Nanguan music

Nanguan (Chinese: 南管; pinyin: Nánguǎn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lâm-kóan; lit. 'southern pipes'; also nanyin, nanyue, xianguan, or nanqu) is a style of Chinese chamber music from the southern Chinese province of Fujian. Nanguan was first brought to Taiwan during the Ming dynasty by the Han Chinese immigrants who later settled predominantly in southern Taiwan, where they established quguan music societies to maintain and transmit their cultural practices. However, over the centuries, Nanguan evolved separately from its mainland counterpart, shaped strongly by Taiwan’s unique socio-political conditions and local influences.

Historically, Nanguan was played for the elite, including Emperor Kangxi, which allowed for its status to be elevated within society. Participation in quguan societies was once strictly regulated, with membership restricted from individuals who were seen as ‘improper’ - barbers, stage performers, or geisha entertainers. It became popular in Taiwan, particularly Lukang on west coast, as well as among Overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia.

Fujian is a mountainous coastal province of China. Its provincial capital is Fuzhou, while Quanzhou was a major port in the 7th century CE, the period between the Sui and Tang eras. Situated upon an important maritime trade route, it was a conduit for elements of distant cultures. The result was what is now known as nanguan music, which today preserves many archaic features.

It is a genre strongly associated with male-only community amateur musical associations (quguan or "song-clubs"), each formerly generally linked to a particular temple, and is viewed as a polite accomplishment and a worthy social service, distinct from the world of professional entertainers. The temples provide the venue and funding support for these clubs and are thus regarded as spaces of divine worship. They also contribute to the artistic quality of temple fairs and serve as important mediums for cultural expression.

Nanguan music embodies a philosophy of introspection and inner cultivation. It is typically slow, gentle, delicate and melodic, heterophonic and employing four basic scales. Performers adopt calm and focused postures, and the music expresses some form of restraint, designed to evoke a meditative state and convey controlled emotion. In the same way, Nanguan not only serves to be a musical performance, but also a disciplined spiritual practice, one that continues to resonate within the evolving cultural landscape of contemporary Taiwan.

While Nanguan was traditionally male-dominated due to ritualistic and Confucian norms, recent decades have witnessed a growing presence of women within the art form, reflecting broader shifts in gender dynamics and increased accessibility. Nanguan music continues to thrive today. Contemporary groups like XinXin Nanguan are adapting the tradition through theatrical performances and cross-art collaborations.

Nanguan was inscribed in 2009 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.