Music in China

Today I talk about music in China in 20th century. Also I want to introduce some Chinese national music, Chinese traditional opera.

 Because of the New Culture Movement in 1910s and 1920s, a number of Chinese musicians returned from studying abroad to perform Western classical music. The Kuomintang tried to sponsor modern music adoptions via the Shanghai Conservatory of Music despite the ongoing political crisis. Twentieth-century cultural philosophers like Xiao Youmei, Cai Yuanpei, Feng Zikai and Wang Guangqi wanted to see Chinese music adopted to the best standard possible. There were many different opinions regarding the best standard.
A Famous Song in 1920 in Shanghai.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adZTK8tCL3s

Next I talk about Peking opera. I just want to show you more and more Chinese culture.

Peking opera or Beijing opera is a form of traditional Chinese theatre which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics. It arose in the late 18th century and became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century. The form was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty court and has come to be regarded as one of the cultural treasures of China. Major performance troupes are based in Beijing and Tianjin in the north, and Shanghai in the south. The art form is also preserved in Taiwan, where it is known as Guoju. It has also spread to other countries such as the United States and Japan.
Peking opera features four main types of performers. Performing troupes often have several of each variety, as well as numerous secondary and tertiary performers. With their elaborate and colorful costumes, performers are the only focal points on Peking opera's characteristically sparse stage. They utilize the skills of speech, song, dance, and combat in movements that are symbolic and suggestive, rather than realistic. Above all else, the skill of performers is evaluated according to the beauty of their movements. Performers also adhere to a variety of stylistic conventions that help audiences navigate the plot of the production. The layers of meaning within each movement must be expressed in time with music. The music of Peking opera can be divided into the Xipi and Erhuang styles. Melodies include arias, fixed-tune melodies, and percussion patterns. The repertoire of Peking opera includes over 1,400 works, which are based on Chinese history, folklore, and, increasingly, contemporary life.
 Peking opera was denounced as 'feudalistic' and 'bourgeois' during the Cultural Revolution, and replaced with the eight revolutionary model operas as a means of propaganda and indoctrination. After the Cultural Revolution, these transformations were largely undone. In recent years, Peking opera has attempted numerous reforms in response to sagging audience numbers. These reforms, which include improving performance quality, adapting new performance elements, and performing new and original plays, have met with mixed success.

The Vedio of Peking opera
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2shLJc4Z_Yk

Chinese national music

Guoyue is a modernized form of Chinese traditional music written or adapted for some form of grand presentation, usually through a large orchestra of Chinese instruments. It was created in mainland China beginning in the early 20th century and is frequently broadcast on radio and television in the People's Republic of China. It is also the primary form of Chinese music taught in conservatories in China, as well as in Taiwan and Singapore.

Style:

 Patriotic Songs
 Guoyue patriotic songs ensembles range from chamber groups to quite large orchestras which are led by a conductor. Orchestral guoyue compositions are often arranged in concerto-like form, for solo instrument and orchestra, and often incorporate some use of Western harmony.
 Usually it combines traditional instruments with western ones. Like in The East is Red, melodies of traditional instruments like erhu and sheng are combined with western ones such as Violin and trumpets.

Revolutionary songs
 Agiven patriotic song can be performed for a revolutionary cause. Sometimes compositions are done to reflect a legacy. An example is compositions by Zhang Guangtian's (張廣天) in 1993 idolizing the Cultural Revolution. The lyrics did get censored by the government to some degree for being too extreme. But it demonstrates how far the lyrics can go.

 Chinese national music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p5FXd5qOFI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKIF6vkPC8E

Last, I will show you some music that we listen now.

Pop music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URz-wKttvWQ

Chinese Rulers and Government in 18th Century

In our group Yunfei Hua and I choose to talk about Chinese rulers and government in 18th century. Yunfei Hua will talk about government and politics and I will talk about rulers.
In 18th century China was in Qing Dynasty. In my speech I will talk about three great emperors, Kangxi Emperor, Yongzheng Emperor and Qianlong Emperor.

Kangxi Emperor

 The Kangxi Emperor  was the fourth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, the first to be born on Chinese soil south of the Pass (Beijing) and the second Qing emperor to rule over China proper, from 1661 to 1722.

 Kangxi's reign of 61 years makes him the longest-reigning Chinese emperor in history (although his grandson, the Qianlong Emperor, had the longest period of de facto power) and one of the longest-reigning rulers in the world. However, having ascended the throne at the age of seven, he was not the effective ruler until later, with that role temporarily fulfilled for six years by four regents and his grandmother, the Grand Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang.

