From Inscriptions to Numerals: An Ancient and Modern Music Notation in China

China has a rich history of music notation systems that date back over 2,000 years. Different notation systems were used to record music for different instruments such as bells and the Guqin stringed instrument. The earliest known examples of music notation in China are inscriptions on musical instruments found in the Tomb of Marquis Yi of Zeng, dating back to 433 B.C. These inscriptions indicated pitches, scales, and transposition. Two systems of pitch nomenclature existed, one for relative pitch and one for absolute pitch, using a solmization system.

The Guqin, a traditional Chinese instrument, has a history of notation that dates back to the 6th or 7th century with the "Wenzi Pu" system. This system used written words to describe how to play a melody step-by-step in Classical Chinese. Later on, a simplified notation called "Jianzi Pu" was invented in the Tang dynasty, which used abbreviated characters to indicate the method of play, known as prescriptive notation. This newer form of Guqin notation only recorded fingering actions and string orders, without indicating pitch and tempo, making it simpler and more flexible for players.

Another music notation system, Gongche notation, was developed during the Tang dynasty, using Chinese characters for the names of the scale. Octave positions were sometimes shown with affixes or small marks. A chromatic scale could be produced by adding the prefixes "gao-" (high) to raise a note or "xia-" (low) to lower it by a semitone. However, "gao-" ceased to be used after the 11th century. Gongche notation was traditionally written vertically from right to left, but horizontal notation is also accepted nowadays. This system was also introduced to Korea and Ryukyu Islands, where it is still used in ancient music and for sanshin.

In the modern era, a system called Jianpu, also known as numbered musical notation, is widely used in China and other East Asian countries like Myanmar (Burma), Japan, and Taiwan. Jianpu uses numbers to represent musical pitches, with the scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 representing the pitches do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, and si respectively. Octave indicators, in the form of dots above or below a numeral, are used to indicate the octave of the note. Key signatures, barlines, and time signatures are also employed in Jianpu, and many symbols from Western standard notation, such as accidentals, ties, slurs, and expression markings, are also used. Bar lines, double bar lines, end bar lines, repeat signs, first- and second-endings look very similar to their counterparts in the standard notation. The ending numbers, though, are usually slightly less than half as big as the numerals representing notes. Additional symbols, such as fingering and other instrument-specific marks, can be written above the numbers.

Jianpu has gained widespread acceptance due to its correspondence with the Chinese music tradition and its compactness for representing monophonic melodies. The monophonic nature of traditional Chinese music makes Jianpu a suitable notation system, as it requires minimal elements to notate monophonic music. However, for complex harmonies and polyphonic music, standard notation with its graphical representation of duration and timing may be more effective.

China has a rich history of music notation systems that date back over 2,000 years. From inscriptions on musical instruments to more modern systems like Jianpu, these notations have allowed musicians to accurately record and share music across generations. While the development of music notation systems has been influenced by other cultures, these systems have been shaped by China's unique musical traditions and continue to be an important part of Chinese music today.

This book includes 54 popular, rhythmic, and easy-to-play folk songs and melodies from all over the world. Since this ebook is aimed at the absolute beginner without any knowledge of reading music, we do not use the classical music staff and do not show the note duration. Each song here is written without classic musical notation but only with circles and numbered notes inside.