Chinese

by
Chet-Yeng Loong, Ph.D.

INTRODUCTION

REPERTOIRE

CHILDREN LITERATURE

LINKS

Being in harmony with nature, Chinese music is mainly pentatonic, avoiding the dissonance of the minor second; heterophonic, avoiding the tension of harmony. The notes that make up the Chinese pentatonic scale are do-re-mi-so-la. In the Chinese schools, the melodic sequence starts with the first three notes of the pentatonic scale, do-re-mi, is strongly based on the tonic.

Chinese singing games also usually reflect the lyrics of folk repertoire. Chinese dances are usually performed for different festivals--the dance of happiness, the dance of spring, and the dance of Chinese New Year, for example. These dances render a happy mood and a gay, carefree atmosphere. The feet usually carry the beat and the hands reflect the messages.

The vocal technique that is used in China is quite different from the Western technique. The Chinese usually sing nasally. Even head voice singing should still be taught in the classroom; nonetheless, the repertoire of each culture should be sung with its authentic vocal timbre.

Greeting in Chinese: Ni hao (you are good)
Video (Listen to a bird at Shanghai Conservatory of Music saying Ni hao)

Thank you: Xie Xie
Good-bye: Jai Jian

Counting in Chinese

one
two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nine
ten

yi
er
san
si
wu
liu
qi
ba
jiao
shur

Counting in Chinese (with fingers)

One corner two corners - Hand Clapping Game
In Chinese , "corner" is pronounced the same as "cent."
Audio (the whole chant)

Yi jiao liang jiao san jiao xing

One corner, two corners, three triangle

Si jiao wu jiao liu jiao ban

Four cents, five cents, six and a half

Qi jiao ba jiao jiu jiao

Seven cents, eight cents, nine cents

Ling ling wei wei, yi er san

Ring ring, "way way" (means Hello), one two three

We played this game when we were kids in Malaysia, I think the kids made up the words.

Two fire flies (finger plays)
Two fire flies meet each other
and they fly away
Audio - Mandarin
Audio - Cantonese
Video (with my niece, Ming Ming in Malaysia)

Teeny Tiny Thumbkins (Words - echo; Whole chant)
Yi zhi xiao zhi tou ya, yi zhi xiao zhi tou ya
Teeny tiny thumbkins, Teeny tiny thumbkins
Bian ya bian bian ya bian Turn turn turn, Turn turn turn
Bian cheng le xiao mao chong Turn into a caterpillar
Liang zhi xiao zhi tou ya, liang zhi xiao zhi tou ya
My two little fingers, my two little fingers
Bian ya bian bian ya bian Turn turn turn, Turn turn turn
Bian cheng le xiao bai tu Turn into a small rabbit
San zhi xuai zhi tou ya, san zhi xiao zhi tou ya
My three little fingers, my three little fingers
Bian ya bian bian ya bian Turn turn turn, Turn turn turn
Bian cheng le hua hu die Turn into a butterfly
Si zhi xiao zhi tou ya, si zhi xiao zhi tou ya
My four little fingers, my four lit-tle fingers
Bian ya bian bian ya bian Turn turn turn, Turn turn turn
Bian cheng le xiao hua mao Turn into a cute fat cat
Wu shi xiao zhi tou ya, wu zhi xiao zhi tou ya
My five little fingers, my five little fingers
Bian ya bian bian ya bian Turn turn turn, Turn turn turn
Bian heng le da lao hu Turn into a big tiger

Eat the peach
Video (pre-school teachers)

Audio (Whole Chant)

Chi ya chi ya chi mao tao Eat and eat and eat the peach

Chi de wo xin li zhen nan shou Eat till my tummy's filled with peach

Wo zou yi zou I walk and walk

Wo que yi que I stumble and fall

Zhao ge di fang zuo yi zuo Find a place to take a break

Zhe ge di fang zhen bu cuo This little spot is so neat/sweet

Call: Ni gan ma lai le (What are you doing here?)

Response: Wo dao ni jia chi ma tao lai le (I am here to eat your peach.)

Call: Zhen me bu dao ni jia lai chi ya (Why don't you go home and eat your own peach?)

Response: Wo jia you lang (There is a wolf at my house!)

