The Melodic Structure of Jiangnan Sizhu
Author(s): Alan R. Thrasher
Source: Ethnomusicology , Spring - Summer, 1985, Vol. 29, No. 2 (Spring - Summer,
1985), pp. 237-263
Published by: University of Illinois Press on behalf of Society for Ethnomusicology
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/852140
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The Melodic Structure of Jiangnan Sizhu
Alan R. Thrasher
T he structure of Chinese melody is one of the most imperfectly under
stood aspects of world music theory. Traditional Chinese music theo
rists, whose writings were actually more a rationalization of Confucia
ideology than an explanation of practice, have for the last two thousand
years ignored the musical traditions outside of the court. Their writing
dealt largely with temperament theory, associations of music with cosmolo-
gy, and the ethical implications of music-orientations which served primarily to legitimate the power of the state and control the behavior of the
people. Their theory was a pure theory, one that in general did not seek
explain aspects such as form or execution. While practitioners of Chines
music, on the other hand, certainly understood how their music was structured, they had almost no opportunity or inclination to articulate thi
knowledge. Consequently, until the turn of this last century, most of th
music common among the people went undocumented. Only since the 195
have more practically-minded theorists begun to explain the basic form
giving elements of instrumental music, concepts such as qupai melodic
model, diao modal structure, ban metric structure, phrase rhythm, and the
technique of traditional variation. In fact, the large majority of these writings has appeared in Chinese publications only since the cultural thaw of the
last six or seven years. The scholars Huang Jinpei of the Guangzhou Con
servatory of Music and Gao Houyong of Nanjing have been particularly a
tive in this area, and their research is cited in the text of this paper and in th
bibliography.
My purpose is to introduce this research to the Western world, and extend it by examining the derivative nature of Chinese melody and by demonstrating the close melodic relationships within the repertoire of this one region
of China. In this paper I am able to show that nearly the entire instrumental
repertoire of central eastern China has grown out of just a few old melodic
themes or formulas. The instrumental musics of other regions will not be examined, though they are sometimes related to those of central eastern China
and share in many of the structural elements.
The Sizhu Tradition
The repertoire to be analyzed is known as sizhu ("silk-bamboo"), a re
erence to the materials used in silk-stringed instruments and bamboo flute
237
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238 Ethnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1985
which dominate the ensemble. Sizhu is the instrumental chamber music tra-
dition of the Jiangnan area (central eastern China), flourishing especially in
the cities near the Yangzi (Yang-tze) River delta, such as Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Shanghai. The music is performed from memory, each player in-
terpreting and embellishing the same melody according to idiomatic practices of his instrument. These instruments primarily include pipa four-string
lute, sanxian three-string lute, yangqin hammer dulcimer, erhu two-string
fiddle, xiao vertical flute, di (dizi) transverse flute, sheng mouth organ, and
ban wooden clappers (together with a small drum diangu or biqi gu) which
function as time beaters. Because of the small ensemble size, relatively soft
tonal characteristics, and absence of conductor, we may think of sizhu as a
type of chamber music.'
In social context, performers are members of sizhu clubs, which meet
weekly in large rooms or in public teahouses to perform. Traditionally, the
players are all amateurs-a social condition which is highly valued in Confucian ideology. At present, the music is experiencing a significant revival
following the excesses of the Cultural Revolution (mid-1960s to mid-1970s),
and is now performed both by highly-trained amateurs and by professional
state ensembles.
The traditional repertoire known to most musicians is between twelve
and twenty-six pieces. These include a central core repertoire known as the
Ba Daqu ("Eight Great Songs"):
Man Liuban ("Slow Six Beat")
Zhonghua Liuban ("Middle Flower Six Beat")
Sanliu ("Three-Six")
Man Sanliu ("Slow Three-Six")
Huanle Ge ("Song of Happiness")
Sihe Ruyi ("All Things Harmonious")
Xingjie ("Along the Street")
Yunqing ("Cloud Celebration")
Repertoire more recently absorbed includes:
Chunjiang Hua Yueye ("Spring River Flower Moon Night")
Nishang Qu ("Rainbow Costume Song")
Zhegu Fei ("Partridges Flying")
Pinghu Qiuyue ("Peaceful Lake Autumn Moon")
and other less common pieces. New pieces are still being absorbed.
Given the history of many Chinese musical traditions, the sizhu tradi-
tion is not very old. Some of its root melodies (known as qupai, explained
below) were initially associated with kunqu, the opera tradition of this same
area which was already established by the sixteenth century. Important for-
mal aspects relating to variation techniques and fixed melody lengths are
also found in the Japanese danmono tradition of the koto repertoire, sug-
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The Melodic Structure of Jiangnan Sizhua
239
gesting that these forms and techniques were in place before Japan was
closed in the seventeenth century. The 1713 publication Lilii Zhengyi
(Sheng 1713:v.38, 3957 and 3971) gives in gongche notation (the traditional
system of this period) two military songs that bear a close resemblance to
the beginning of Huanle Ge in the sizhu repertoire. The 1814 manuscript
Xiansuo Beikao (Ming 1814) gives in notation another of the old sizhu melodies, labelled Baban ("Eight Beat"), which is the same melody as Lao
Liuban or Liuban ("Six Beat") of today's repertoire. The fact that this melody is also widely known in the south (notably among the historicallyisolated Chaozhou and Hakka peoples) suggests that it was possibly in existence by the time of the Song dynasty (960-1279) migration of these subcultures from northern areas. About the origins of other pieces in the sizhu
repertoire we have little specific information, except that they almost cer-
tainly were adaptations of vocal melodies. None other of today's sizhu were
notated in this 1814 publication, but this does not mean, of course, that
some of the sizhu repertoire was not in existence at this time. In fact, this
tradition (like so many other folk traditions) has survived primarily through
the conventions of oral transmission, thereby making its early development
difficult to document. According to the research of Jin Zuli, during the late
nineteenth century most of the Ba Daqu pieces (or their root melodies) were
played with luogu ("gongs and drums") for outdoor ceremonies such as
weddings. Because musicians increasingly wanted to play this music indoors, smaller percussion instruments were substituted for the gongs and
drums, and the present performance practice became established (1980:38).
In 1920, most of the known repertoire appeared in gongche notation in
Qudiao Gongche Daguan (Zhang 1920:v.4); and in 1924, transcriptions into
cipher notation were given in Xiaodi Xinpu (Zheng 1924). But these two
publications, in the traditional fashion, give only the melodic skeletons. Recent publications of fully-ornamented interpretations are given later in the
text of this paper. Recordings and tapes of the present-day sizhu are listed in
Appendix I.
Many of today's traditional folk repertoires (both vocal and instrumental) reveal particular stylistic features which suggest their diverse origins:
xianguan (nanguan) music of southern Fujian province is stylistically distinctive from the music of northern Fujian and is not understood there;
Cantonese music in general is criticized in Shanghai; and the music of the
Chaozhou sub-culture of southeast China is disdained by the neighboring
Cantonese. Even within the Peking opera tradition of northern China, the
two basic melody types xipi and erhuang have clearly different modal orientations and characteristic rhythms, suggesting diverse regions of melodic
origin. Each of these traditions has a certain "sound" which these Chinese
sub-cultures associate with place or homeland. Historically, language and
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240 Ethnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1985
dialect have played influential roles in defining these regional qualities because of the large extent to which instrumental music has used vocal forms
as models. This explains in large measure why both vocal and instrumental
music are still quite regional in provenance. Also, in music as in dialect, ethnic associations are involved. Each of these musical traditions in terms of
style is relatively consistent within itself, with similar melodies, melodic
cliches, modal emphases, rhythmic patterns, and instrumental timbres being sounded again and again. The Jiangnan sizhu repertoire is distinct from
these other regional repertoires in this same manner.
