MUZI MUZIChinese Matrix

Suona and Drum-and-Wind Bands

A small tune, a big voice

Introduction

The suona, brought in under the Jin and Yuan, and the folk wind bands it leads

The suona is a wind instrument with a double reed, a conical wooden body and a brass bell, also called laba; it reached the Central Plains from Persia and Arabia in the Jin and Yuan periods. By the Ming it was common among the people: Qi Jiguang's Jixiao xinshu says that the army's signal player 'blows the suona'. Wind bands led by the suona, with sheng, guanzi, drums and gongs, play for weddings, funerals and festivals across North, Northeast and Central China, and A Hundred Birds Pay Homage to the Phoenix, from the southwest Shandong bands, became famous after Ren Tongxiang performed it in 1953. Suona art entered the first national intangible heritage list in 2006.

Timeline

Jin and Yuan to present
1200 · OriginIn the Jin and Yuan periods the suona reached the Central Plains from Persia and Arabia and was adapted there; it was also called laba or dachui.1560 · EvolutionBy the Ming the suona was widespread among the people, and Qi Jiguang's Jixiao xinshu records that the army's signal player 'blows the suona', using it for military signals.1953 · EvolutionIn 1953 Ren Tongxiang played the southwest Shandong suona piece A Hundred Birds Pay Homage to the Phoenix at the first national folk music and dance festival, and won a silver medal at the 4th World Festival of Youth and Students the same year.2006 · ImpactIn 2006 Suona art (II-37), with Liaoning drum music and the southwest Shandong and Hebei wind bands, entered the first national list; extension items followed in later batches, and in 2021 Guchui music (II-182) was added.
  1. 1200OriginIn the Jin and Yuan periods the suona reached the Central Plains from Persia and Arabia and was adapted there; it was also called laba or dachui.
  2. 1560EvolutionBy the Ming the suona was widespread among the people, and Qi Jiguang's Jixiao xinshu records that the army's signal player 'blows the suona', using it for military signals.Literature › New Treatise on Military Efficiency
  3. 1953EvolutionIn 1953 Ren Tongxiang played the southwest Shandong suona piece A Hundred Birds Pay Homage to the Phoenix at the first national folk music and dance festival, and won a silver medal at the 4th World Festival of Youth and Students the same year.
  4. 2006ImpactIn 2006 Suona art (II-37), with Liaoning drum music and the southwest Shandong and Hebei wind bands, entered the first national list; extension items followed in later batches, and in 2021 Guchui music (II-182) was added.

Heritage Listings

  1. 2006National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage1st batch · II-37 Suona art · no. 68 · nominated by Qinyang · Henan · and Qingyang · Gansu
  2. 2006National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage1st batch · II-39 Liaoning drum music · II-45 Southwest Shandong guchui music [Jiaxiang · Shandong] · II-55 Hebei guchui music [Yongnian and Funing · Hebei]
  3. 2008National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage, extension itemsII-37 Suona art: Tangshan huachui · Jinbei guchui · Shangdang bayinhui · Shangdang yuehu bands · Dandong drum music · Suimi suona and others · II-45 Southwest Shandong guchui music · Mudan district · Heze
  4. 2014National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage, extension item4th batch · II-37 Suona art [Lingbi Bolin laba] · Lingbi · Anhui
  5. 2021National List of Representative Items of Intangible Cultural Heritage5th batch · II-182 Guchui music [Hailong guchui · Wu family band] · no. 1396 · and II-37 Suona art extension [Zichang suona] · Zichang · Shaanxi