 Kangxi is considered one of China's greatest emperors. He suppressed the Revolt of the Three Feudatories, forced the Kingdom of Tungning on Taiwan to submit to Qing rule, blocked Tzarist Russia on the Amur River and expanded the empire in the northwest. He also accomplished such literary feats as the compilation of the Kangxi Dictionary.

 Kangxi's reign brought about long-term stability and relative wealth after years of war and chaos. He initiated the period known as the "Prosperous Era of Kangxi and Qianlong", which lasted for generations after his own lifetime. By the end of his reign, the Qing Empire controlled all of China proper, Taiwan, Manchuria, part of the Russian Far East　(Outer Manchuria), both Inner and Outer Mongolia, Tibet proper, and Joseon Korea as a protectorate.

He had 24 sons and 20 daughters.

Yongzheng Emperor

The Yongzheng Emperor was the fifth emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty and the third Qing emperor from 1722 to 1735. A hard-working ruler, Yongzheng's main goal was to create an effective government at minimal expense. Like his father, the Kangxi Emperor, Yongzheng used military force to preserve the dynasty's position. Suspected by historians to have usurped the throne, his reign was known as despotic, efficient, and vigorous.

Although Yongzheng's reign was much shorter than the reigns of both his father (the Kangxi Emperor) and his son (the Qianlong Emperor), his sudden death was probably brought about by a heavy workload. Yongzheng continued an era of peace and prosperity; he cracked down on corruption and waste, and reformed the financial administration.

He has 10 sons and 7daughters.

Qianlong Emperor

The Qianlong Emperor was the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. The fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor, he reigned officially from 11 October 1735 to 8 February 1796. On 8 February, he abdicated in favor of his son, the Jiaqing Emperor – a filial act in order not to reign longer than his grandfather, the illustrious Kangxi Emperor. Despite his retirement, however, he retained ultimate power until his death in 1799. Although his early years saw the continuation of an era of prosperity in China, his final years saw troubles at home and abroad converge on the Qing Empire.

Hongli was adored both by his grandfather, the Kangxi Emperor and his father, the Yongzheng Emperor. Some historians argue that the main reason why Kangxi Emperor appointed Yongzheng as his successor was because Qianlong was his favourite grandson. He felt that Hongli's mannerisms were very close to his own. As a teenager he was very capable in martial arts, and possessed a high literary ability.

He had 17 sons and 7 daughters.

Assignment for The Poets and Writers of the 20th Century

Last class I talked about the roles of women and men in society 18th century in China. In this class I choose to talk about the poets and writers of the 20th Century in China. In this class I can learn some Germanic culture, but I come from China, and I want to introduce some Chinese to my classmates.

From 1990 to 2000, China had many famous poets and writers. Today I want to introduce a great Chinese writer. His name was Lu Xun.

Lu Xun or Lu Hsün, was the pen name of Zhou Shuren (September 25, 1881 – October 19, 1936) is one of the major Chinese writers of the 20th century. Considered by many to be the leading figure of modern Chinese literature, he wrote in baihua (the vernacular) as well as classical Chinese. Lu Xun was a short story writer, editor, translator, critic, essayist and poet. In the 1930s he became the titular head of the Chinese League of the Left-Wing Writers in Shanghai.
Lu Xun's works exerted a very substantial influence after the May Fourth Movement to such a point that he was highly acclaimed by the Communist regime after 1949. Mao Zedong himself was a lifelong admirer of Lu Xun's works. Though sympathetic to the ideals of the Left, Lu Xun never actually joined the Chinese Communist Party. Like many leaders of the May Fourth Movement, he was primarily a liberal.

Early Life:
Born in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province, Lu Xun was first named Zhou Zhangshou, then Zhou Yucai, and finally himself took the name of Shùrén, figuratively, "to be an educated man".
 The Shaoxing Zhou family was very well-educated, and his paternal grandfather Zhou Fuqing held posts in the Hanlin Academy; Zhou's mother, née Lu, taught herself to read. However, after a case of bribery was exposed – in which Zhou Fuqing tried to procure an office for his son, Lu Xun's father, Zhou Boyi – the family fortunes declined. Zhou Fuqing was arrested and almost beheaded. Meanwhile, a young Zhou Shuren was brought up by an elderly servant Ah Chang, whom he called Chang Ma; one of Lu Xun's favorite childhood books was the Classic of mountains and seas.

Education:
Lu Xun was educated at Jiangnan Naval Academy (1898–99), and later transferred to the School of Mines and Railways at Jiangnan Military Academy. It was there Lu Xun had his first contacts with Western learning, especially the sciences; he studied some German and English, reading, amongst some translated books, Huxley's Evolution and Ethics, J. S. Mill's On Liberty, as well as novels like Ivanhoe and Uncle Tom's Cabin.
 On a Qing government scholarship, Lu Xun left for Japan in 1902. He first attended the Kobun Gakuin a preparatory language school for Chinese students attending Japanese universities. His earliest essays, written in Classical Chinese, date from here. Lu also practised some jujutsu.

