| Description |
Xi’an wind and percussion ensemble, which has been played for more than a millennium in China’s ancient capital of Xi’an, in Shaanxi Province, is a type of music integrating drums and wind instruments, sometimes with a male chorus. The content of the verses is mostly related to local life and religious belief and the music is mainly played on religious occasions such as temple fairs or funerals. |
| Social and cultural significance |
Xi’an drum music still applies the recording method of music score of Tang Dynasty and Song Dynasty which is one of the oldest music score recording methods, almost every wind and percussion association keeps handwritten copies, altogether 150 copies preserved at present.
There are over 3000 repertoires in existence at present, over 1100 of which have been sorted out and contain colorful repertoires and music scores which are of artistic and historical value, such as tunes of Tang and Song Dynasties after 9th Century, court banquet music, music house’s grand music, religious singing, music of traditional opera and folk vocal art, and folk tones. |
| Transmission method |
The music can be divided into two categories, ‘sitting music’ and ‘walking music’, with the latter also including the singing of the chorus. Marching drum music used to be performed on the emperor’s trips, but has now become the province of farmers and is played only in open fields in the countryside. The drum music band is composed of thirty to fifty members, including peasants, teachers, retired workers, students and others. The music has been transmitted from generation to generation through a strict master-apprentice mechanism. |
| Community |
Lianhu Distict, Chang’an District, Beilin District and Zhouzhi District in Xi’an City.
Wind and percussion association of the City God’s Temple (Lianhu District, Xi’an); Wind and percussion association of He Jiaying (Chang’an District, Xi’an); Wind and percussion association of Nan Jixian Eastern Village (Zhouzhi County, Xi’an); Wind and percussion association of Nan Jixian Western Village (Zhouzhi County, Xi’an); Wind and percussion association of Dongcang (Beilin District, Xi’an); Wind and percussion association of Da Jichang (Beilin District, Xi’an).
Representative inheritors: Zhao Gengchen(1917), Gu Jingzhao (1946), Tian Zhonghe (1943). |
| Type of UNESCO List |
Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity |
| Incribed year in UNESCO List |
2009 |
