Chinese Folk Songs: Piano Sheet Music

This article is a collaborative effort, crafted and edited by a team of dedicated professionals.

Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

Contents

Looking for some quality sheet music to play on the piano? Check out our collection of Chinese Folk Songs! We’ve got a great selection of tunes to choose from, so you’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy playing.

Introduction

Chinese folk songs are an important part of the country’s musical heritage. Many of these songs are centuries old, and have been passed down from generation to generation.

Piano sheet music for Chinese folk songs is readily available, and can be a great way to learn about and enjoy this type of music. There are many different sources for such music, including online retailers and specialty music stores.

The Three Character Classic

The Three Character Classic (also known as the San Ziang Jie or the San Zi Jing) is a Chinese folk song that dates back to the 13th century. The lyrics of the song are based on a 3-character poem that was popular at the time. The song is often used as a teaching tool for young children, as it helps them to learn simple Chinese characters and basic grammar.

The Butterfly Lovers

“The Butterfly Lovers” (also known as “Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai”) is a Chinese folk story and popular legend about the tragic romance between two young lovers. According to the legend, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai were forced to marry other people due to their families’ financial difficulties, but they continued to love each other deeply. After Yingtai’s death, Shanbo threw himself into his wife’s grave, and the two lovers were transformed into butterflies who flew off together.

The story of “The Butterfly Lovers” has been adapted into many different forms over the years, including operas, films, ballets, and even video games. The most well-known adaptation is probably the Chinese opera “The Legend of the White Snake”, which is based on the same folk story.

Piano sheet music for “The Butterfly Lovers” can be found online or in music stores.

Jasmine Flower

“Jasmine Flower” (Chinese: 茉莉花; pinyin: mòlihuā) is a popular Chinese folk song from Jiangsu province. It is also a representative work of the Jiangnan sizhu genre of traditional Chinese instrumental music.

The song was first collected in the early 20th century by Zang Maoxun (Chinese: 臧懋循), a musician from Suzhou, and has been widely performed since then. It became known outside of China in 1956, when it was included in an album of Chinese folk songs released by American Folkways Records. The song has been recorded by many artists and has been used in many films and television programs.

-Lyrics-
Jasmine Flower, Jasmine Flower
Ah! Pick me some Jasmine Flowers
To string into a garland
To wear on my head
As I dance all night long

Conclusion

We hope you have enjoyed exploring some of the most popular Chinese folk songs! Whether you are a beginner or an experienced pianist, we hope you found something new and exciting to play.

As you continue to learn and grow as a musician, remember to keep your cultural heritage close to your heart. Music is a beautiful way to connect with our roots and to share our traditions with others.

Thank you for reading, and we wish you all the best in your musical journey!

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