中國音樂的文化政治

The concept of music “yue” 樂 in dynastic China deviates from that of the West in that it has been strongly grounded in politics, or to be precise, it is directly related to the art of governance as well laid out in Chinese classics. Such an understanding sustains to the last century and continues to make impacts on present day “Chinese” music. Music making in the Western way has started to be prevalent in Chinese churches and schools since late nineteenth century. Western music has gradually become an emblem of modernity and progress in the eyes of a majority of Chinese intellectuals. As a result, Western art and popular music became something to which the general Chinese population aspires. The kind of musical language Communist China inherits from Soviet Russia and Eastern Europe which once deterred the PRC from the West musically, inevitably leads to a desperate hunger for the relatively “newer” and more “exotic” tastes from the US and Western Europe when China started its “reform and open” era in the 1980s. How we understand “Chinese” music in its cultural-political context in the 21st Century depends, to a great extent, on the degree of how we are able to relate present day “Chinese” music to its history. Nevertheless, this is not a Chinese music history course per se as it is impossible to cover the entire history of Chinese music in one semester. The course aims rather to expose the students to some fundamental issues of Chinese music history from the perspectives of cultural politics. Examining a wide range of musical works and historical events, this course tries to inspire the students to read into the deeper historical, social-cultural, as well as political meanings of “Chinese” music. It also tries to enhance the student’s sense of music history with respect to the intricate politics behind, within and beyond musical context.

[IMPORTANT] Class will be held on Thursday 18:30-21:20 AND Friday 09:00-12:00, but mostly every two weeks. Please observe carefully the schedule and sign up only if you can make it. There is no music prerequisite for the course. Those who are interested in history, culture, politics and Chinese music are welcome. However, students should be prepared to open their ears and eyes to music covered in the course and their relevant readings. Lecture will be given in English with readings in Chinese and English; discussion in either language is possible.

By the end of the course, the students will be able to develop a strong sense of history, with the orientation of its cultural politics. It is expected that students’ ability of independent and critical thinking will be enhanced. They should be able to relate present day musical works and events to Chinese history, musically, culturally and politically. With the experience of independent research, presentations and paper writing, students are supposed to become Chinese music history conscious and sensitive, well informed and equipped to form their own understanding of Chinese culture and society as a whole.

Report on proposed project topics (10%) The student should select as soon as possible, a topic of his or her own choice for the final presentation and term paper (with the same topic). Each student is expected to come up with an oral report (5 mins) on the proposed topic of his/her final project at mid-term (2019/4/25-26). An abstract of about 250 words (400 in Chinese) to be due on 2019/3/30. Final Presentation (15-minute talk, 5-minute discussion) (40%) Students should give an oral presentation (2019/5/23-24), with the help of power point if they choose to do so. All students should be present throughout in the final sessions of oral presentation and participate by asking relevant questions and commenting on the presentations of their fellow classmates. Credits will be given to intelligent comments and questions. Term Paper (50%) The final assignment (due 2019/6/1) is a fully written paper of about 5,000 words (8,000 in Chinese) developed from the final presentation. Common practice in scholarly writings such as making footnotes, citations and bibliography should be strictly observed (re. Chicago's Notes and Bibliography Style: https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-1.html). Students should make every effort to acquire such basic academic skills.

Examples will be drawn heavily from the musical repertoire of historical and present-day China. However, it does not exclude examples from Hong Kong, Taiwan and overseas Chinese communities. Naturally, basic concepts and terms from Western music, and in particular, from Western and Chinese music history, will be referred to, which the students should be able to handle by themselves on a very fundamental level. Students are responsible to listen and view complete versions of the chosen examples in the syllabus by their own viable means. Partial listening and viewing of any piece of musical work are doomed to be misleading and incomplete. Audio, visual and printed materials are inexpensively available in the market, libraries, or from the internet. The students are encouraged to apply and incorporate, as much as they can, concepts and theories from anthropology, sociology, musicology, cultural studies and politics to the “Chinese” music they choose to discuss and analyze.

地點

HC103

時間

Friday 12:20-13:10 (only early appointment)

聯絡方式

siuwahyu@gmail.com