Language and Culture in Chinese Ethnic Music: 
An Ethnomusicological Perspective

Wenbo Qin

doi:10.70711/rcha.v4i7.10090

Language and Culture in Chinese Ethnic Music: An Ethnomusicological Perspective

Wenbo Qin

Abstract

This paper explores the language-music nexus in Chinese ethnic traditions. Drawing on linguistic musicology (Yang Yinliu, Yu Huiyong), it argues that Chinese tonal features, dialects, and poetic prosody shape melody, performance, and cultural meaning. Through analyses
of the "yizi xingqiang" principle, dialectal influences, Peking opera, and minority music, the study demonstrates that language is a structural
determinant of musical identity. The findings support an integrated linguistic-musicological approach.

Keywords

Chinese ethnic music; Linguistic musicology; Tone-melody relationship; Dialect; "Yizi xingqiang"; Ethnomusicology

Full Text:

PDF

Included Database

References

[1] Merriam, A. P. (1964). The Anthropology of Music. Northwestern University Press.

[2] Sun, H. (2022). On the Ethnic Gene and Linguistic Matrix in Melody: Also on the Musical Potential of Chinese Tones and the Method

of Chanting New-Style Old-Form Poetry to Music. China Music, (1), 10-23.

[3] Li, X. (2020). Chinese Poetic Prosody and Han Melody. Journal of the Central Conservatory of Music.

[4] Yang, Y. (1983). Language and Music. People's Music Publishing House.

[5] Yu, H. (2008). Studies on Cavity-Word Relationships. Central Conservatory of Music Press.

[6] Wang, G. (1933). The Prosody of Chinese Poetry and Song. Zhonghua Book Company.

[7] Wang, L. (1958). Chinese Poetic Prosody. Shanghai Education Publishing House.

[8] Tang, Z. (2017). Speaking and Singing Are Equally Beautiful. Today's Linguistics.

[9] Sun, X. (2011). Reflections on Establishing the Discipline of Linguistic Musicology. China Musicology, (2).

[10] Zhang, X., & Cross, I. (2021). Analysing the Relationship between Tone and Melody in Chaozhou Songs. Journal of New Music Research.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.70711/rcha.v4i7.10090

Refbacks

There are currently no refbacks.