BRONZE IDIOPHONES OF SOUTH CHINA

Abstract

The article concerns the oldest bronze idiophones in the form of drums existing since I millennium B.C. in the instrumental culture of national minorities from the southern region of China. Purpose of the article – to introduce new archaeological materials into scientific circulation, to perform a comparative analysis and classification of forms based on the regional and local-territorial differences, fields of application and significance of these instruments in the spiritual culture of the ancient peoples from the Southern China and Southeast Asia. Methodology. The article uses system research methodology and methods, which combine musical archaeology methods and instrumental research methodology. Scientific novelty involves the complex study of various types of bronze idiophones and semantic interpretation of their forms and decorations based on the worldview beliefs of the ancient peoples from the Southeast Asia embodied through sacred symbols and traditional ceremonial scenes. Conclusions. The comparative analysis and classification of the bronze idiophones allowed determining their differences within the existence of certain local-territorial archaeological cultures and their functions in traditions and ceremonies reconstructed based on ancient myths and written sources.