The Ecological Sustainability of the Sheng

MUSI3041: Music and the Environment

Class Assignment 4

October/November 2022

 

The sheng is a free reed wind instrument consisting of a windchest with upright pipes each containing a single reed (Wong, n.d.) and is one of the oldest Chinese instruments dating back to Han dynasty (Kuiper, n.d.).  Historically all materials involved in creating a sheng were found in nature and easy to obtain but other materials have been introduced and used over time and in modern sheng it is not unusual for alloys and plastics to be used.

 

The windchest was originally made from gourd or hardwood but more common these days is to be made from copper or sometimes a lacquered wood.  A gourd has a natural hollow and spherical shape so was originally the preference.  As production different techniques developed musicians disliked the ‘irregular’ shapes which occurred when using naturally grown gourds so makers started using pre-made moulds to insert the gourd into before it had grown to make it grow in to the desired shape and size.  Later on practises changed to using lacquered wood or metal which further enhanced the continuity of shape and size (Qin, 2021).

Using the original gourd as it was found is a sustainable way to make an instrument- especially considering it is using another part of the plant than that typically used for eating- as there is then no production emissions to consider.  The societal move to preferring certain shaped instruments and therefore requiring manufacturing techniques and later different materials to be used would likely decrease the sustainability of this specific instrument.

 

The upright pipes which stand upright of the wind chest have seen much change over history to their number and arrangement but very little change to their material.  They were originally made of bamboo and generally this is still the case today with only occasional occurrences of metal pipes (Qin, 2021).

Bamboo is clearly important in Chinese music industry since it is one of the 8 original categories of instrument (Buja, 2022).  It is therefore likely seen as an advantage that bamboo is a rapidly developing material which is not only renewable but also beneficial to the environment (Weiyi et al., 2018) so to use this material on a large scale does not present any environmental problems.

 

Each pipe has its own reed which were historically genuine reeds but since the Song dynasty were more commonly made of brass to which improved the sound quality, lasts longer and is easier to create (Chow et al., 2008).  Nowadays many different metals are used by sheng makers in an attempt to create the ‘best’ sound to meet performers’ expectations (Qin, 2021) which is likely a decision to have caused similar sustainability dilemmas as that of the windchest.

 

The process of making a sheng instrument requires an expert to spend much time, effort and energy on a very difficult and arduous project.  Additionally, any repairs and maintenance required for the instrument are also difficult and time consuming (Qin, 2021).  The way of making an instrument, despite being less efficient in catering to demand, is likely better for the environment as it uses hand craft rather than mass production mechanisms.

After the cultural revolution in 1966-1976 the sheng was increasingly desired for ensemble use meaning more instruments were required.  Sun Rugui created machinery, such as angle cutters, to improve the efficiency of producing the instruments (Qin, 2021).  After the cultural revolution as the reformation began in the 1980s sheng creators from both factories and private workshops had deeply increased their experience and knowledge of creating the instrument and had invented some unique specific production machinery (Qin, 2021).  The introduction of these machines is another change which whilst improving efficiency will also result a greater impact on the environment highlighting the difficulty of balance between productivity and sustainability.

 

There is little literature available specifically about the ecological impacts of the production of a sheng instrument highlighting a research gap and area for further investigation potentially leading to greater consciousness within the industry.

The historical nature of the instrument does, however, lend itself to much analysis of natural changes in production through changes in material, tools and personnel which can allow for reflection of environmental impacts across the length of the instruments’ existence.

 

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McLaughlin Niamh Mary
Word count: 698

 

 

References

 

"Sheng Instrument: Chinese Pipe Instrument". (n.d.). Chinese Music Lessons and Performances.
retrieved, October 2022, from https://www.easonmusicschool.com/chinese-orchestra-instruments/chinese-woodwind-instruments/sheng/

 

Buja, M. (2022, September 28). Chinese musical instruments: Gourd. Interlude.
retrieved, October 2022, from https://interlude.hk/chinese-musical-instruments-gourd/

 

Chow, K., Hon, T., Ip, H., & Price, D.C., (2008). Beyond the May Fourth Paradigm; In Search of Chinese Modernity.  Lexington Books, USA.
retrieved, October 2022, from: Beyond the May Fourth Paradigm: In Search of Chinese Modernity - Google 圖書

 

Kuiper, K. (n.d.). Sheng. Encyclopædia Britannica.
retrieved, October 2022, from: https://www.britannica.com/art/sheng-musical-instrument

 

Qin, H. (2021). The Evolution of Sheng in Mainland China from 1949 to 2018 (Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University).
retrieved, October 2022 from: OhioLINK ETD: Qin, Haochen

Weiyi, L., Chaomao, H., Fang, W., Meng, W., & Guanglu, L. (2018). Chapter 8: Review of the Resources and Utilization of Bamboo in China. In A. Khalil (Ed.), Bamboo; Current and Future Prospects (pp. 133–142). essay, Books on Demand (BoD).
doi: 10.5772/intechopen.76485

 

Wong, S. (n.d.). Sheng.
retrieved, October 2022 from: https://www.atlasensemble.nl/assets/files/instruments/Sheng/Sheng%20by%20Samuel%20Wong%20Shengmiao.pdf