Abstract

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Title:: Shifting from Music to Emotion in the Theory of Gongdiao in Yuanquand Historical-Cultural Causes for This Change

Keywords:: yuanqu; gongdiao as a musical notion; gongdiao as a performing notion; disorder in melodies

Abstract:: Before the Yuan Dynasty，all the discussions of gongdiao 宫调（literally pitch and tone in ancientChinese music）belonged to the category of music theory. However，after yuanqu 元曲（a type of musicalpoetry and drama in the Yuan Dynasty） became popular，scholars began to pay particular attention to theemotional implications of gongdiao when yuanqu was accepted as a form of performing arts，thus leading tothe recognition of gongdiao as a notion of performing rather than music proper. This change was due to thefollowing factors. Frequent wars in the Jin and the subsequent Yuan dynasties and the southward invasionof the northern ethnic minorities seriously damaged the system of rites and music of the Song Dynasty andcaused the fusion of the arts of various ethnic groups，leading to the formation of the unique style of yuanqu.During this process，no unified standard was formed because melodies from various ethnic groups differedgreatly from each other. In addition，at that time，melodies received insufficient attention，the patterns oftones of the traditional music had been lost，the order sustained by the traditional rites and music were greatlydisturbed，and the elegant music and folk music were integrated into each other. All this diverted the musictheorists from focusing on the musical aspect of gongdiao to its emotional styles.