There are two implications in this association between sound and place.
First, since some melodies have been diffused from one region to another
(especially into the eclectic Cantonese repertoire) and their origins forgotten, the melodic structure of any particular piece may cautiously be used as
a guide in determining the location of its origin. Second, the strength of this
regional consistency of style suggests that common melodic formulas,
modes, and form-giving factors are in operation among all or most of the
pieces of a given regional repertoire. This second implication will now be
examined.
Nature of Instrumental Composition
Traditionally, music in general was viewed by Chinese scholar-officials
as an extension of government theory, and was therefore assigned a very
large role in promoting government-sanctioned ideologies. Conformity,
social harmony, and respect were highly-stressed values in all aspects of traditional culture, and music and the arts were expected to reflect these quali-
ties. In terms of melodic style, the use of anhemitonic pentatonic modal
structures (with minimal intervallic tensions), relatively even beat subdivisions (eighth- and sixteenth-note rhythms), related (rather than contrasted) thematic material, and group-oriented heterophonic performance
all reinforce this sense of social harmony.2 Collective expression of a community, rather than individual achievement over others, is the dominant
social orientation in Chinese creativity.
Traditional instrumental music, like traditional art, is admittedly derivative. Chinese performer-composers, acting in response to the above cultur-
al expectations, habitually reworked old melodies into new pieces. Thus,
continuity with the past was assured. I am convinced that the reason why
the regional ensemble repertoires exhibit such great internal melodic continuity is because at their inceptions each of these repertoires was built upon
only a few local melodic formulas (which were probably influenced by the
nature of the local spoken dialect). These formulas, defined by modal structures, characteristic rhythms, phrase lengths, melodic cliches, and cadences,
became models of creativity and over a period of time became varied in
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The Melodic Structure of Jiangnan Sizhua
241
countless ways to form the present-day repertoire.3 In most of the sizhu repertoire, this element of continuity exists at two textural layers. There is deep
structural unity among the basic melodies themselves, as seen below in the
several melodic reductions examined. The reductions given in notation are
the basic unchanging skeleton melodies as they appear in the early notations
and exist in the ears of the performers. On a more immediate level, during
the process of "fleshing out" these skeleton melodies, performers utilize recurring similar melodic turns and idiomatic ornaments, all bound within the
narrow range of established modal and rhythmic structures. Therefore,
there is both deep melodic continuity because the melodies are similar, and
surface stylistic continuity because the practice of ornamentation is
idiomatic.
Any creative process, however, must also accommodate the element of
change, otherwise there can be no growth in repertoire. The basis of change
in the Chinese instrumental repertoire rests primarily in the nature of per-
formance practice. In the Chinese oral tradition, like other oral traditions,
the performer is simultaneously both the preserver of the old art and creative artist. Acting without the use of notation, the performer interprets by
"fleshing out" skeleton melodies. Some of this melodic realization is fixed
by practice. Depending upon location within the phrase, certain pitch combinations will be played as recognizable and agreed-upon melodic cliches motifs which occur over and over again in the repertoire. After time, these
cliches may become a part of the basic melody itself. The two pitches given
in ex. la, for instance, are very frequently fleshed out as in ex. Ib, ex. 2a as
in 2b:
These cliches are commonly heard in sizhu interpretations, especially in
their respective positions as opening and cadential motifs. However, the in-
terpretations are not absolute. In instances where cliches are not fixed in
practice, performers have some flexibility in interpretation. The basic melodic pitches given in ex. 3a may be filled in as shown in 3b, 3c, or 3d. In traditional practice, all would be acceptable. Similar possibilities exist for all
other pitch combinations as well. In addition, performers would expect to
ornament these lines with techniques idiomatic to each instrument.
Ex. 1
. (a) opra - WC,e )
Ex. 2
<dat(1affoCevAbb~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~4 1
Ex. 3
i # J'lJ j V J A.
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242 Ethnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1985
Ensemble heterophonic texture allows different fill-in interpretations
and idiomatic ornamentations to function simultaneously. Ex. 4 shows two
measures or the heterophonic rendering of the opening of Xingjie, as notated from a single performance in an unpublished manuscript of the
Shanghai Minzu Yuetuan (Shanghai National Ensemble). In the five lines
shown, note the extent of tonal and rhythmic liberty taken in interpretation
of the same melody. In subsequent renditions, these interpretations would
vary according to acceptable style and idiomatic practice. Advanced performers (especially flute players) will sometimes go so far in their interpreta-
tions as to actually change the melodic contour of small sections of a
phrase.
Hence, the performer is also a creator, because variation and change
are natural conditions of any tradition passed on orally. The process of interpretation and ornamentation is one aspect of this change, each performance of a piece becoming a new and unique rendition. This is the manner
in which sizhu, and all traditional ensemble genres, are preserved today.
However, variation and change are also important elements in the historic
process of repertoire growth and internal structural modification. Factors
such as reorganization of themes or shortening of a lengthy piece, whether
intentional or resulting from a lapse of memory, if executed by a respected
performer may produce a new version of a piece. Over a long period of
time, this version will undergo constant modification of the above sort, and
iLt 0g Jl Uf U' P
j
4 ie, he onic ti nning to
Ex. 4 Xingjie, heterophonic texture-beginning two measures
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The Melodic Structure of Jiangnan Sizhua 243
eventually a new (but related) piece with a new name will emerge. It is probable that much of the sizhu repertoire has grown in exactly this evolutionary
way, with a high degree of performer input. Thus, in Chinese traditional
music, performance and creation are not essentially different processes.4
In Chinese musical creativity, change is usually not large because of the
high value placed on continuity and conformity. There is continuity with
the past because the old melodies of a communal repertoire are used again
and again in new compositions; there is also change and growth as structures are rearranged and existing melodies varied to express different emo-
tive states.
Sources of Instrumental Melody
Jiangnan sizhu largely owes its origins to vocal models. The relative
paucity of indigenous instrumental ensemble repertoire may be explained by
two factors: first, most folk instruments were separately introduced into
China from South and Central Asia over a 1500-year period; and second, in
traditional culture there was no strong social dance tradition which might
inspire a related instrumental genre. Therefore, the tradition arose of instrumentalists taking well-known vocal melodies from literary song, the
dramatic tradition (especially kunqu), or folk song, and expanding them into longer instrumental pieces. These melodies were known as qupai (literally
"song label," best translated as "named song"), short pieces dating to as early as the Yuan and Ming dynasties (14th to 17th centuries). Formerly qupai
had words, but these were forgotten when musicians played the melodies on
instruments (Huang 1985). Among the many qupai known to instrumentalists today, Lao Liuban (ex. 5) is probably the most famous.
