Music

How have the sounds of China crossed borders, shaped by cultural, political, and technological forces? This volume traces Chinese music’s journey from 19th-century diasporas—driven by trade, migration, and imperialism—to today’s hyper-connected digital age, spanning locales from Japan and Jamaica to Italy and San Francisco. It examines how sound constructs identities, contests colonial and national power, and redefines cultural belonging across global contexts.
Structured into five sections (Asia, Maritime Worlds, Diaspora, Film, Media) and 17 case studies, the book explores the sonic dimension of China’s modern history and global presence. From Cantonese opera and Buddhist chants to propaganda records and classical repertoires, it analyzes how technologies like phonographs, radio, and cinema amplified sonic circulation, shaping social and cultural impacts of music worldwide. By weaving historical depth with global perspectives, the volume offers a comparative lens to understand the dynamic role of sound in China’s transnational interactions and cultural negotiation.

By the end of the nineteenth century, Chinese culture had fallen into a stasis, and intellectuals began to go abroad for new ideas. What emerged was an exciting musical genre that C. C. Liu terms "new music." With no direct ties to traditional Chinese music, "new music" reflects the compositional techniques and musical idioms of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century European styles. Liu traces the genesis and development of "new music" throughout the twentieth century, deftly examining the social and political forces that shaped "new music" and its uses by political activists and the government.

The teaching kit, a set of fifteen volumes, is designed and written by music experts and educators in Hong Kong. It consists of fifteen modules, each dealing with a specific topic, including "How to listen to contemporary music," "Minimalism and simplicity," "Jazz," "Keys, scales, modes and tunings," "Experimental and avant-garde," "East-West interaction," and "Environmental music and sound installation." All modules are supported by a selection of musical examples and a list of recommended recordings by renowned composers. In addition, each module includes a range of classroom activities, all carefully designed to help students develop their music skills, creativity and other skills such as critical thinking, collaboration, communication and IT skills. The teaching kit comes with two audio CDs and one VCD as musical demonstration.