Video (pre-school children)

Zhao Peng You (Looking for a friend)
(Melody-Whole Song)
Score - Variation 1, Video - variation 1 (with children in Shanghai)
Score - Variation 2

Video - variation 2 (with children in Xinjiang)

Zhao ya zhao ya zhao ya zhao Look and look and look for a friend
Zhao dao yi ge hao peng you I have found a good friend

Jin ge li ya Salute

Wo wo shou ya Shake hands

Ju ge gong ya Take a bow

Xiao xi xi ya And make a smile

Da jia yi qi da jia yi qi tiao wu We all dance together

Jai jian Good-bye

Fishing Song
Audio: Pronunciation
Audio: Whole Song
Score (Word)

Performed by pre-school teachers, Suzhou, 2006

Bai Lang Tao Tao Wo Bu Pa

I am not afraid of the white waves

Cheng Qi Duo Er Wang Qian Hua

I am rowing my boat forward

Sa Wang Xia Shui Dao Yu Jia

Casting the fishing net into the water

Pu Tiau Da Yu Xiao Ha Ha

Caught a big fish and laugh Ha Ha

Hai Yo Hai Yo Heng Hai Yo (4 times)

Here is a link of a different variation from Taiwan text book.

Xaio lao shu (Little mouse)
Score (Word)

Audio: Pronunciation
Audio: Whole Song
Video: with elementary children in OH

Xiao lau shu Little mouse
Shang deng tai Climb up the table lamp
Tow chi you Eating the oil
Xia bu lai Couldn't get down
Miao miao miao
Mau lai liao The cat is here
Ji liu go lu gun xia lai Ji liu go lu rolling down

Lang Po Po - I heard this story when I was a little girl, and we sang and played this singing game in our playground. Of course, I have no idea this is a Red-Riding Hood story until I came to the United States. There are movements and actings that go with the game.

Score (Word)

Audio (whole song)

Xiao tu zi guai guai My little bunnies

Ba men er kai kai Listen to your mummy

Kuai dian er kai kai Mummy is knocking

Wo yao jin lai Please let me come in

Bu kai bu kai wo bu kai Close, close, close the door

Ma ma mei hui lai Mummy's not at home

Shei lai ye bu kai Quickly close the door

Xiao tu zi guai guai My little bunnies

Ba men er kai kai Listen to your mummy

Kuai dian er kai kai Mummy is knocking

Wo yao jin lai Please let me come in

Jiu kai jiu kai wo jiu kai Open open open now

Ma ma hui lai liao Mummy's coming home

Wo ba men er kai Open up the door

Ten Little fingers
Video - With my niece Ming Ming in Malaysia

Books
Chinese characters:

At the Beach, by Huy Voun Lee, ISBN: 0-8050-5822-2
In the snow, by Huy Voun Lee, ISBN: 0-8050-6579-2

Counting:

Count your way through China, by Jim Haskins, ISBN: 0-87614-486-5

Chinese Food:

Dim Sum for everyone, by Grace Lin, ISBN: 0-440-41770-8

Chinese New Year:

Happy New Year, by Demi, ISBN: 0-517-88592-1

Traditional Chinese story:

Lan Po Po, by Ed Young, ISBN: 0-399-21619-7
The greatest treasure, by Demi, ISBN: 0-590-31339-8
The story of Ping, by Marjorie Flack and Jurt Wiese, ISBN: 0-14-050241-6
The Monkey King, BY Ed Young, ISBN: 0-06-027919
Liang's Paint Brush - Reading Rainbow (Video)

Chinese Rhymes:

Chili-chili-chin-chin, by Belle Yang, ISBN: 0-15-202006-3
Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes, Robert Wyndham, ISBN: 0-698-11622-4
Maples in the Mist, Mingfong Ho, ISBN: 0-688-12044-X

CHINESE NEW YEAR Percussion Ensemble Score

This was the Chinese New Year story that I heard when I was a kid:

    Long ago in China, over 3000 years, many farmers lived in China, and they worked very hard all year long in the fields. At the end of the winter, the people were worried because a beast that called “Nian” would come to the village the night before New Year. The Nian was very mean, and he would eat any person he could catch. This frightened all the villagers, so they got together to discuss how to get rid of Nian. One man said, "We might chase away Nian if we dressed in red.” Another man said, "We should light firecrackers, and the noise and lights will frighten Nian." Another man said, "We should hang red lanterns that will scare Nian away.” Finally, a young man suggested, "We should play the gong and drums, and the music will scare Nian away."
    After the meeting, the villagers stayed at home and prepared for Nian to return. It was the night before New Year, and all the villagers wore red and hung lanterns. They hung firecrackers outside the houses and had the drums and gongs ready. As midnight approached, Nian came closer and closer, the villagers were getting frightened. Some even held their breath.
    When Nian finally reached one of the houses and was trying to open the door, the villagers lighted the firecrackers and played on their drums and gongs!!!! Nian was so scared that he ran away. The villagers never see Nian again. Ever since that night, the Chinese villagers play the gongs and drum on every New Year and would say "Gongxi, Gongxi, “ which means congratulations; and “Kuo Nian,” that means get rid of Nian.