Yellow River in Music

Lu Zhouxiang is Associate Professor within the School of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures at the National University of Ireland Maynooth, Ireland.

Lu Zhouxiang’s book is a remarkably original and stimulating account of the Yellow River as a long-running inspiration for musical creativity throughout the broad span of Chinese history. From early rites to imperial court art songs, and from Buddhist bianwen sung narratives to the Piano Concerto newly arranged during the Cultural Revolution, Lu’s analysis explores a strikingly diverse cross-section of music, persuasively showing how Yellow River themes have continued to embody and project Chinese expressions of nationhood and cultural identity.Jonathan P. J. Stock, Professor of Music, University College Cork and co-editor, The Oxford Handbook of the Music of China and the Chinese Diaspora (2023)From antiquity to the 21st Century, The Yellow River in Music explores the fascinating history of the Yellow River as cultural touchstone for the long duration of China’s history. Focused on the sonic representations of the river, along with other forms of cultural output, the author traces both continuity and change in what has become the iconographic feature of the Chinese landscape – culturally and geographically. A compelling and multi-faceted excursion into how the enduring power of music to shape historical discourses, symbol-making, and ultimately, identities.David A. Pietz, Regents Professor of Modern Chinese History, The University of Arizona

• Chapter 1 IntroductionYellow River-themed music and literatureStructureChapter 2 From Antiquity to the Tang dynastyThe pre-Qin period: Yu the Great, the river god and Book of PoetryHan dynasty Music BureauMilitary-themed lyric poetry in the Three Kingdoms periodNorthern and Southern dynasties: ‘The Ballad of Mulan’ and ‘Yellow River Runs Clear’The Tang golden age of poetry: The Yellow River comes from the skyConclusionChapter 3 The Song, Jin and Yuan dynastiesThe Song dynasty: Zaju, narrative singing and Ci lyricsThe Jin dynasty: The Yellow River and ethnic integrationThe Yuan dynasty: ‘The Yellow River will one day run clear’ConclusionChapter 4 The Ming and Qing golden age of folk song and dramaThe Ming dynastyThe early and high Qing periodThe late Qing period: Yellow River, nationalism and revolutionConclusionChapter 5 The Republic of China Era: Defend the Yellow RiverFive races, one union, by the great rivers and mountainsThe new culture movement – new dramas, new songsThe May Fourth Movement: ‘Rivers and mountains in tears’The March 18 Massacre and the Jinan Incident: ‘The Hard Road’The Japanese invasion of Manchuria: ‘Enemies approaching the Yellow River’The War of Resistance against Japan: ‘Defend the Yellow River’The civil war: ‘Crimson River’ConclusionChapter 6 The Socialist Era: Transform the Yellow River‘Ode to the Motherland’‘We must transform the Yellow River’Yellow River Cantata – revolutionary classic and diplomatic toolThe Anti-Rightist Campaign and the Great Leap Forward: ‘Shake Mountains and Rivers’‘Follow me! Let’s cross the Yellow River!’The cultural revolutionThe post-cultural revolution Era: The fall of Yellow River Piano ConcertoConclusionChapter 7 The Era of reform and opening-up: The Yellow River flows into the oceanThe 1980s: The Great Wall never falls, The Yellow River rolls onThe 1990s: The Yellow River flows into the oceanThe 21st century: The Yellow River is our homeConclusionConclusion: The Yellow River, music and identityThe Yellow River and the making of cultural identity in dynastic ChinaThe Yellow River, music and the formation of modern China