The Five Tones and the Five Elements
How would you describe your voice? High, sharp, low, heavy…crisp?
Do you know the Five Elements have their corresponding Five Tones?
What are the “Five Tones”?
Everything on Earth is related to the Five Elements, including sounds. “Gong, Shang, Jue, Zhi, Yu”, the Five Tones in ancient Chinese music, correspond to “Do, Re, Mi, So, La” in Western music. Both correspond to the Five Elements “Earth, Metal, Wood, Fire, and Water”.
Now, let’s see which of the Five Elements correspond to some common musical instruments respectively.
Gong
Gong corresponds to Do in Western music, and it belongs to the Earth element. Gong has a deep pitch, like the sound of beating a big drum.
Shang
Shang corresponds to Re in Western music, and it belongs to the Metal element. Shang is very crisp, just like the piano.
Jue
Jue corresponds to Mi in Western music and belongs to the element of Wood. Jue has a very high-pitch, filling people with energy and enthusiasm, just like a Chinese flute does.
Zhi
Zhi corresponds to So in Western music and it belongs to the element of Fire. Zhi has a sharp pitch that makes people feel intense. The electric guitar belongs to this category.
Yu
Yu corresponds to La in Western music and belongs to the element of Water. Yu has a clear voice like gurgling water. String instruments (plucked rather than bowed) such as guzheng and harp are included in this category.
The Magical Music
Music is a special medicine for our soul. Every song is like a magic potion!
Our ancestors believed that listening to harmonious music is a good way to stay healthy, as recorded in The Medical Classic of the Yellow Emperor (Huangdi Neijing). They discovered a magical connection between music, our bodies, and even the universe. Music can affect our minds, our bodies, and even our personalities. Did you know that the power of music is like a magic herb?
The Five-Tone Therapy in Chinese medical system is a special treatment method that has been around for a long time. Chinese medicine is believed to deal with illness through fixing the problem related to “Qi” (氣) which is considered the vital energy that circulates through the body at all times. Music can help us regulate the “Qi”, calm our minds, and improve physical health.
PLAY to LEARN Listen!
Children, the Five Tones are in nature, listen carefully, can you find them?
Can you also hear the sounds of the Five Elements in your daily life? For example: the sound of cooking in your kitchen, the sound of people make in a TV program, the sound of music… the sound of birds and insects, cars, pile driving from outside…
Which of the Five Elements do you think these sounds correspond to respectively? How are they different from the sounds of nature?
