West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1880-03-20
A Strange Music.

Uncle Herbert talk about the strange music
ot China. Mother brought in her sewing.
and improved her mind and the children's
stockings at the same time. But Maud and
Arthur sat on the lounge. one on each side
OF Uncle Herbert, devoting their entire at
tention to him.
81 suppose we ought to begin ut the be-
ginning" said he, "since Chinese music is
said to have been invented by person
whom you have often read about. He was
Emperor Of China about 1850 B c., or
nearely 5000 years ago. The Chinese call
ed him Flo Hi, but some of our people sup
pose that he really was Noah, who lived
about that time. The Chinese also hold
that much of their music was brought 10
them from heaven by bird which they
named the 'Foang- Hoang. This was suppos-
ed TO be a very fortunate bird. which never
appeared anywhere else but in China, and
whenever 1t came, il brought good luck
with IL. II appeared whenever good emf
peror was born, and its nest is wrapped in
mystery, for no one knew where il dwelt. :"
"Why, that's something like the Phoenix,
that the Greeks used TO believe in,n said
Maud.
eyes, there is a resemblance; perhaps the
Greeks borr owed their bird from the Chi
nese one. This bird appeared with its mate,
when Ling Lun, by the order of the En-
peror Hoang-Ti, was making his frs, i'm
ventions in music. Ii sang to him in six
tones, while its mate also used six different
ones, making a scale obtaining twelve
notes. just like our chromatic scale. But
the Chinese only use five of these, and call
the others female tones. In China, every
thing female is thought to be useless"
Haven't they got topsy-turvy ideas :"
said Maud
''Well, in this case they are open to that
suspicion. The singing of the 'Toang-
Hoang was such beautiful music that il
caused absolute goodness in every one who
heard ii, and its songs had the beautiful
name of 'Isie-ven, Temperance and
Mercy After Hoang-Ti, came AN emperor
named Chao- Hao, who invented new
mode of marking time. He had large drums
beat at various hours of the night, to tell
what o'clock II was; he composed. also,
many songs The earliest emperors all
studied music, but it was with a view of
teaching their subjects good manners and
morals. The songs were sometimes only
directions when to plant seeds, how TO
catch fish, how to behave in company, and
so on. Sometimes, the words are TO keep
ehN NbAHSAbi III nus, one De-
gins; The breeze of midday brings
warmth and dispels sorrow; may it be the
same with Chun, may he be the Joy and
consolation of bis people,
Another emperor, -Yu, the great,
used musical instruments for a very good
purpose. He placed before his palace n
large and small bell, a drum, gong, and
u tambourine, and any person having bust
with him would h. I'd,
ing one of these. BY the various sounds
he could tell, before seeing him. the ma
ture of his visitors business. The large
bell means that the person was coming TO
complain of injustice; the small one was
for private visitors; the drum told that the
business was about the manners or customs
OF the empire; the gong, of public misfor-
tune; the tambouIine asked for the emper-
or's judgement in regard to some crime.
China possessed some very patriotic songs
at this ancient date, and when, at a latter
period (245. b. G. a usurper won the throne.
he was more afraid of the music than of ANY,
thing else. He thought that by reminding
the pc pie of their good emperors, they
would be encouraged to resist him. So he
had the ancient bookssburned, and tried to
destroy the works of the great philosopher.
Confusius. All the instruments of music
were broken up and new ones made and in
every way he tried to root out all the old
songs and tunes. Those who tried to con-
ceal anything were punished with death.
Ard yet, many people risked their lives i'm
hiding their instruments and books i'm the
walls OF houses and in the ground
What monster he must have beenl~
said Maud.
mot In all respects; he built the great
wall of China, which was good thing for
the country" replied Uncle Herbert.
"But did the Chinese have many books
about musici" inquired Arthur
They had and have more than any
other nation. They have whole libraries
of musical books. In the library of Pekin.
there are four hundred and eighty-two
strictly musical books, and hundreds which
are partially musical. i don't mean books
OF music, but histories and essays. Hun
dreds of years after Tchi-chi "a. ID. 64O).
the Emperor Taytsung searched vigorously
Tor the books and musical instruments
which had been buried and concealed, and
tired to recover some of the old style of
music. He didn't succeed altogether.
and the Chinese have very little of their
ancient music nowadays They think that
the Old music must have Leen very beauti-
iul, and use at their greatest feasts what
ever they have OF il"
But what instruments do they usel"
asked The mother "Aro they all like oursg'
That Is the most curious part Of all. In
their instruments they seem to have antici-
pated the invention of many OF our instru-
ments, by some thousands Of years. but.
having once invented them, they never seem
10 have tired TO perfect them. II il charac-
teristic OF these people to pauseat the TIRES
hold OF great discoveries. Take the orpan
Tor example, the Chinese knew the princi
pie OF the reed-organ :, 800 years ago. and
to-day know no more than they did then"
What Is their organ likef" eagerly ask
ed Arthur.
IN show you. But don't expect 10 Gee
large church-OTgan. And Uncle Herbert
went up stairs 10 bis room, whence he i'm
mediately returned with bundle Of papers.
"Here is drawing Of the Chinese organ
or cheng. il has usually twenty four pipes
OF bamboo, which are inserted i'm the eourd
OF calabash. in each Of these pipes IS a
rted OF tongue " gold or copper. which. liz
It's vibration, causes the sound. az i'm our
cabinet organs; beneath this reed hole il
made in the bamboo, and when this hole il
left open the air rushcs cut through IL with
out making any sound. but when IL is clos
"a, by placing finger upon &C, the breath
- forced mp the tube, compelling the reed
To vibratc, and give out an agreeable