Several stylistic features of this melody should be observed in anticipation
of the study of sizhu melodic structure:
1) Function of Ban
Metric structure and tempo, in both theory and practice, are governed
by a percussionist playing a ban, three strips of hardwood (suspended over
661)
hIn jz I Jo Pl.l ? JJI I i j I J n I [ .[r . 1,LIU; ' Ii L
Ex. 5 Qupai Lao Liuban (or Da Baban)
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244 Ethnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1985
the left thumb) which are struck together at fixed time intervals. Because of
this association, the time intervals themselves are also called "ban" (marked
"x" under the notation), their cumulative number indicating the length of
the phrase or section. The title of his qupai, Lao Liuban ("Old Six Beat"),
suggests that formerly it had only six ban in the first phrase; today it always
appears with eight ban, hence the name Baban ("Eight Beat"). Use of the
ban concept in the expansion and variation of old melodies will be examined
below.
2) Irregular Phrase Sub-divisions
In Chinese instrumental music, phrase lengths and their internal subdivisions tend to be irregular. Gao Houyong and Huang Jinpei explain this
irregularity as follows: because qupai were originally songs with texts, it was
principally the phrase structure of the poem which determined the rhythmic
sub-divisions and lengths of melodic phrases. The ci poetry, which flourished in the Song dynasty, with its strict tonal patterns and irregular line
lengths, was particularly influential. In the process of becoming "instrumentalized," the texts of these songs were forgotten but their internal structures (with shifting accents) were retained in the basic rhythms and melodic
phrase lengths (Gao 1981:298; Huang 1985).5 In Lao Liuban, the first
phrase of eight ban is irregularly sub-dividied 3 + 2 + 3 (as is the second
phrase, which is simply a repetition varied at the cadence). The internal
rhythmic sub-divisions of other phrases and other qupai melodies are differently irregular.
3) Diao modal structure
Tonal structure is pentatonic without half steps (that is, do-re-mi-sol-la,
using major seconds and minor thirds). However, Chinese music is seldom
strictly pentatonic, and in many slower pieces fa and ti may also be used in
passing or in substitution for nearby tones. The Chinese use the term diao
("mode") in reference to the internal structure of the pentatonic system.
There are three very common diao or modes, each with distinctive root and
secondary tones. Ex. 6 shows in weighted scale the structures of the do-sol
a) ,o-sol
b) Sl-Y ye, s *Non-structural passing or substitution tones
t J P ) C i I)
Ex. 6 Modal structures in sizhu (shown in weighted scale)
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The Melodic Structure of Jiangnan Sizhua 245
mode (G-D emphasis in notation), sol-re mode (D-A emphasis), and la-mi
mode (E-B emphasis).
Other modes are less common in central eastern China. For the purposes of
transcription and analysis, all modes and melodic examples in this paper are
transposed from the key of D (the normal sizhu key) to that of G. In practice, however, the regional modal systems are never transposed and remain
in a fixed position relative to the key orientation of the region. These modes
are traditionally associated with various regions or provinces, but some of
this association has broken down as repertoire has spread from area to area.
The sol-re mode is still quite common in south China, and la-mi mode is
popular in the north. About half the pieces in the sizhu repertoire of central
eastern China gravitate around la and mi. Typically there are internal shifts
to other modes. In Lao Liuban (ex. 5), the dominant modal orientation is
sol-re. Although the melody starts on mi and la, it emphasizes do and sol on
strong beats in the middle of the first phrase and again in the second phrase
(strengthening a do-sol feeling); but its cadence points of re at the end of
phrase one and sol at the end of phrase two anticipate the shift in tonal
structure that occurs after the ninth measure. In general, one pair of struc-
tural tones dominates (sol-re in Lao Liuban) and that mode can be considered the dominant one.
Ex. 7 is another influential qupai in the sizhu repertoire. The orthodox
name given in sizhu sources is Xiao Baimen, though the closely related vari-
ant Xiao Kaimen (as given in Li 1975:4) more exactly coincides with the
sizhu repertoire variants. Stylistic features include the regularly recurring
ban which marks the beat and governs the tempo; an internal rhythmic
structure that is irregular (ban: 2 + 2 + 4, 4 + 3, 4 + 3, 4, 2 + 2 + 2 +
4-this last section of 10 beats being an internal instrumental-like
extension); and a clear la-mi modal orientation at beginning and end, with
an internal shift to do-sol.
Forms of Expansion
The traditional Chinese attitude toward form holds that it is most ef-
fective if it remains as fluid as possible, and does not intrude upon its sub-
LJt- - 'I j U i^f i? l 7 1J L X I
(jKP IK h hj j^ )K 11
Ex. 7 Qupai Xiao Kaimen (Xiao Baimen)
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246 Ethnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1985
ject. Both in landscape painting and traditional music, lines and melodies
were thought best if they flowed freely and naturally-as if to reflect a sense
of growth from within.6 As noted earlier, irregularity of melodic movement
and phrase length is one of the special characteristics of sizhu music. Regarding gross forms, in both art and music there is also great variety and
fluidity. In the sizhu repertoire, these include the overlapping devices of
repetition, elaboration, and suite. Repetition as a form of expansion is generally open to both instrumental and vocal music. In most vocal music, it is
the extended text itself which underlies the structure, and in Chinese opera
suggests a fluid form of expansion based upon the concept of "melody type"
-a continuous exploration of established melodic cliches well-defined by a
set modal structure. It is true that instrumental music is also characterized
by similarly free-flowing melodic lines, but its gross forms have taken on
more clearly-defined structures such as elaboration (variation) and the suite
of melodies.
1) Repetition
Repeating a short melody any number of times is both the simplest
method of expansion and the oldest. Historically, it was a basic form of expansion of vocal music in use during the Zhou dynasty,7 and it is still com-
mon on strophic Chinese folk songs. In instrumental music, repetition is
very frequently used in the internal expansions of qupai melodies. The form
of Lao Liuban (given previously, ex. 5), which contains several such repetitions, may be outlined as follows:
m. theme a
m.5 a' (repeat of a with varied cadence)
m.9 theme b (rhythmic repetion in m.1)
m.13 varied repetition of a' (m.5)
m. 17 sequence of m.13 (with rhythmic repetition)
m.21 rhythmic repetion of b (m.9) (see also a)
m.25 repetition of m.21 and 22
m.27 theme a'
The original qupai consists of only six ban (3 measures), expanded t
ban (first 4 measures); the remainder was added later to accommoda
structural needs of instrumental music.8 Lao Liuban in this expande
is now considered to be a complete repertoire-length melody, in need o
further expansion. While internal repetitions of this sort represent th
common usage of the technique, there is no exact rule governing this u
They may appear freely scattered throughout any piece, without re
to a preconceived plan.
In the shorter qupai Xiao Kaimen (ex. 7), the relative lack of in
repetition suggests that this melody has not undergone the same stage
velopment as has Lao Liuban. However, note the instrumental-like a
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The Melodic Structure of Jiangnan Sizhua 247
at m. 12 and the short repetitions after m. 14. These measures are not found
in earlier versions of this melody (cf. Xiao Baimen in ex. 9b). If performed
as an opera interlude, because of its short length, this entire piece would be
played two or three times in succession.
