Routledge Ritual and Music of North China - Shanxi Shawm Bands

Explore the rare and local musical traditions of rural China through this ethnographic study. Ritual and Music of North China: Shawm Bands in Shanxi examines how music-making functions within village society, focusing on the significant role played by shawm bands during ceremonies. This book provides a detailed look at the social and ceremonial context of these musical groups. Set in a county within the Shanxi province of northwestern China, the research tracks the history of these traditions through major social shifts. You will learn about the maintenance of ceremonial music during the Maoism era, its resurgence following the market reforms of the 1980s, and how these local sounds have changed since the 1990s due to the influence of pop music. As part of the SOAS Studies in Music series, this work serves as a primary resource for understanding the evolution of traditional Chinese music in a changing modern landscape. It offers a unique perspective on how rural communities preserve their musical identity amidst economic and cultural transitions.