The Forefathers Project Research

Nanyin

Hokkien is a widely spoken dialect that originated from the region of Southern Minnan. Hokkien music is most commonly known as Nanyin (southern orchestral music). Traditionally, Nanyin is widespread among the Southeastern Coast of Quanzhou, Xiamen, Hangzhou and Taiwan – where Hokkien is widely spoken, and was brought into Southeast Asia with the immigration of the Mainland Chinese. Nanyin heavily utilises sizhu (silk and bamboo) musical instruments with the belief that a sizhu ensemble is able to produce a much more harmonious sound. There are four key instruments in Nanyin: Pipa, Dongxiao, Erxian (similar to the Erhu) and Sanxian.

Cantonese Music

Originating from the Pearl River Delta. Cantonese music is mostly used as instrumental interludes during Cantonese opera performances and narrative singing. Cantonese music can be classified into three types, depending on their historical origin, musical structure and style, dramatic function and creative function. These three types are banghuang (arias), xiaoqu & paizi (short, fixed tunes) as well as shuochang (oratorical singing). The lead instrument of a Cantonese music ensemble is typically the Gaohu. Cantonese music ensembles also frequently feature instruments in the high orchestral register (similar to the soprano singers of a choir) due to their piercing sound and loud volume, as well as their close resemblance to the tone used by opera performers.

Waijiang Music

Waijiang music - also known as ruyue (scholar’s music) - refers to a genre of music that is popular within the regions of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Huai River. A pre-Cultural Revolution genre of Chinese music, Waijiang music traditions can be traced back to the Guangdong province during the Qing dynasty. Back then, Waijiang music was performed purely for the purpose of intellectual entertainment. As such, it was consumed mainly by officials, elites and the literate. With the passage of time, however, the music tradition soon reached the Teochews and Hakkas living in nearby areas. While classified by most as a genre of Teochew music, Waijiang music can also be considered as a genre of Hakka music, due to the strong Hakka influence.

Teochew Music

Teochew music is widely regarded as an integral part of Lingnan culture and a treasure of China’s folk music. It is widespread in regions like Minnan, Yuedong, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, as well as some East Asian regions. Teochew music is largely based on the pentatonic scale (as used in most Chinese music forms) and adopts the ersi pu (“two-four system tablature”) notation system. Over time, the development of Teochew music saw variations of the pentatonic scale being used, which has become so progressively complicated that even music experts struggle to understand it.