In order to promote the development of the research about the music culture of cross-border ethnic groups, and actively respond to the national initiative of jointly building the Belt and Road, the 3rd Symposium and Workshop of Music & Dance in Cross-Border Ethnic Groups between (South) China and Neighbouring Countries were successfully held at Yunnan Arts University (YNAU) from November 22 to 24.The events were held in the form of online and offline live streaming, including keynote speeches, academic symposiums, and workshop studies and performances.
The events were sponsored by YNAU, planned by the Music Research Center of Ethnic Groups in South China & Cross-Border Ethnic Groups of YNAU, jointly held by Music School, Dancing School, Research Institute for Ethnic Arts and Office of International Cooperation and Exchange of YNAU, and co-organized byJournal of Yunnan Arts University,Ethnic Art Studies, ASEAN Art Studies Center of Guangxi Arts University and Maritime Silk Road Music Culture Research Center of Hainan University.
The opening ceremony was held at YNAU Library on the morning of November 22. Prof. Terry Miller of Kent State University (KSU),Prof. Yang Minkang of Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM), Researcher and Chief Expert at Research Institute for Ethnic Arts, YNAU, Prof. Zhao Talimu of CCOM gave online speeches, Guo Hao, president of YNAU, Lu Yuhui, deputy president of YNAU, Zhao Bo, deputy president of YNAU, as well as relevant functional departments, leaders of secondary colleges and representatives of teachers and students attended the opening ceremony.The opening ceremony was hosted by Lin Lin, dean of Music School of YNAU.
Guo Hao, president of YNAU said in the opening speech that under the background of the Belt and Road Initiative, the events were held to better discuss and communicate the theoretical issues arising from the practical activities of social music culture, carry out relevant cases and comparative studies, promote the development of the research about the cross-border ethnic music culture, and promote the music specialty of YNAU, and show the achievements and characteristics of YNAU to the outside world.
In the subsequent keynote speeches, Prof. Terry Miller of KSU shared the current living conditions of local folk songs in Lopburi, Thailand.Prof. Liu Changjiang of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Hawaii discussed the significance of the chorus of overseas Chinese, the motivation and behavior of chorus members, and the symbolic significance of choric songs for diasporic Chinese based on the field investigation of the ethnography conducted in Honolulu, Hawaii.Prof. Yang Minkang of CCOM and YNAU explained the definition of the research of music culture in cross-border ethnic groups between China and neighboring countries, sorted out the development process of this research field, described the current domestic and foreign cultural context in this field, and discussed its current academic structure and development prospect through theIntersection of Music Culture of Southern Silk Road and Maritime Silk Road — Distribution and Composition of Music Culture of Southern Transboundary Ethnic Groups.
Prof. Zhang Boyu of CCOM explained the unique significance, main issues and effective methodology of the research about the music of cross-border ethnic groups through the consideration of the "cross-border" issue mentioned in theResearch on Music Around the Himalayas. Through theOverseas Literature Investigation in Cross-border Ethnic Music Research, Prof. Zhao Talimu of CCOM explained the research objects, research methods and paths of the cross-border ethnic music, and discussed the overseas literature investigation and utilization among the materials on which the Chinese cross-border ethnic music research was based. In addition, Prof. Zhao Talimu provided research ideas, methods and reference requirements for this research field through four cases mentioned in theLancang-Mekong Cross-border Ethnic Musical Culture Documentary of China Conservatory of Music. Prof. Ted Tsung-Te Tsai of Tainan National University of the Arts (TNNUA) gave a clear explanation of the development and dilemma of Southeast Asian new immigrants' performing arts in Taiwan from five dimensions, which were Southeast Asian new immigrants' social structure and cultural environment, forms of Southeast Asian new immigrants' performing arts, Southeast Asian new immigrants' performing venues, difficulties facing Southeast Asian new immigrants' performing teams, and development potential of Southeast Asian new immigrants' performing arts. Prof. Xiao Mei of Shanghai Conservatory of Music commented on this speech and said that scholars should reflect on the previous research methods and their application in the current research after reviewing the development process of the research about the music culture of cross-border ethnic groups. She suggested that international cooperation could be adopted in the research about the music culture of cross-border ethnic groups in China to solve the dilemma in this research field, and looked forward to the aspects of this academic field that need to be reflected and promoted in the future. The academic symposium was divided into four panels, which were Methodology and Review Panel, Comparison and Case Panel (Domestic Academic Panel), Comparison and Case Panel (International Academic Panel), and Maritime Silk Road Panel. During the academic summary of panels, Prof. Zhao Shufeng of Hunan Normal University reviewed and summarized the Methodology and Review Panel from the aspects including music cultural records of cross-border ethnic groups, applied ethnomusicology research, historical ethnomusicology research, research about the music of cross-border ethnic groups of western scholars, academic history review of the research about the music culture of cross-border ethnic groups, comparative research about the music culture of cross-border ethnic groups, linear music cultural space research, and musical instrument research. Prof. Zhong Libin of South China Normal University reviewed and summarized the Maritime Silk Road Panel and said that the music research of the Maritime Silk Road had the flow of space, commodities, capital, population and culture, and this symposium had multi-disciplinary perspectives such as historical perspective, ethnomusicology perspective and science of musical instruments perspective.
