Talk:Suona

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Contents 1 Contradiction 2 Suona / zurna / surnay 3 Shandong? 4 "dead people's music" 5 Note: To people who play the suona.

[edit] Contradiction

The Contradiction:

The Suona is stated in one sentence to have been introduced during the Ming dynasty, and in another, to have been 'used for thousands of years' in Shandong, and other parts of northern China. Shandong has been part of China proper since at least the Zhou dynasty period, while the Ming dynasy came to power less than a thousand years ago. Could someone who knows the history of the Suona clear this up? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by JamesFox (talk • contribs) 11:39, 20 April 2006.

As I usderstand it, Suona was introduced 9or at least popularised) by the Wei dynasty (some 1800 years ago). --Charlie Huang 【正矗昊】 09:04, 18 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Suona / zurna / surnay

As far as I know the suona was introduced to China from Central Asia. In Turkish, it's called zurna (↔surnay?), in Arabic mizmar. The relations between these instruments should be explained. —Babelfisch 03:33, 13 September 2006 (UTC)

I'm not sure anyone knows the exact connection, though it likely has something to do with the Silk Road. The name of the haidi (one type of suona) may also be related to the Moroccan rhaita, as the name haidi (literally "sea flute") doesn't really make sense in Chinese. Wang Min's dissertation gives evidence that horns and pipes of various sorts (maybe also related to the guanzi) have been used in Shandong for a long time, over 1000 years. Badagnani 04:46, 13 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Shandong?

It's not my impression that the suona is more important or common in Shandong than, e.g., in Shanxi or many other places where it is used, nor that the instrument in China is particularly associated with Shandong. If, as I guess, Wang Min states this in a dissertation, it may well reflect little more than a local self-perception. Berox 18:36, 8 October 2006 (UTC)

Good point! Yes, he's from there and did his research in that province (whereas Stephen Jones in his work has focused more on the provinces to the west). At least it could be said that Shandong, as one of the oldest central regions of the ancient Chinese culture, has one of the oldest wind-and-percussion music traditions of China. Badagnani 00:22, 9 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] "dead people's music"

I've seen part of a rather sad TV drama (part, because my mother changed channels as you'll see why) about a struggling musician in HK who started to play suona and was subsequently stigmatised for playing what the people around him call 死人音樂. I am wondering to what extent do Chinese people associate the suona with this rather unfortunate labelling and ignorant assumption. Either way, it made me feel very angry after thinking about it. --Charlie Huang 【遯卋山人】 12:56, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Note: To people who play the suona.

I believe that there are some people playing the suona whom maybe reading this page right now.

Im a suona player myself and I want to revamp this whole page. For those people who do not play the instrument, but know roughly what is it about, please contribute to this talk page or my talk page.(Kerukelw) —Preceding unsigned comment added by Kerukelw (talk • contribs) 14:57, 4 February 2008 (UTC)