In the sizhu repertoire, this type of paragraph-length melodic repetition
occurs only occasionally. In the full-length piece Nishang Qu (not shown in
transcription), a fifteen-measure melody is stated, repeated with an extension, again repeated with a varied extension, and repeated a third time with
yet another extension. The piece is concluded with a coda built from the extension material.9 Its form may be outlined as follows:
theme a-period of 15 measures
theme a-period of 15 measures
b-internal expansion theme, 9 measures
b-repetition, 9 measures
c-concluding theme, period of 16 measures
theme a-incomplete statement, 13 measures
b'-variation of internal expansion, 15 measures
c-concluding theme (end only), 8 measures
theme a-incomplete statement, 13 measures plus 4-measure extension
b"- variation of internal expansion, 8 measures
b"-repetition, 8 measures plus 1 measure extension
c-concluding theme, period of 16 measures
coda-incomplete repetition of theme c (14 measures)
plus extension (9 measures)
In Zhegu Fei (not shown in transcription), following a 4 2-measure introduction, a winding 31-measure melody (itself with a good many internal
repetitions) is played once and then a second time somewhat faster with
changed ornamentation. 0 Both Nishang Qu and Zhegu Fei are in the sizhu
repertoire, but neither is included in the core of well-established Ba Daqu
pieces, where the forms of expansion are considerably more sophisticated
than simple repetition.
2) Elaboration
The use of old melodies to create new ones was first mentioned in Song
dynasty sources (Cheung 1975:476), though we may assume this practice to
be considerably older in usage. In the Chaozhou instrumental repertoire of
today, a tradition in an isolated area of southeast China where many elements of Song and later cultures (after the 10th century) are preserved, strict
elaboration of old melodies is the only form-giving method employed. In
the sizhu repertoire, the technique of elaboration, known as yinshen ("ex-
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248 Ethnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1985
tension") or bianzou ("variation"), is found in all the Ba Daqu pieces,
whether they are strictly-derived (in which case the technique accounts for
the entire structure or main sub-section in metric augmentation) or freely-
derived (whereby melodies are paraphrased with loose reference to certain
motifs).
a) Strictly-derived pieces. Strict derivation in expansion works as follows: a basic short melody, wheter a qupai or folk song, is used as a model.
Its tempo is decreased to between one-half and one-quarter of the original,
thereby expanding the length of the melody. This augmentation in turn demands two further stylistic changes, the addition of secondary beats and increased ornamentation to provide the forward movement lost in the tempo
decrease. The percussionist continues to hit the ban clappers on beat one
(marked "X"), but will also mark the sub-divided beat (yan, marked "O")
with improvised strokes on the diangu small drum:
* cycle length ,
ban
yan
ban
/4 pattern (original): X X (etc.)
(fast tempo)
2/4 pattern: X 0 X
(moderate tempo)
(etc.)
4/4 pattern: X O O O I X (etc.)
(slow tempo)
/4 pattern: X O O O O O O O X (etc.)
(very slow)
In theory (as in notation), this rhythmic sub-division is called jiayan ("adding eyes"). But in effect it is nothing more than a sub-division of the ban cycle, to be carried out by the percussionist. Most percussionists will approach
this augmentation with some flexibility, always improvising the yan strokes
and occasionally striking the ban at mid-cycle points as well. Thus, the banyan principle is not strictly interpreted. Performers of melody instruments,
in the process of slowing the tempo, quite naturally increase their usage of
ornamentation, a process called jiahua ("adding flowers," i.e., ornaments).
The basic pitches of the melodic skeleton are usually kept intact, but they
are varied with interpolated patterns, treated to idiomatic ornamentation,
and sometimes subtly concealed under a wave of florid melodic movement.
Ex. 8 shows the opening measures of Lao Liuban together with the
equivalent measures of two of its many expansions. Hua Liuban ("Flower
Six Beat") in ex. 8b is an expansion in moderate tempo to a cycle of one ban
followed by one yan (as in 2/4). The interpolations are not many and the
basic melodic contour is maintained. This piece, while not included in the
Ba Daqu core repertoire, is widely known to musicians of all areas of
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The Melodic Structure of Jiangnan Sizhua 249
(l);
a) Lao
Liuban
b) Hua
Liuban
c) Man
Liuban*
' N H IfI
J
I
J
j
I
.J
a1
! I F i : ] H j j j I J I J- I
- o? r,. r r r'lTI? j Ip
-^ 'I J K J :') 0.'A 4 ireLff1p
't j J IJ J IJ 't J
LfJ J If-] r fr '1,H
etc., as in Ex. 1
etc., continued in augmentation
. . 'rf(rtr?jr'f 'rf rr_tf lr T ffr'Prf rTr. t
etc., continues in augmentation
*as given in Sun 1962:71.
Ex. 8 Lao Liuban and Expansions
China. In Taiwan, it is popularly called Gongdeng Wu ("Palace Lantern
Dance"). Man Liuban ("Slow Six Beat") in ex. 8c is a longer expansion in
slow tempo to a cycle of one ban followed by seven yan (as in 8/4). The interpolations are so numerous and contour so different from the original
that is is aurally difficult to hear the form-giving Lao Liuban melodic underpinning. This variant is a central piece of the Ba Daqu repertoire. Both
Hua Liuban and Man Liuban are, from beginning to end, elaborated augmentations of the Lao Liuban melody.t"
Ex 9 gives the opening measures of Xiao Kaimen and Xiao Baimen
together with the equivalent measures of two expansions used in the sizhu
repertoire. The tonal similarities and metric differences between the two
models can be seen in 9a and 9b. Note that Xiao Baimen, which is mentioned in sizhu notations as the correct qupai model, lacks the instrumental-
like extension and starts at the end of the second system of transcription.
Sihe Ruyi (9c) is an expansion in relatively fast tempo to a cycle of one ban
and one yan. Xingjie (9d) is an expansion in slow tempo to a cycle of one
ban and three yan (as in 4/4). Note that the melodic interpolations of both
have the effect of completely disguising the original qupai melody. Unlike
the expansion of Lao Liuban (which accounts for the entire form), the expansion of Xiao Kaimen accounts for only one section at the beginning of
each of these relatively longer pieces. A comparison between model 9a and
the two augmentations reveals occasional discrepancies in phrase length (as
marked with an asterisk). These discrepancies may be the result of different
versions of this model being used, but more probably are the result of traditional attitudes regarding rhythmic flexibility in the process of performance-composition.