In Sendai:
Lu Xun left for Sendai Medical Academy in 1904 and gained a minor reputation there as the first foreign student of the college. At the school he struck up a close student-mentor relationship with lecturer Fujino Genkurou; Lu Xun would recall his mentor respectfully and affectionately in an essay "Mr Fujino" in the memoirs in Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk. (Incidentally, Fujino would repay the respect with an obituary essay on Lu Xun's death, in 1937.) However, in March 1906, Lu Xun abruptly terminated his pursuit of the degree and left the college.

Lu Xun, in his well-known Preface to Nahan (Call to Arms), the first collection of his short stories, tells the story of why he gave up completing his medical education at Sendai. One day after class, one of his Japanese instructors screened a lantern slide documenting the imminent execution of an alleged Chinese spy during the Russo-Japanese War (1904–05). Lu Xun was shocked by the complete apathy of the Chinese onlookers; he decided it was more important to cure his compatriots' spiritual ills rather than their physical diseases.

Works:

Stories
•from 《呐喊》 Call to Arms (1922)◦狂人日记 "A Madman's Diary" (1918)
◦孔乙己 "Kong Yiji" (1919)
◦药 "Medicine" (1919)
◦明天 "Tomorrow" (1920)
◦一件小事 "An Incident" (1920)
◦头发的故事 "The Story of Hair" (1920)
◦风筝 "Kite" (1925)
◦风波 "Storm in a Teacup" (1920)
◦故乡 "Hometown" (1921)
◦阿Q正传 "The True Story of Ah Q" (1921)
◦端午节 "The Double Fifth Festival" (1922)
◦白光 "The White Light" (1922)
◦兔和猫 "The Rabbits and the Cat" (1922)
◦鸭的喜剧 "The Comedy of the Ducks" (1922)
◦社戏 "Village Opera" (1922)
◦"New Year Sacrifice" (1924)

•from《彷徨》"Wandering"◦祝福 Well Wishes(1924)
◦在酒楼上 In the Drinking House (1924)
◦幸福的家庭 A Happy Family (1924)
◦肥皂 Soap (1924)
◦长明灯 The Eternal Flame (1924)
◦示众 Public Exhibition (1925)
◦高老夫子 Old Mr. Gao (1925)
◦孤独者 Dictator (1925)
◦伤逝 Sadness
◦弟兄 Brothers
◦离婚 Divorce (1925)

•from《故事新编》"Old Tales Retold" (1935)◦补天 Mending Heaven (1935)
◦奔月 The Flight to the Moon (1926)
◦理水 Curbing the Flood (1935)
◦采薇 Gathering Vetch (1935)
◦铸剑 Forging the Swords (1926)
◦出关 Going out (1935)
◦怀旧 Leaving the Pass (1935)
◦非攻 Opposing Aggression (1934)
◦起死 Resurrect the Dead (1935)

 Essays
•我之节烈观 My Views on Chastity (1918)
•我们现在怎么做父亲 What is Required to be a Father Today (1919)
•Knowledge is a Crime (1919)
•说胡须 My Moustache (1924)
•看镜有感 Thoughts Before the Mirror (1925)
•On Deferring Fair Play (1925)

 Collections
•《呐喊》 Call to Arms (Na han) (1923)
•《彷徨》 Wandering (Pang huang) (1925)
•《中国小说史略》 Brief History of Chinese Fiction (Zhongguo xiaoshuo shilüe) (1925) a substantial study of pre-modern Chinese literature
•《故事新编》 Old Tales Retold (Gu shi xin bian) (1935)
•《野草》 Wild Grass (Ye cao) （1927）
•《朝花夕拾》 Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk (Zhao hua xi shi)（1932） a collection of essays about his youth

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lu_Xun

The roles of women and men in society 18th century

I come from China, so at first I want to talk about the roles of  women and men in society 18th century in China. In 18th century, China was at Qing Dynasty. At that time, women had no rights. Men always were more powerful than women, and men always had rights.

Life:
Men always ate first. Women could not eat with men at same time at one table. Women always ate after men.
Men always went to work, and made money for his family. Women always stay at home, and did all housework. Women never went out for working. Men did not took care for children. Women always took care for the children at home.

Education:
Only men could go to school for studying. If women wanted to learn knowledge, they stay home, and read some books.
Only men could took test. Women could not took any test.

Government and politics:
Only men could work in the government. Only men could took the test for government.
Women could not work in the government. Women never talked something about politics, and never join some politics activities.

Marriage:
Men could marry several women. Only men could allow to divorce.