Chapter 65 Wang Guangqi/Pioneer of Modern Music

When it comes to music in modern China, one cannot fail to mention Wang Guangqi. Wang Guangqi (1891-1936), musicologist and social activist.The style name is Runyu, and the pen name is Ruoyu.A native of Wenjiang District, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province. In 1920, he went to Germany to study and studied political economy. In 1923, he transferred to study music. In 1927, he entered Berlin University to specialize in musicology.His research is the first of its kind in oriental folk music, and his representative works include "History of Chinese Music", "Music of Oriental Peoples", "On the Evolution of European Music", "On Chinese Classical Opera" and so on.

Wang Guangqi had a strong interest in music since he was a child. In the first year of the Xuantong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1909), he was admitted to Class C of the Chengdu Sichuan Higher School. He was good friends with Li Jieren, Zhou Taixuan, Wei Shizhen, Guo Moruo, Zeng Qi, and Li Huang. In 1914, he was admitted to Beijing China University to study law.After graduation, he worked as a reporter and editor in Beijing, met Li Dazhao, Chen Duxiu and others, and actively engaged in social activities. After the "May 4th" Movement, many people are trying to explore the way to transform and revitalize China. In April 1920, Wang Guangqi went to Frankfurt, Germany to study political economy. In the winter of 1922, he changed his studies to music theory and music history, engaged in music theory research, and tried to achieve his goal of saving the country by studying music.He declared: "I will climb to the top of Kunlun and play the melody of the yellow bell, so as to re-boil the inherent musical blood of the Chinese people." In June 1934, he received a doctorate in musicology from the University of Bonn with the article "On Chinese Classical Opera", becoming the earliest in my country. A musicologist who won honor for his country in Europe.

During his sixteen years in Europe, he wrote a series of important works in the field of modern musicology: "History of Chinese Music", "Research on Eastern and Western Music Systems", "Music of Oriental Peoples", "Chinese Poems and Music", "Translation of Piano Scores" Research", etc. On January 12, 1936, Wang Guangqi became ill from overwork and suffered a sudden cerebral hemorrhage and died in Bonn at the age of forty-four. On the one hand, Wang Guangqi studied and studied Western music extensively and introduced them to China.On the one hand, actively introduce Chinese music culture to foreign countries.One of the major goals he pursued in musicology research is to promote the creation of China's "national music", advocating the establishment of a national music system based on the music and cultural traditions of the nation.He believes: "What is 'national music'? It is a kind of music that can carry forward the upward spirit of the nation, and its value is recognized by the international community at the same time." ', and this kind of national music is to be built on the ancient music of our country and today's folk ballads. Because these two things are our 'national voice'." "The responsibility of this kind of national music, It is to express the fundamental spirit of the Chinese nation, so that ordinary people will dance and aspire to make progress." These words are still very correct from today's perspective.

After Wang Guangqi passed away, the University of Bonn held a memorial service for him.The sad news spread back to China, and Nanjing, Shanghai, Chengdu and other places, as well as his hometown Wenjiang, held grand memorial services for him.At the memorial service in Nanjing, Cai Yuanpei delivered a eulogy speech, and Xu Beihong painted a portrait of Wang Guangqi.Various newspapers in Chengdu published mourning articles. In 1938, Wang Guangqi's ashes were transported back to Chengdu from Bonn by his former friends. In the winter of 1941, Li Jieren buried Wang Guangqi's ashes at the side of Lingjiaoyan, Shahebao, in the eastern suburbs of Chengdu. In 1983, Sichuan Conservatory of Music moved its tombstone to the courtyard and built a memorial pavilion.

He is the pioneer of ethnomusicology in our country.