The foregoing examples provide a good opportunity to observe the es-
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250 Ethnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1985
a) Xiao tr r
f 1 ) J r f r Ilf[ 7 j'[ I[ If r
.\- (1u Y;_ (;+v9e,$BS)
b) Xiao
Baimen
c) Sihe
Ruyi
d) Xingjie
~~t7plLrIr(J '&1r1' IL f U IF j LI .~IIF
ip (;dC1fdJY q~~if~ljjli r16~ I Ir r i
;C----,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~C
~d~l rr ir fd anlltti -fitffdf,,wfLLLL (S ,. I, Fr~n
I
- ----- rT--T-r-~F-TTT EI T T-T rT T-rl T----I_-T-. ~ r-r- I i 1~-4 - lr-Il r ilF I T I T I I 11fl , -I i u
k-u- -:t- I 1 JI -'T FI I I-F-- I-'-I-UIL UI''-1 ' I Ii I 'L l[ 1 'FIJi J L t H
I - SS^' "'".i?i4 Lr3- '""f-"~if?rI
4$ i~*fa[ftw t f Lrf- W( f I CS
Sources: a) Li 1975:4; b) Sun 1962:24; c) Lu 1982:66; d) Lu 198
Ex. 9 Xiao Kaimen and Expansions
sential stylistic qualities of fully-developed sizhu instrumental melody. In
general, melodies tend to be more conjunct than disjunct in intervallic pro-
gression, with an overall "wave"-like contour for any given musical phrase
or period. Note in ex. 9c and 9d that the florid melodic lines frequently
alternate directions up and down, and turn back on themselves. Gao Houyong states that good melody should be continuous and winding, like the
undulating movement of a snake, with few interruptions (Gao 1981:223242). Melodic rhythms (of the interpretations) are primarily restricted to
eighth and sixteenth notes in various combinations, with quarter and halfnote cadences. Melodic phrases are extended in nature, usually with the
spinning out of a single musical "affect." Use of exact repetition or sequence
is not commonly seen in sizhu melodies. Note also in the previous elaborations the use of fa and ti as passing tones emphasizing the structural positions of mi and la respectively. In the traditional practice, fa and ti are
neutral pitches, with fa somewhat sharp and ti somewhat flat of tempered
intervals. Use of non-pentatonic pitches is quite frequently seen in melodic
elaborations because these pitches are better able to provide a forward mo-
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The Melodic Structure of Jiangnan Sizhua 251
mentum than are the relatively static pentatonic pitches. However, fa and ti
are seldom found in melodic skeletons.
Yet another source for melodic expansion is folk song. While folk song
phrases are also somewhat irregular in construction, because of the absence
of literary techniques the internal rhythms tend to be more regular. Ex. 10
gives in transcription the folk melody Moli Hua ("Jasmine Flower") in a
variant from Shanxi province. It is this variant that Puccini learned from a
second-hand source and subsequently used as one of the central unifying
motifs in his monument of orientalia, the Chinese-inspired opera
Turandot. 2
$ LAo
JiL
(f l,ifH
(AJ
\d .Mc- Hy - [UIIr
i- + 5;A'Bof&
h- l- r
u- ifr
- - lr
ni on
U inn
j J J
H^A r
- Ca1
1 Yn,
?- Yft-t
T --J
o- -yioh - ; - uo
4XnC3J
J j S- i. i Jn lj j iia LtX W
, - K<4-H^ - (, o -i w - .
Ex. 10 Folk Melody Moli Hua (Shanxi variant)
In ex. 11, three variants of the opening periods of
comparison, lla from Shanxi province, lb from th
1 lc from Jiangsu province in central eastern China. A
reveals the large range of tonal flexibility that can ex
the same basic melody. In all three, there is a clear do
to sol-re in the second half of the melody, shown i
ably common melodic contour.
a) )ftffNir K4i 4-f?-v? pIr?C I---4 In1
i#4H4fB -r^m th r4 r r r r
i j , L-+ f-S S^f -e=i IfJ J ifj-J
Ex. 11 Moli Hua variants, opening period
The connection between this folk song and the stand
Huanle Ge (ex. 12a, 12b, and 12c) can be seen in a structu
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252 Ethnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1985
c&~~77K<a +Vtt;,ijrifrr ;1< r tiEUI'll r P ir r d Ii J d IJJ Ji 'id
Ex. 12 Huanle Ge, sections I and V
their opening periods (see especially the transcription of the 1920 gongche
notation, ex. 12c). Huanle Ge ("Song of Happiness") in its entirety consists
of four sections, initially all stated in augmentation, then all at original tem-
po. The latter sections (not shown in ex. 12) are outlined:
sec.
sec.
sec.
sec.
I -augmentation of Moli Hua first period (9 measures)
II -aug. of a second theme (8 measures)
III -aug. of a third theme (11 measures)
IV -aug. of a theme related to sec. II (11 measures)
sec. V -original statement of Moli Hua first period
sec. VI -orig. statement of second theme
sec. VII -orig. statement of third theme
sec. VIII -orig. statement of fourth theme
The beginning of section I is given in ex. 12a; section V in ex. 12b. Mode,
contour, and phrase structure in this first period are the same, though the
four-measure second phrase in Moli Hua becomes a five-measure second
phrase in Huanle Ge. The relationship between these pieces is further supported by the fact that sizhu musicians in the city of Hangzhou are well
familiar with this folk song.'3 However, they themselves are not aware of
the connection between the two pieces.
b) Freely-derived pieces. Free paraphrase of previously-stated melodic
material is an especially common form-giving device in the qin zither repertoire; but it is also a common technique of expansion in the sizhu repertoire.
It is quite regularly found in the latter sections of Sihe Ruyi, Yunqing, and
Xingjie (to be examined), and in Chunjiang Hua Yueye the entire form is
constructed of a series of closely-related melodies. However, in the Cantonese instrumental repertoire especially, free paraphrase of existing melodies
in the creation of new pieces has reached a high peak of development. In
freely-derived pieces, melodies simply resemble earlier formulae. Cadence
and other structural tones are usually the same or closely related, but specific reference to existing metric structures is usually absent. Among the pieces
in the Cantonese repertoire inspired by models from central eastern China
are Hangong Qiuyue ("Han Palace Autumn Moon") and Pinghu Qiuyue
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The Melodic Structure of Jiangnan Sizhua 253
("Peaceful Lake Autumn Moon"). Both are structurally related to Moli Hua
and Huanle Ge.
Hangong Qiuyue (ex. 13) first appeared in the notation of the pip
book Yingzhou Gudiao in 1916.14 The Cantonese ensemble version is o
the first section of this more extended piece. The relationship between the
main first theme (which appears after a brief four-note introduction,
shown) and the above pieces can be seen in the characteristic opening motif
the general contour of the entire musical period (though shorter in length
the clear do-sol modal structure, and melodic cadences on sol followed by
do. In the cadential phrase (not shown), which appears three times during
the course of the piece, there is a modal shift to a sol-re orientation with a
final cadence on sol. These two phrases are strikingly similar to the opening
two periods of Moli Hua.
Ex. 13 Hangong Qiuyue, opening period.
Pinghu Qiuyue (ex. 14) is a 1925 composition by the famous Cantonese
composer Lu Wencheng. It is noteworthy that the piece was composed
while on a trip to Shanghai and nearby areas.'5 In terms of both mode and
mood, the extended melody has a similar flavor to Hangong Qiuyue, and its
melodic contour is almost identical to the first period of Huanle Ge. Like
Hangong Qiuyue, there is a modal shift to sol-re in the final cadential
phrase (not shown).
* rn 4 dLfT jf ;d- rfI J, ^ jII ^ y I
Ex. 14 Pinghu Qiuyue, opening period
While both Hangong Qiuyue and Pinghu Qiuyue are staples in the
Cantonese repertoire, they are also well known to musicians of the Jiangnan
area. I believe that their stylistic similarities with Moli Hua and Huanle Ge
are more than just coincidence. Because of their common modal characteristics, melodic cliches, and overall structures, these pieces belong to a partic-
ular melody family of central eastern China, the general characteristics of
which are shown below (ex. 15) in condensed form.
