Music of China

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/music-of-china

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Music of China. Small Whale. https://smallwhale.org/articles/music-of-china. Accessed 2026-09-23. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. From the article, write the key traditional instruments:Includes the 'qin' (zither), 'pipa' (lute), 'erhu' (fiddle), and 'dizi' (flute)
2. What is the 'eight sounds' system in Chinese music?It is a way to group instruments by the material they are made from: silk, bamboo, wood, stone, metal, clay, gourd, and skin. It shows how music is connected to nature.
3. Why did Confucianism value music in China?Confucianism believed music could help people become virtuous and keep society harmonious. It was used in ceremonies to teach people how to feel and act in a balanced way.

Confucianism and Music: A philosophical system emphasizing music's role in cultivating virtue, fostering social harmony, and aligning with cosmic order.
Eight Sounds (Bayin): An ancient Chinese classification system for musical instruments based on the material used in their construction.
Peking Opera (Jingju): A highly stylized form of Chinese opera combining singing, dialogue, acting, acrobatics, and martial arts, with symbolic costumes and makeup.
Pentatonic Scale: A five-note musical scale that forms the basis for many melodies in Chinese music, contributing to its characteristic sound.