Chapter 12 Chapter Three

Another early official music education institution in Chinese history after the court "Dasi Yue" in the Zhou Dynasty was "Yuefu".The Yuefu institution was first built in the Qin Dynasty, and the word "Yuefu" in seal script was engraved on the side of the small silver bell unearthed from the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang in 1977 (Figure 14).By the Han Dynasty, the palace music institution followed the Qin Yuefu system and carried out large-scale expansion and reconstruction. Since then, this department that concentrates various musical talents has collected folk music, filled in lyrics according to the song, created and adapted tunes, arranged instrumental accompaniment and sang. A series of music practice work such as instrumental music performance.

The music programs created and rehearsed by the Han Yuefu are mainly used in palace banquets, sacrifices, ceremonies, indoor entertainment and military exercises.The material comes from folk music, which has very prominent characteristics of folk music. "Hanshu·Liyuezhi" said: Yuefu "collected poems and recited them at night, including Zhao, Dai, Qin, and Chu"; "Suishu·Music Zhi" also said: Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty used Yuefu's music sacrifices, "quite miscellaneous Acura ballads, not all Yash."The genres of music rehearsed by the Yuefu are also quite diverse. Among them, the songs that have a greater influence on later generations are "Xianghege" accompanied by silk and bamboo bands; "Daqu" that combines singing, dancing and instrumental music; "Advocacy Music" to aid etiquette; "San Yue Bai Xi" which combines music, dance, acrobatics and juggling.

A series of music practice activities in the Han Yuefu not only promoted the rapid development of Chinese traditional music culture in the Han and Wei dynasties, but also had a profound impact on the music composition of the later era. When talking about the musical achievements and influence of the Han Yuefu, one cannot fail to mention Li Yannian, the leader of the Yuefu and a musician who served as the music official of the "Xielu Duwei" at that time.Li Yannian (?—about 90 BC), was born in Zhongshan (now Dingzhou, Hebei). Most of his parents and brothers were musicians by profession.When Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty entered the palace, he became a dog-raising eunuch after being corrupted.Her younger sister was very talented in singing and dancing, so she was favored by Emperor Wu and was named Mrs. Li.Li Yannian was also appointed as the "Captain of Xie Lv" in charge of Yuefu music because of his outstanding musical talent.He was ordered to compose tunes and accompaniment for the lyrics written by dozens of people including Sima Xiangru, a famous literati at that time, and composed 19 songs of "Songs of Suburbs".He also rewritten the Hu song "Mahadule" brought back by Zhang Qian from the Western Regions into 28 horizontal blowing songs for military honor guard occasions.His music creation is not rigid and conservative, but very innovative. Most of the repertoires are "new sounds and changes", so he often moves the listeners deeply.Some of his works have been handed down to the Jin Dynasty hundreds of years later and were still played.

Li Yannian's music activities and his works have made great contributions to the prosperity and development of Yuefu music.There are brief records of his life story and works in "Han Shu", "Historical Records", "Jin Shu" and other historical documents.