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Civilization Object No. 014
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Xi'an Wind and Percussion Ensemble

西安鼓乐

A majestic wind and percussion tradition from ancient Xi'an, preserving Tang Dynasty court music with powerful drums and soaring suona.

dna Heritage DNA
history Origin

Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE)

category Domain

traditional music

verified Level

UNESCO Intangible Heritage

pin_drop Region

Northwest China

pulse Status

active

Xi'an drum music is a grand ensemble tradition from the ancient capital of Xi'an, combining wind and percussion instruments. Dating back to the Tang Dynasty, it was performed at court ceremonies and Buddhist temples. The music is characterized by powerful drumming, soaring suona (Chinese oboe), and melodic sheng (mouth organ). Its notated scores preserve one of China's oldest surviving musical notation systems.

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Relationship Constellation

This heritage item connects to 4 entities across the atlas — masters, places, festivals, and stories.

pin_drop Xi'an location person Nanyin Music ich person Tang Dynasty dynasty person Guanzhong region
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Nanyin Music

A living fossil of Tang Dynasty court music, preserved in Fujian's Minnan region with ancient instruments and elegant melodies.
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Hua'er Folk Songs

High-pitched folk songs from China's northwest mountains, improvised at annual festivals by singers from multiple ethnic groups.