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Which historical periods are used to organize the history of Chinese music?
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Chinese music
Twelve pitches of Chinese music as produced by overblowing the lü, bamboo tuning pipes (starting for ease of comparison from Western C).
The history of Chinese music is organized into four large chronological units based on historical, cultural, instrumental, and theoretical materials:1
- The Formative Period: Spanning from 3000 BCE through the 4th century CE, this era encompasses early musical developments, including the ritual and banquet music of the Han dynasty.12
- The International Period: Covering the 4th through the 9th century, this era was marked by significant cultural exchange and the influx of foreign musical ideas and instruments into China.12
- The National Period: Extending from the 9th through the 19th century, this long span includes the Song dynasty and subsequent eras, for which more detailed information about the music itself is available.1
- The "World Music" Period: This period encompasses the 20th and early 21st centuries, reflecting the contemporary state of the art form.1