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254 Ethnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1985
t Co) , WEo) CJod
P ' 1 ei ' f. 11
do-sol eW pVasli Jlhfi4 Jro Sol Ye
Ex. 15 Modal Characteristics of Moli Hua Melody Family
3) Suite
The technique of adding one melody after another to pro
composition is without question the most important extended
device in use in central eastern China. This form is known as
qupai). In the historic form daqu ("long song"), in use by the
(618-907), several pieces in a similar mode or melody type w
together to form a set or suite. The qin composition Guangl
dates to this period) is structured in this manner (Cheung 1
thermore, the entire instrumental repertoire of the Minnan sub
southeast China and Taiwan, a tradition which preserves another
of Chinese culture, also relies on the suite structure for its orga
the sizhu repertoire, the suite form accounts for all of the
pieces not completely organized by the method of elaboratio
Xingjie, Yunqing, Sanliu, Man Sanliu, and Huanle Ge in their
are all organized in suite form.
In the paitao structure, qupai or any short melodies that hav
modal and rhythmic characteristics are added one after another
extended piece. Their specific arrangement is not fixed, thou
dies usually occur at the beginning, faster melodies at the end (Gao
1981:96). Slow introductions, when used, may be stated in their entirety or
at their beginnings in sanban ("leisurely beat"), in essence a loose metric
organization of two types: either two, three, or four notes each extended in
duration, or an introductory slow (and leisurely) phrase increasing in tempo
and regularity. In either instance, the ban (beat) is somewhat irregular at the
start. Fast codas, marked weisheng ("tail sound"), are characteristic of several suite pieces. In them there is usually reference to earlier thematic material. In performance practice, tempos in general are never absolute, but will
fluctuate from one performance to another.
Just as there are structural combinations between the methods of repeti-
tion and elaboration, there are also combinations between repetition and
the suite principle (the rondo-like structure of Sanliu is an example), and be-
tween elaboration and suite. In Xingjie (ex. 16) all three devices are found.
Xingjie ("Along the Street") is a simplified title of Xingjie Sihe, and it derives from (and is a shortened version of) the older Sihe (Jin 1980:38). There
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The Melodic Structure of Jiangnan Sizhua 255
m +^f?r L If{ tS - I-t-^i^ J d V-f PLpfir t f I4rThT4 '1
I'- JXi J'-j j J r i r'
n rr F 1kf4 '] -- 4^"iL b 4s11 t b,v .?? riSiff-r a^ ie^ ^ ^^i 4 ffi f f 4-?7U
v er ;c i i,r} ' T '1J] j -' fiJ
" ( .. ..) 'l*'['s't (r_'Cr I' J._r-.J I~~t I\- --< '
IVui Lf XeLr1p la f,I Lf1 I1 ' 8 f r
I I: hs^; -_atft > b r ' _tF f r(riLir b frr rr ') 1
T7 IJ-44.r i<^<
scription, though summarized in places for the purpose of analysis. Its iniEx. 16 Xingjie Melodic Skeleton
are ten sections arranged in increasing tempo. The dominating modal struc-
ture is la-mi with occasional shifts to other modes. Ex. 16 is a complete tran-
tial three slow sections, extremely florid in performance, are shown here in
tioned
ratherskeleton
than s eparately
notated upon
a second
time. 1920:v.4)
T he entireasform
of
structural
only (based
Zhang
amended
by pre
ent-day interpretation. (A highly ornamented version of section I has be
shown in ex.9d.) In the interest of reducing all thematic material to o
page,
~wture
the melodic
ist la-mi with
repetitions
occasional shifts
which
to occur
other mocades.
toward
Ex.the
16 isend
a complete
are simply
tran- me
tioned rather than separately notated a second time. The entire form o
scription, though summarized in pla-mi orientation with prominent use of ti
Xingjie
forfor
reference.
Xingjieisisalso
alsooutlined
outlined
reference.
tial three slow sections, extremely florid in performance ofa se. I motif b
sec. II -augmentation
-augmentation of
of qupai
qupai Xiao
Xiao Baimen
Baimen (Xiao
(Xiao Kaimen),
Kaimen),
sec.
la-mi
slow
tempo.
la-mi dominates,
dominates,
slow
tempo.
sec.
sec. II
II -augmentation
-augmentation of
of qupai
qupai Yu
Yu Olang,
Olang, sol-re
sol-re orientation
orientation
with la-mi extension and cadence.
sec.
of unidentified
(but known)
sec.III
III-augmentation
-augmentation
of unidentified
(but instrumenknown) instrumen-
tal melody, la-mi orientation with prominent use of ti,
midway shift to sol-re with sequence of sec. I motif b,
return to la-mi for cadence.
sec. IV -instrumental-type melody marked kuaiban ("fast
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256 Ethnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1985
beat"), with constantly shifting meters, in la-mi mode,
fast tempo; there are references to sec. I and III.
sec. V -free paraphrase in original tempo of sec. III motifs,
with two references to sec. I motifs and repetition of
sec. III cadence; all in la-mi mode.
sec. VI -original tempo of sec. III melody, with same modal
emphasis; increase in tempo.
sec. VII -partial repetition of sec. IV (see transcription sec. IV),
followed by paraphrase of its last three measures.
sec. VIII-partial repetition of sec. V (see transcription sec. V),
omitting last two measures (as indicated) and followed
by three new measures (shown in transcription) with
shift to sol-re.
sec. IX -repetition of sec. VI, la-mi mode dominates.
sec. X -final section marked weisheng ("tail sound") in fast
tempo; initial motivic references to sec. VII ending,
mid-section references to sec. III extension and end of
sec. I motifs a and b, and repetition of sec. IV beginning motif which serves as cadence; la-mi.
The following melodic and structural features of Xingjie stand out. While
the overall structure is a suite of melodies, the internal devices of expansion
include both repetition and elaboration. As seen in the sections after III,
repetitions are usually incomplete or varied, a factor which makes memori-
zation quite difficult. The technique of elaboration (use of both strictlyderived and freely-derived melodies) functions either side-by-side with or
overlapping that of repetition. The melodic materials in the first three sec-
tions are derived from existing qupai and other pieces; melodies in the remaining seven sections are derived from the first three.
Conclusion
As shown by Jin Zuli and Xu Ziren (1980:38,39), the Ba Daqu core
the sizhu repertoire (with the exception of Huanle Ge) is derived from only
three basic pieces:
Man Liuban
,Man ,uag Liuban ,from Lao Liuban
Zhonghua Liuban
Sanliu \
Man Sniu from Sanliu
Man Sanliu
Sihe Ruyi
Xingiie from Sihe
Yunqing
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The Melodic Structure of Jiangnan Sizhua 257
However, it can be clearly seen in analysis that there are also a good many
other thematic relationships between the Sanliu and Sihe derivatives not
previously recognized. In ex. 17, the opening phrases of these pieces are
shown for comparison: 17a is a skeleton of the beginning of Sanliu; 17b of
Sihe. Both transcriptions are based upon the early gongche notation versions (in Zhang 1920:v.4).16 Note the structural similarities of this first
phrase, including both tonal and metric correspondence. Yunqing (ex. 17c)
follows this same tonal and metric pattern until the middle of the phrase, at
which point it expands upon the remaining material more freely. Xingjie,
which is a more obvious reshuffling of Sihe themes, starts with the qupai
Xiao Kaimen and continues directly into the second qupai (as analyzed in
detail above), merely quoting several of these measures in passing. Otherwise, this opening theme is not found in Xingjie.