Prof. Ted Tsung-Te Tsai of TNNUA reviewed and summarized the Comparison and Case Panel (International Academic Panel), and discussed the content of the symposium and the diverse unity, especially in the genre of ritual music, and expected scholars at home and abroad to actively participate in the research about the music of cross-border ethnic groups. Prof. Ning Ying of Xi'an Conservatory of Music reviewed and summarized the Comparison and Case Panel from research objects, and believed that the research objects were mainly focused on the cases of the research about the music culture of cross-border ethnic groups in Southeast Asia, proposed thediachronic and historical perspectives during the cross-border research process, and reviewed cultural identity and language functions of ethnic groups, as well as the research of music ethnography writing, physical movements, cognition, and other aspects.
The Roundtable Seminar on the Music Culture of Shan and Dai Ethnic Groups of the Workshop on Music & Dance in Yunnan—Southeast Asia Ethnic Groups was held on the evening of November 22. The online seminar provided an academic journey of Southeast Asia to participants in a brand-new virtual space. From sharing, talking to reviewing, the whole seminar led the participants to practically realize the richness and research value of the music of Shan and Dai ethnic groups from multiple perspectives and levels with rich and complete first-hand audios and videos, solid research and clear explanation.
This workshop invited folk artists from Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture and the ethnic-cultural working team of Gengma Dai and Wa Autonomous County, Lincang, to carry out the three-day interactive study with teachers and students from the Music School and Dancing School of YNAU.During this period, musicians Yu Wangnan and Ai Jian performed Zanha, the folk opera of the Dai ethnic group, and Bo Hanbing, Ai Kanfeng and Ai Gongkan, the national inheritors of Elephant-foot Drum Dance of the Dai ethnic group, performed traditional Elephant-foot Drum Dance for teachers and students. Besides, Wang Feng, curator of Cultural Center of Gengma County, Lincang, led the teachers of the ethnic-cultural working team to carry out in-depth exchanges and learning with YNAU students.Workshop teaching and performances were conducted at Ankang Concert Hall on November 23 and 24 respectively.
The workshop teaching and performances were the embodiment of the intuitive teaching mode of intangible cultural heritage on the campus of YNAU, the practical activities of YNAU to promote the development of music culture of cross-border ethnic groups, and the communication and inheritance of national music in the construction of the Belt and Road.
The offline symposium was held at the main venue of the symposium on November 24. Teachers and postgraduates expressed their views on the symposium.
Li Congxi, deputy secretary of the Party Committee of YNAU, highly evaluated the symposium at the closing ceremony. He said that although the symposium was held in the form of online and offline live streaming due to COVID-19, the wonderful speeches of experts and scholars made participants believe that the charm of academic exchanges was not subject to the form.The symposium content ranged from ethnic groups to countries, from home to abroad, and from Asia to the world with the combination of time and space, and horizontal research and vertical research, vividly presenting the cultural diversity of the cultural carrier, as well as the progress and development of cultural recognition and confidence in historical changes.
Focusing on the cultural strategic deployment of the country, YNAU gave full play to the geographical and regional cultural advantages, actively advocated and held the 3rd Symposium and Workshop of Music & Dance in Cross-Border Ethnic Groups between (South) China and Neighboring Countries, which were strongly supported by scholars at home and abroad. The participants discussed and exchanged the paths and focus of the exchanges of the music culture of cross-border ethnic groups and music talent cultivation in the new era, which showed the epoch-making significance in actively promoting the exchanges of the music in cross-border ethnic groups between (South) China and neighboring countries and the co-construction of friendly homes.
