Multicultural Music Education in Chinese Middle School General Music Classes, 1978–1988

Abstract

This historical study is an extension of an earlier study “The Origins of Multicultural Music Education in Chinese Secondary Schools’ General Music Classes.” In the earlier study, I examined multicultural music education in middle school music classes in the People’s Republic of China from 1989 to 2010. The present study examines the same topic during an earlier time period, 1978–1988. Primary sources are national syllabi issued by the Chinese Ministry of Education and State Education Commission. The study concludes that during the time period Chinese multicultural music education highlighted the diversity of Chinese music culture, involving music from 56 nationalities in the People’s Republic of China. The findings, along with the findings of the earlier study, reveal trends in multicultural music education in Chinese schools.