Yang Yinliu
Updated: Jan 16, 2025Yang Yinliu (1899–1984) was a music historian and ethnomusicologist who laid the academic foundation for studying Chinese music history and archaeology.
He began his musical studies in childhood and, in 1911, became a disciple of Wu Wanqing, the head of the Tianyun Studio, to learn Kunqu Opera. In addition to traditional Chinese music, Yang studied piano, music theory, and Christian music with an American missionary.
In 1936, Yang served as a music researcher at the Harvard-Yenching Institute and taught Chinese music history at Yenching University. Later, Yang was appointed director of the National Music Research Institute (MRI) of the Central Conservatory of Music (predecessor of the MRI of the Chinese Academy of Arts).
Yang authored numerous works, including Outline of the History of Chinese Music, A Repertory of Guqin Melodies, and Draft of Ancient Chinese Music History. In the 1950s, he recorded six pieces by the blind musician Ah Bing (Hua Yanjun).