.a)...... L r r -I - Ff- ': 'f!r 1 p p 1 r aL,
b) sihe f r i f *( ?
) Yuq r Ln t -Lf FJ--t+ c J I n j iior, P i8s
Ex. 17 Melodic Similarities in Opening Phrases
Between Sanliu and Sihe, there is also a high degree of correspondence
among the themes of latter sections. The ex. 18 melody (which forms an en-
tire musical period) occurs with great frequency. As examined in Xingjie,
this melody is stated in both original tempo (ex. 16, sec. VI and sec. IX) and
in augmentation (sec. III). In Sanliu, its statement or paraphrase dominates
three sections. Of the variants given in ex. 18, the Sanliu variant (18b) is the
shortest (and perhaps the oldest), omitting the five middle measures found
in Xingjie (18a). A second Sanliu variant (18c) is a paraphrase of the early
measures, and an exact repetition of the ending. In Sihe, as in Xingjie (18a),
there are also three statements in both original tempo and augmentation. In
all of these pieces, this particular melody accounts for almost half of the
thematic material of the latter sections. Its tohal characteristics and phrase
structure are unique in the sizhu repertoire. At its beginning, ti is used
prominently to strengthen the structural position of la. But in this instance
ti also functions as a substitution for do, an old practice which is occasionally utilized in Chinese melodies. Emerging from the tensionless pentatonic
tonal structure, this substitution produces an element of "foreignness" that
is a valued aesthetic feature in sizhu (Gao 1981:232). Another feature of this
melody is its instrumental quality-the regular phrase structure of four
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258 Ethnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1985
a) xin,jie $f i Ji^ iJJ- C Rff fIjJi '
S.he 6&7
b) il s rtr IF F :tt-f if - r li r a nli
c)s u r ir f I i J J If J ai:U1t Irr i i
s. IX
Ex. 18 Melodic Similarities in Latter Sections
measures, repeated exactly, and repeated again in part. This melody is truly
the source of great unification among these three pieces and their variants.
In Yunqing, however, there is only loose reference to it.
The purpose of this analysis has been to demonstrate that in the sizhu
repertoire there is more than just stylistic continuity; many of these pieces
are related in very direct thematic ways. Sanliu and Sihe, although thought
to be of different origins, are melodically so similar that we must recognize
them as variants of a common musical prototype-of which Sanliu, Man
Sanliu, Sihe Ryui, Xingjie, and Yunqing are all just versions. They belong
to a "melody family," sharing identifiable melodies, motifs, and modal ori-
entations. In this same sense, Huanle Ge, Moli Hua, Hangong Qiuyue, and
Pinghu Qiuyue are all related, as are the Lao Liuban variants on a more explicit level.
Thus, Jiangnan sizhu melody relies on several stylistic features to
achieve its continuity: use of similar melodies, repetition and elaboration,
recurring melodic cliches in interpretation, a well-unified system of ornamentation, and an anhemitonic pentatonic scale structure. Indeed, the uninitiated listener is likely to be hard pressed to differentiate among the Ba
Daqu pieces for these very reasons. Sizhu performers, however, will carefully distinguish each piece from the other, having memorized subtle variants
among like forms, long augmentations, incompletely-repeated sections, irregular phrase lengths, and free paraphrases. Given the elusive tonal qualities of the pentatonic system, this power of recall over such closely-related
material stands as testimony to the subtlety and refinement of traditional
musical structures and the ability of the performers to store this information.
Biographical Data
Alan R. Thrasher received his Ph.D. from Wesleyan University, 1980. Currently he is assistant
professor of music at the University of British Columbia. His fieldwork has included major
trips to Taipei, Hong Kong and Shanghai.
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The Melodic Structure of Jiangnan Sizhua
259
Acknowledgments
I wish to thank the University of British Columbia-Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, for an East Asian travel grant received in the summer of 1984. Much of the
research for this project was done in Shanghai during this trip.
I wish also to acknowledge the kind assistance of Lu Chunling and other sizhu musicians
of Shanghai and Hangzhou, and Professors Huang Jinpei, Han Kuo-huang, and Robert Provine for making many suggestions on early drafts of this paper.
Notes
1. The Chinese generally classify it as a genre of "folk music," in the main because it is
popular among the people. It must be understood, however, that within the Chinese context,
"folk music" stands in contrast to court music, not classical music. Indeed, the process of classicization has taken place with many folk traditions of China, and therefore it is better to think
of these as "folk-classical" traditions.
2. For more on this process of cultural values penetrating musical style, see Thrasher
1981:17-53.
3. This structural phenomenon is widespread in East Asian chamber music, as noted b
Willem Adriaansz in The Kumiuta and Danmono Traditions of Japanese Koto Music (1
65ff.) and Robert Provine in the instrumental chamber music of Korea (personal commun
tion).
4. The exact extent to which composers have functioned in the creation of this repertoire
cannot be known to us because composers, acting out of a deep sense of humility, traditionally
did not sign their works. Furthermore, the older layer of traditional music was almost never
written down. However, we can safely infer from the repertoire that has survived and from
present-day compositional practices that when composers did write, they functioned within the
cultural expectations stated above-spending more energy on the reworking of old melodies
than on creating new ones.
5. This explanation is controversial and not accepted by some Western scholars. See
Picken 1981:53-77 for a challenging viewpoint.
6. I am always tempted to quote the phrase from the classic text Zhuangzi as evidence of
an early consciousness of this ideal: "Those who rely upon the arc, the line, compasses and the
square to make correct forms injure the natural construction of things. . . . Things in their ultimate reality are curved without the help of arcs, straight without lines, round without com-
passes, and rectangular without right angles. ... In this manner all things create themselves
from their own innermost reflections." (as given in Chang 1963:66.)
7. See Cheung 1974:18-26 for its usage in the Shijing (Book of Songs).
8. See Huang 1960:38 (or its translation by Thrasher in Asian Music XIII-2 (1982):22)
for discussion of this.
9. See Lu 1982:75-77 for flute transcription into cipher notation.
10. See Lu 1982:44-45 or Sun 1962:66-68 for flute transcriptions.
11. For examination of other Lao Liuban elaborations and the resulting affective
changes, see Huang 1960. The entire of Man Liuban is given in cipher notation in Lu 1982:5153.
12. The beginning few measures of the folk song, as orchestrated for brass instruments,
appear half a dozen times throughout the opera; the entire folk song, as set for boy's choir with
Italian text ("La sui monti dell'Est"), appears early in Act. I. See Mosco Carner's Puccini: A
Critical Biography (Duckworth, 1958), 456-488.
13. While visiting Hangzhou in 1984, I mentioned Moli Hua to a small group of experi-
enced sizhu musicians, and they sat down and played a stylized instrumental version of variant
l c from memory. See Li 1975: 46 and 48 for several instrumental variants in cipher notation.
14. This version is given in cipher notation in Zhongyang 1980:80ff.
15. Indeed, "Pinghu Qiuyue" is also a place name, a lovely complex of buildings (including a teahouse) on the West Lake of Hangzhou.
