On "Shanghai Pipa Art" (1841-1949)

Culture is the vital foundation of local art. The playing art of pipa divided into two main genres with certain styles in the late Ming Dynasty-The South and The North. Artists of the southern genre developed this art quite well around the area of downstream of Yangtze River, formed five main schools-Wuxi, Chongming, Pudong, Shanghai and Pinghu-which not only contributed to the circulation of ancient notations but also built their own characteristics affecting later followers fairy well. Modern culture (especially from Shanghai) also brought some new contents to the playing art. Fed by culture of this area, outstanding artists of the new generation influenced by the diversity of Shanghai culture then gathered a Shanghai-Centered group of pipa players. This new culture helped those tradition-inherit pioneers be brave enough to challenge tradition itself. Its ideal of business pushed the process of commercialization of pipa art. Developments in modern musical education organizations and record industries in some aspects also helped the professionalization and regularization of Shanghai pipa playing genre.