Haizhou five modes of ancient Chinese music is the Han nationality folk music of long standing, a significant pulse of Jiangsu Province folk songs left from the Ming and Qing dynasties, the valuable remains of the very old style of songs prevalent in the 11th century and is of god-given solid evidence value for studying China’s Han nationality folk music and even Chinese folk art forms.
In Jialong Period of the Ming Dynasty, Haizhou five modes of ancient Chinese music had came into shape gradually. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, with the salt industry flourishing in Huainan and Huaibei cities and the shuttling between the south and north for salt transport via the grand canal, on the one hand owing to the regional communication and art integration, Haizhou five modes of ancient Chinese music absorbed Yangtze River and Huai River area folk ditty widely and tended mature gradually; on the other hand, the local salt merchants and rich businessmen, men of literature and writing showed great concern to Haizhou five modes of ancient Chinese music, therefore lifting it to a new height and forming its features and individuality step by step.
The melody of Haizhou five modes of ancient Chinese music has remained its own characteristics. It can be divided into two types as the major and minor based on its traditional names of the tunes.
Mostly as single tune, the major is featured as euphemistic and exquisite, has relieved rhythm, is similar to Kunqu opera with more tune and less characters when singing, leaving a feeling as singing or writing with affected pathos and is mostly used for expressing emotion. Its words of a ballad are elegant and gorgeous, and obviously it is originated from the palace and came out of scholars.
Further Haizhou five modes of ancient Chinese music have nearly one hundred minors and are mostly left from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Completely opposite to the style of major, the minor has sprightly rhythm, more characters and less tune and is good at narration.
Like the major, the minor can both be sung solely and also clustered with the major to form song cycle and sing various stories.
Video for viewing:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uD7jG4_j6CU
