An Underground An Underground PalacePalace

The Tomb of Marquis YiThe Tomb of Marquis Yi

Died, 433 BCEDied, 433 BCE

Astonishing discovery in Astonishing discovery in archaeology in 1977archaeology in 1977

Coffin was wood and Coffin was wood and bronze and weighed over bronze and weighed over 7000 pounds (double 7000 pounds (double coffin)coffin)

10 metric tons of bronze 10 metric tons of bronze artifactsartifacts

Furnished with weapons Furnished with weapons and armorand armor

Offerings of food and drink Offerings of food and drink in bronze containersin bronze containers

Many other luxury itemsMany other luxury items Accompanied in death by Accompanied in death by

21 young women (13 were 21 young women (13 were musicians/dancers, 8 were musicians/dancers, 8 were concubines) and a dog in concubines) and a dog in its own coffinits own coffin

Unbelievable wealth and Unbelievable wealth and power power

Model of the tomb layoutModel of the tomb layout

Aerial Photograph of the excavation

Apparently an important Apparently an important man…man…

Two distinct musical Two distinct musical instrument instrument ensembles, with ensembles, with more than 30 more than 30 instrumentsinstruments

Strings, winds, Strings, winds, drums, stone chimes, drums, stone chimes, andand

65 tuned bronze bells65 tuned bronze bells Musically very Musically very

sophisticated for the sophisticated for the ancient worldancient world Bianzhong- 65 bronze bells

““orchestra”orchestra” The bells needed 5 The bells needed 5

playersplayers Were struck with Were struck with

wooden malletswooden mallets Each bell has two Each bell has two

tones, depending on tones, depending on whether it is struck on whether it is struck on the center or the sidethe center or the side

This is apparently This is apparently possible because the possible because the bells have an almond bells have an almond shaped cross sectionshaped cross section

5 octave range, with 5 octave range, with inscriptions detailing inscriptions detailing the notationthe notation

Se, qin, zhu were Se, qin, zhu were stringed instruments stringed instruments in the tomb;in the tomb;

Flutes, xiao, and Flutes, xiao, and sheng sheng

Sheng was made from Sheng was made from one piece of woodone piece of wood

Jiangnan Sizhu (province) Jiangnan Sizhu (province) Silk and bamboo musicSilk and bamboo music

Jiangnan (Changjiang) is the Jiangnan (Changjiang) is the Chinese name for the Yangtze Chinese name for the Yangtze RiverRiver

Two major categories of musicTwo major categories of music The instruments are winds The instruments are winds

and strings which are struck, and strings which are struck, bowed, or pluckedbowed, or plucked

Marco Polo called this area “Venice of the East”

Quote from text, p. 377Quote from text, p. 377 ““Jiangnan sizhu music Jiangnan sizhu music

used to be played by used to be played by hired instrumentalists hired instrumentalists at weddings and in at weddings and in local opera but it is local opera but it is better known as an better known as an amateur music today, amateur music today, most typically … in tea most typically … in tea shops…”shops…”

““In China, the skills of In China, the skills of professional performers professional performers have always been have always been appreciated, but music appreciated, but music professionals professionals themselves were themselves were typically held in low typically held in low esteem before the esteem before the twentieth century, twentieth century, which meant that which meant that amateur musicians amateur musicians wanted to learn the wanted to learn the music but not be taken music but not be taken for professionals.”for professionals.”

Zhou Zhuang (city in Jiangnan Zhou Zhuang (city in Jiangnan Sizhu province)Sizhu province)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwmCzfTcaZ8v=kwmCzfTcaZ8

Sometimes the mixing of cultures works Sometimes the mixing of cultures works better than others….ahem….better than others….ahem….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1I3k2sOiCMv=o1I3k2sOiCM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Du85p5PAW1ov=Du85p5PAW1o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myiSnTwOPDQ&feature=relatedv=myiSnTwOPDQ&feature=related

Ancient Chinese categories of Ancient Chinese categories of musical instrumentsmusical instruments

Silk (strings)Silk (strings) Bamboo (flutes)Bamboo (flutes) Metal (bells)Metal (bells) Stone (tuned chimes)Stone (tuned chimes) Gourds (hollowed out)Gourds (hollowed out) Earth (clay ocarinas)Earth (clay ocarinas) Leather or Skin (drums)Leather or Skin (drums) Wood (clappers)Wood (clappers) FABULOUS LECTURE FROM THE MET IN NEW FABULOUS LECTURE FROM THE MET IN NEW

YORK (37 minutes)YORK (37 minutes) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gP5y-E72Wohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gP5y-E72Wo

Music to accompany the Music to accompany the fabulous lecture from the Metfabulous lecture from the Met

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-Y4ncLy9LA&feature=channelY4ncLy9LA&feature=channel

(1 hour 15 minutes or so)(1 hour 15 minutes or so)

Examples of traditional Examples of traditional instrumentsinstruments

Qin: Qin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3Ukmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3Ukm37HbE037HbE0

Pipa: Pipa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6vc-sshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6vc-ss6V4c&feature=related6V4c&feature=related

Sheng:Sheng: http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?vwww.youtube.com/watch?v==

QCjFgpw_Fvc&featureQCjFgpw_Fvc&feature=related=related (traditional) (traditional) http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?vwww.youtube.com/watch?v

=GndoDa0nBl0&feature=related=GndoDa0nBl0&feature=related (modern) (modern)

ErhuErhu

http://whttp://www.amww.amazon.coazon.com/Erhum/Erhu-Chines-Chinese-Violine-Violin-Bow-C-Bow-Case/dp/ase/dp/B001C9B001C9DXMADXMA

http://www.yohttp://www.youtube.com/watutube.com/watch?v=L_K54nEch?v=L_K54nEqfSo&feature=qfSo&feature=relatedrelated

http://http://www.youtube.www.youtube.com/watch?vcom/watch?v=6V9JinlbpHw=6V9JinlbpHw

Sheng

Pipa

Qin

Google and ChinaGoogle and China

Nicholas Kristof of the NY TimesNicholas Kristof of the NY Times http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/

2010/03/24/china-and-google/2010/03/24/china-and-google/