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Echoes Beyond the Strings

The Qing court advanced Chinese musicology through imperial commissions of definitive musical texts. The Kangxi Emperor (1654–1722) produced the pioneering Yuzhi Lülü Zhengyi (Imperially Commissioned Correct Meaning of the Pitch Pipes) and a supplementary text, China’s first formal Chinese-language work on Western music theory. The Qianlong Emperor (1711–1799) followed with a comprehensive sequel that documented court musical systems and practices, which became the primary source for Yüezhi (Music Chronicles).
Royal compilations including Jiugong Dacheng Nan Bei Ci Gongpu (The Complete Collection of Southern and Northern Modal Systems), Qinding Shijing Yüepu Quanshu (The Complete Imperial Edition of Music Scores for the Book of Songs), and Qinding Yüelü Zhengsu (The Imperial Standards of Orthodox and Popular Music) preserved crucial Chinese poetic and theatrical musical traditions. While these texts document the rich musical heritage of the Qing court, the exhibition incorporates visual representations from earlier dynasties. Tang and Ming paintings of court musicians visually complement these written sources, offering viewers both textual and artistic perspectives on imperial musical culture.

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  • Seven Grades of Music for the Three Ranks

    In Yüzhi Lülü Zhengyi Xübian (Supplement to the Imperially Commissioned Correct Meaning of the Pitch Pipes) 
    Compiled on imperial order by Yunlu, Yunzhi et al.
    Court copper movable type edition, Kangxi period (1661–1722), Qing dynasty
    故殿010856

    Emperor Kangxi (1654–1722) showed great interest in Western learning, particularly Western music theories. He studied under missionaries, including Tomás Pereira (Portuguese, 1645–1708) and Teodorico Pedrini (Italian, 1671–1746), who introduced him to the principles of European music theories. Under the emperor’s direction, missionaries in the court compiled two landmark works: Essentials of the Pitch Pipes and Supplement to the Imperially Commissioned Correct Meaning of the Pitch Pipes. These texts—written in Chinese—are among the earliest works on Western music theories in China. Supplement to the Imperially Commissioned Correct Meaning of the Pitch Pipes presents Western music theories and information such as the five-line staff and solfège system, opening the door to a global perspective on music in China and having considerable influences on the country.

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  • Musical Score for the Taoyao Chapter

    In Qinding Shijing Yüepu Quanshu (Imperially Endorsed Complete Musical Scores for the Book of Odes, Vol. 1)
    Compiled on imperial order by Yongrong et al.
    Wuying Palace movable type edition printed in red and black, 1788, Qing dynasty
    故殿021052

    Imperially Endorsed Complete Musical Scores for the Book of Odes, compiled in 30 volumes and completed in 1788, was ordered by Emperor Qianlong to be authored collaboratively by imperial princes and officials of the Ministry of Music. The emperor explicitly instructed that the work was to “establish the proper usage of gong and shang pitches, and draw upon ancient sources for authoritative reference,” ensuring that each Chinese character was matched to a single musical note. Taking the “Taoyao Chapter” as an example, the collection includes individual scores for a range of musical instruments: xiao (including variants such as xuan, chi, and paixiao), dizi (including variants such as sheng), bells (including variants such as qing), qin, and se.

Selections 3

The National Palace Museum houses the Famille-rose Lantern Vases with Ladies Making Music. On the body of the artifact is painted a scene of 12 women in a garden performing music around a dancer. Instruments played include the xiao, di, sheng, clackers, ban drums, xiao ba, yunluo, and sanxian. This depiction closely resembles the Court Version of “Spring Dawn in the Han Palace” handscroll by Sun Hu, Zhou Kun, and Ding Guanpeng in 1741, where the musicians mainly play wind and percussion instruments, and the two people approaching also carry musical instruments. On the vase, however, string instruments are also featured, and the flag-bearing conductor has been replaced with a figure holding an auspicious lantern, adding a celebratory atmosphere.
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