Qingyue (Qing Music)
The Han–Wei qingshang tradition as preserved in Sui–Tang court music, built on three modes
Related
Qingyue names two related things: the qingshang music of the Han and Wei courts, and the "Qing Music" item (qingshang ji) in the Sui–Tang court's programme. It grew out of xianghe song and rests on the three qingshang modes — pingdiao, qingdiao and sediao; it was secular music polished for palace banquets.
It is neither a loose label for "ancient elegant music" nor a synonym for yayue: yayue served sacrifice, qingyue served feasting. After the Song the repertory faded, and its sound must be inferred from documents, qin pieces and modal traces kept in Japan. Listen for the fingerprint of the three modes, not for a fixed melody. Note that the "qingyue scale" is a different term: a seven-note scale with qingjiao and biangong.
Read deeper → Xianghe Song
Sources
- 清乐的名实、清商三调与隋唐清商伎，参《中国音乐词典》与 The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, "China" 相关条目；本文为原创表述
Used for fact-checking only; all prose is original.