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This talk identifies prospects for Chinese music studies in the contemporary era as we collectively develop a multi-disciplinary future that is academically valuable, incisive, and inclusive of researchers from contrasting linguistic, societal, and intellectual backgrounds. I present a view of Chinese music studies as a meeting point for scholars who represent positions and perspectives that are inherently “in-between” (between disciplines; between research consultants and readerships; mediating historical, cultural, or linguistic gulfs; etc.), sometimes multiply so. This suggests an explicitly “messy” reality, in which we actively build bridges through cooperation, cross-reading, translation, and consultation. In such a situation, we need to shift continuously from phases of more individual enquiry toward moments of shared focus and back again, sustaining common points-of-reference and the benefits of flexible and diverse responses to newly arising or newly rediscovered concerns. I outline selected concrete steps that we might take in strengthening our “in-betweenness,” which significantly includes greater translation from Chinese to English (and other languages), and I offer a rationale for providing enhanced attention to co-research and co-authoring as ways of producing engaged music research alongside members of musical communities for global readerships.

Knowledge production today often faces limitations due to outdated paradigms inherited from previous scholars. To advance, we must challenge these established frameworks and adopt new methodologies that reflect contemporary values. The rise of global music history aims to broaden music studies beyond Western traditions, recognizing the diverse contexts in which music operates and its role in shaping social realities across cultures. This paper proposes a reimagined conceptualization of Chinese music that aligns with global music scholarship. Drawing inspiration from Chen Kuan-Hsing’s “Asia as Method,” it emphasizes the need to move beyond Eurocentric perspectives, fostering a more inclusive understanding of music. By acknowledging Asia’s active role in knowledge creation, we can disrupt traditional narratives and embrace a richer, more nuanced view of music that encompasses the active role of social actors. This shift is essential for developing a truly global discipline in music studies that reflects the complexities of our interconnected world.

Johor Old Temple’s Parade of Deities is an annual large-scale procession of the local Chinese communities in Johor Bahru that marks a difference from other folk parades by parading with deities of five different clans and showcasing a vast array of Chinese folk performing arts all in one single event that lasts for five days. In this article, dance as a category in the Parade of Deities is defined in a broad term. The term encompasses performances that employ human body movements, including dances, martial arts, and acrobatics. This study aims to examine whether the dances have any ritual functions, such as exorcism or mediation within the ceremony, the role of the dances—specifically the music—as either central or subordinate to the event, and the type of cultural information conveyed by the Parade of Deities.

The bronze drum dance, as a symbol of the culture of the Yi ethnic group from Funing 富宁 county in Wenshan 文山 prefecture, Yunnan province in southwest China, is mainly used in clan rituals and funerals. It functions as a bond among Yi ethnic groups, maintaining the relationship between different branches with the same roots. Based on field research conducted among three Yi branches in Funing county of Hua Yi (花彝), Bai Hua Yi (白花彝), and Gao Jiao Ku Yi (高裤脚彝), this study delves into the symbolic metaphors embedded in their bronze drums. It seeks to illustrate the cultural genes shared between the ancestors of contemporary Yi people and the ancient traditional culture of China, thereby providing a practical basis for forging community among the Chinese people and building new ethnic relations.

Chinese wind-and-percussion music, also known as Chuida, is a rich form of music culture in China. It encompasses a wide range of band combinations, music pieces, theories, and playing occasions, all of which reflect the values of Chinese traditional instrumental music, serving not only as a unique music form but also as a means to explore its cultural meanings. This article introduces firstly four selected representative genres of traditional wind-and-percussion music to discuss the values of the music, two of which are Guchui (Wind-and-drum, a variant type of Chuida) music, one using Guanzi pipe as the leading instrument, and another suona. The other two belong to the wind-and-percussion music but vary in locations, orchestrations, music forms, and cultural values. The second part of the article introduces the gongche notation system and the Jiezi theory that are mainly used in the wind-and-percussion music. The third part analyzes the social attributes of the music and the impact of current social changes on the music.