Musical Harmony: The five notes at the heart of traditional Chinese music

Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi and Yu are the five notes that form the foundation of traditional Chinese music. They are deeply interwoven with the philosophy of the Chinese concept of the Five Elements, Five Colors and Five Directions, each evoking unique auditory sensations.

In this performance, over a dozen renowned musicians from across China play traditional instruments, such as the sheng, a Chinese woodwind instrument; the dizi or bamboo flute; the guqin, also known as the Chinese zither, guzheng, an ancient Chinese stringed instrument; the erhu, also known as the Chinese violin, and the pipa, sometimes called the Chinese lute, among others. Together, they bring to life the vivid sounds and emotions of the ancient world. Click on the video to embark on an acoustic journey where time-honored melodies converse with the modern world.