The General's Command

Introduction

A traditional piece kept in both the Shengzhou chuida and Xuzhou guchui traditions

Jiang Jun Ling (The General's Command) is a traditional piece played in wind-and-percussion ensembles in several regions. The national intangible heritage website names it among the main traditional pieces of the Shengzhou chuida ensembles in Zhejiang. In the Xuzhou suona tradition of Jiangsu it is one of the three 'commands', together with Victory Command and Returning Horse Command. A string piece of the same title is found in a score collection of 1814 and was later arranged for pipa. Whether the regional band versions and the string version share one melody has not been established.