instruments with western ones. Like in The East is Red, melodies of traditional instruments like erhu and sheng are combined with western ones such as Violin and trumpets.

Revolutionary songs

Any given patriotic song can be performed for a revolutionary cause. Sometimes compositions are done to reflect a legacy. An example is compositions by Zhang Guangtian's (張廣天) in 1993 idolizing the Cultural Revolution. The lyrics did get censored by the government to some degree for being too extreme. But it demonstrates how far the lyrics can go.

Sample translated lyrics by Zhang Guangtian
I move forward with you, Mao Zedong... Mao Zedong, Mao Zedong, with you I charge a hail of bullets When love and battle have become the same today Give me, ah give me power, Mao Zedong

Guoyue performers

Conductors

• Peng Xiuwen

See also

• Cultural Revolution
• Musical nationalism
• Historical Chinese anthems
• Nhạc dân tộc cải biên, the Vietnamese counterpart to guoyue

References

• Beyond the May Fourth Paradigm by Kai-wing Chow