Zhongguo feng (music)

It is hard to pinpoint the exact origins of Zhongguo feng music, although Jay Chou is largely credited as an influential figure in modern Zhongguo feng music in the early 2000s. Music ethnographers and researchers have also studied Zhongguo feng in relation to the sociocultural and political conditions in different time periods such as the May Fourth movement and the end of Cultural Revolution. Departing from the days of revolutionary and ultra-nationalistic songs during Mao's dictatorship until the end of the 1970s, the 1980 saw the introduction of rock music into China, with its people beginning to embrace new steady and upbeat rhythms. Featured in his debut album Jay in 2000, "Wife" is one of Jay Chou's most famous songs in the Zhongguo feng music genre. Leehom Wang is also known for his brand of Zhongguo feng music, known as "chinked-out", since 2004. Other factors that contributed to the popularity of Zhongguo feng music include the efforts of the Chinese state in building a sense of nationalism, and national pride from the successful 2008 Beijing Olympics. ==Characteristics==

Broadly, Zhongguo feng music usually use the minor scale or the pentatonic scale, or include traditional Chinese instruments in the music arrangement, as well as using language with elements of ancient music and scenery. It can be distinguished through its fusion of classical Chinese melody and global music styles, or through the usage of traditional cultural elements in its lyrics, either implicitly or explicitly in contemporary contexts. Genres In his book, Vincent Fang highlights how there is no fixed genre for Zhongguo feng music; more important is its use of lyrics, tunes and arrangements. Lyrics The lyrics of Zhongguo feng music typically makes allusions to aspects of Chinese cultures, which can include tales, superstitions, legends, word games, paintings, regional operatic and theatrical forms, and even children's songs. Zhongguo feng songs may also make references to the Chinese landscape in a romanticised tone, celebrating their pertinence to a version of China that is culturally familiar, if stereotyped. Music videos Through an online questionnaire conducted with Chinese respondents, researchers identified the various classical imageries that are commonly associated with Zhongguo feng music videos. The five main categories include: animals (swallows, butterflies, horses, wolves), sceneries (bridges, pavilions, mountains, towers, cities, temples), historical human figures (Cao Cao, Li Bai, Huo Yuanjia), natural phenomena (bright moon, white clouds, lakes, light rains), and seasons and festivals (Spring Festival, Spring Lantern Festival, Tomb Sweeping Day, Mid-Autumn) imageries. ==Notable artists==

Zhongguo feng has been supported by several Taiwanese singers such as Jay Chou, Wang Leehom, David Tao, Kenji Wu, Tank (Taiwanese singer) and girl group S.H.E. ==Culture and politics==

'Chineseness', imagined communities and gender Researchers have explored the impact of Zhongguo feng music on the notions of 'Chineseness' and imagined communities. Lin discusses about how Zhongguo feng music, which is both trendy and traditional, helps connect youths to music fads while at the same time reinforcing their internalisation of Chinese heritage. Similarly, Wang examined how the global popularity of Mandopop artists "induces the notion of an 'imagined community' of Chinese listeners that are dispersed across time and space, enabling both music and Chineseness to cross borders". The idea of cultural China "restores geographical determinism or the accommodation of China with a territorial mainland", as a kind of "pan-national fundamentalism". Through an analysis of six Hong Kong Zhongguo feng music videos, researchers Chow and de Kloet highlight that they paradoxically evoke and undermine Chineseness at the same time. Geopolitics Researchers have studied how Jay Chou's Western-style-Chinese-pop is a benchmark case study where a foreign artist successfully reproduces popular culture that preserves its Chineseness while concurrently embracing the West. The singer is said to have a great impact on young Chinese people's sense of being Chinese with his extensive use of traditional Chinese cultural symbols, some of which were adapted from ancient Chinese poems and literary classics. The teacher denied this, explaining that the song was used because his students like listening to pop music and he wanted them to understand how classical Chinese music can be integrated into pop music. ==Criticisms or controversies==

Accuracy of cultural content Critics highlight the importance of having accurate cultural content in Zhongguo feng songs as this has important implications on society and cultural dissemination. For instance, a renowned collector pointed out the inaccurate portrayal of historical facts in Jay Chou's "Blue and White Porcelain". Researcher Chen expresses worry that inaccurate cultural content would lead to errors or misconceptions about Chinese culture, especially with Jay Chou's songs increasingly being selected as elementary school study materials or middle school exam questions. Commercialisation Another critique about Zhongguo feng popular music is its monotony and repetitive content as a result of commercialisation. As homogeneity, standardisation and duplication are typical characteristics of cultural products, Chen highlights how the popularity of Zhongguo feng music has led to a lot of mimicking by other artistes. As not all lyricists have the foundation for producing profound classical poetry and modern poetic songs, it has resulted in repetitive and stereotypical productions of Zhongguo feng music. In addition, many netizens have also accused other singers of plagiarising Jay Chou's "East Wind Breaks". The monotony and repetitive content would result in audience's weariness towards the arts as well as restrict Zhongguo feng music to a limited domain in spite of China's vast history and culture. Political controversies The only Zhongguo feng song involved in any significant controversy was "Chinese Language" () by Taiwanese girl group, S.H.E. Their single was criticised for "being too pro-Beijing, with claims that the girls should not sing 'the whole world is learning Chinese language (zhongguo hua), but instead 'Taiwanese language' (taiwan hua)". ==See also==