16. For performance realizations of these pieces, see Lu 1982.
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260 Ethnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1985
References
Chang Chung-yuan
1963 Creativity and Taoism. New York: Julian Press.
Cheung Sai-bung
1974/75 Zhongguo Yinyue Shilun Shugao [Historical Studies of Chinese Music],
v.I (1974), v.II (1975). Hong Kong: Union Press.
Gao Houyong
1981 Minzu Qiyue Gailun [Outline of National (Ethnic) Instrumental Music].
Jiangsu (province): Renmin Chuban She.
Huang Jinpei
1960 "Guanyu 'Lao Liuban' de Bianti," Renmin Yinyue, no.10:38-39. Trans.,
Alan Thrasher, "Concerning the Variants of 'Lao Liuban'," Asian Music
XIII-2 (1982):19-30.
1982 "Lun 'Guangdong Yinyue' de Xingti" [A Discussion of the Waxing and
Waning of Cantonese Music], Guangzhou Yinyue Xueyuan Xuebao, no.
1:8-17.
1985 Personal communication, January.
Jin Zuli and Xu Ziren
1980 "Jiangnan Sizhu Gaishu" [Overall Account of Jiangnan Sizhu], Renmin
Yinyue, no.5:38-40.
Li Zhiwei and Lu Dehua, ed.
1975 Zhongguo Minjian Qiyue Quji (Erbai Shou) [Collection of Chinese Folk
Instrumental Melodies (200 Pieces)]. Rpt., Hong Kong: Weilin.
Lu Chunling
1982 Lu Chunling Dizi Quji [Collection of the Dizi Melodies of Lu Chunling].
Beijing: Renmin Yinyue.
Lu Wencheng
1925 Pinghu Qiuyue (composition).
Ming Yi
1814 Xiansuo Shisantao ['Xiansuo' Thirteen Sets]. Beijing: Yinyue. 1955 transcription of Xiansuo Beikao (1814) into cipher notation (1962 rpt).
Picken, Laurence
1981 "The Musical Implications of Chinese Song-texts with Unequal Lines
. . . " Musica Asiatica, v.3:53-77.
Shanghai Minzu Yuetuan
n.d. Jiangnan sizhu repertoire in score; unpublished ms.
Sheng Zu (attrib.)
1713 Liilu Zhengyi [Correct (treatment of) Temperament]. Taipei: Shangwu
Yinshu Guan, 1936 rpt.
Sun Yude
1962 Dongxiao Chui Zoufa [Method for Playing Dongxiao]. Shanghai:
Yinyue.
Thrasher, Alan R.
1981 "The Sociology of Chinese Music: An Introduction," Asian Music,
XII-2:17-53.
Yang Yong
1981 "Dui Xiansuo Qu 'Shiliu Ban' de Chubu Fenxi" [A Preliminary Analysis
of the Xiansuo piece 'Shiliu Ban'], Yinyue Luncong, v.4:138-154.
Zhang Hejing, ed.
1920 Qudiao Gongche Daguan [Overview of Music in Gongche (notation)],
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The Melodic Structure of Jiangnan Sizhua
261
Zhongyang Yinyue Xueyuan
1978 (Yangqin) Minzu Yueqi Chuantong Duzou Qu Xuanji [Selection of National Instru1980 (Pipa) mental Traditional Solos]. Beijing: Renmin Yinyue.
1982 (Erhu)
Appendix I
Recommended Recordings and Tapes of Jiangnan Sizhu Music
1) Chunjiang Hua Yueye ("Spring River Flower Moon Night"),
12-inch LP record. Hong Kong: Art-Tune Co., Col-3241. Includes Chunjiang Hua
Yueye, Huanle Ge, Sanliu, Zhonghua Liuban, Xingjie, and other pieces. Performers not
listed.
2) Chunjiang Hua Yueye
Cassette tape. Hong Kong: Art-Tune Co., AC-630. Includes the above pieces plus others
not on the LP record.
3) Moon and Lanterns
Cassette tape. China: Bailey Record Co., NS-61 (1981). Inlcudes Chunjiang Hua Yueye,
Yunqing, Xingjie, Nishang Qu, Zhonghua Liuban, Huanle Ge, Sanliu, etc. Performed by
the Shanghai Minzu Yuetuan.
4) Popular Jiangnan Music
12-inch LP record. Hong Kong: Hong Kong Records Co., 6.340094 (1982). Includes Hua
Sanliu, Yangba Qu, Man Liuban, etc. Performed by Lu Chunling and several other veteran performers from Shanghai.
5) Xanliu ("Three-six")
Cassette tape. China: China Records, HL-151 (1983). Includes Sanliu, Yangba Qu, Man
Liuban, Hua Sanliu, etc. Performed by the Shanghai Minzu Yuetuan.
6) Sihe Ruyi ("All Things Harmonious")
Cassette tape. China: China Records, HL-103 (1982). Includes Sihe Ryui, Hua Sanliu,
and Man Liuban. (Same performers as 4.)
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262 Ethnomusicology, Spring/Summer 1985
Appendix II
Glossary of Chinese Terms, Names, and Titles
Baban
Jiahua ;io -4L
Ba Daqu ,\
Jiangnan 2L
Ban 4k
Jiayan Ca 7
Bianzou
Jin Zuli - 4&
Blqi Gu.
Kuaiban 'tPz -4k.
Cheung Sai-bung S 1f. -*t
Kunqu
Chungjiang Hua Yueye &A.. i -J
Lao Liuban
Ci
Li Zhiweil K ,
Da Baban
Liuban S S
Daqu k
Lu Chunling; )34-. 2
Di (zi) )
Lu Dehua A K. -
Diangu , &
Lu Wencheng ~ ~.. A
Diao
Lulo Zhengyi, A I $,
Erhu -
Luogu
Erhuang -
Manban dt -*&
Gao Hoyuong J /c- jJQ
Man Liuban 4I~'~ k.
Gongche .L-
Man Sanliu. 4k- -
Gongdeng Wu 4 4? )
Ming Yi
Guanglingsan 4
Moll Hua T-i~~ ,
Hangong Qiuyue A
Nanguan AnJ `
Hua Liuban -& ~ . 4k
Nishang Qu ~
Huang Jinpei
Paitao ,? $
Huanle Ge IV. 1
Pinghu Qiuyue
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The Melodic Structure of Jiangnan Sizhua
263
Appendix II
(continued)
Pipa
Yan IPK
Qin
Yang Yong 4 %
Qupai -t7 [$
Yangqin 4- f
Sanban Y 4
Yingzhou Gudiao ,>' *| #1 -
Sanliu -.
Yinshen _
Sanxian i
Yunqing
Shanghai Minzu Yuetuan
_ 9$
,tE~
Yu Olang
L 4k
Sheng -
Zhang Hejing _ ~'J S
Sheng Zu -~ .i-
Zhegu Fei f,~ d, -.
Shijing ,. ,i
Zheng Jinwen F3 P1 L
Sihe J '
Zhonghua Liuban L k -'x.
Sihe Ryui IV 0 ,
Zhongyang Yinyue Xueyuan +' f - s t
Sizhu ,0 rt
Zhuangzi f
Sun Yude j, ' ',~'
Weisheng {, +
Xianguan kt~
Xiansuo Beikao 5 . _ I4: -f
Xiao 2i
Xiao Baimen '1 ~-4- P
Xiao Kaimen ,' t r
Xingjie '
Xipi r k
Xu Ziren ' '-
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