Dr Chen-Yu LIN is an Honorary Research Fellow in the Institute of Popular Music (IPM), Department of Music at the University of Liverpool. She was Research Associate and Lecturer (fixed-term) after receiving her PhD in the same institute. Her research interests include Mandarin popular music, music censorship, music and place. She is also a documentary producer who actively incorporates filmmaking and screening as research methods. Her films include Chasing the China Wind: A Musical Journey was shortlisted for Utopian Award in AHRC Research in Film Awards 2016 and George Harrison: The Story of the Beatles and Indian Music Performance Teaser. The latter was shortlisted for Short-Media Award in AHRC Research in Film Awards 2018. She has received the first prize of Young Scholar Award of European Association of Taiwan Studies in 2018. Address: UK
Tandis que la popularite de la musique China Wind (zhongguofeng 中國風) connait un declin relatif de... more Tandis que la popularite de la musique China Wind (zhongguofeng 中國風) connait un declin relatif depuis son apogee dans les annees 2000, la notion de sinite dans la musique populaire necessite d’etre reconfiguree. Dans le monde de la musique populaire, les flux culturels, financiers et migratoires transnationaux ont cree de nombreuses formes de sinite aux fonctions differentes. Cet article etudie deux manieres par lesquelles la perception de la sinite fonctionne dans l’industrie musicale, a savoir comme une sinite recentree dans les secteurs de la creation et une sinite concue comme projet de mondialisation. Pour cela, l’article examinera un concours musical televise dont la formule a fait le tour du monde, The Voice of China, et les productions recentes de deux artistes reputes pour leurs chansons China Wind, Jay Chou et Wang Leehom. A travers l’analyse textuelle de chansons et de contenus mediatiques, ainsi que d’entretiens avec des professionnels du secteur, cet article avance que ...
This thesis examines how 'Chineseness' is constructed in China Wind pop music, and how th... more This thesis examines how 'Chineseness' is constructed in China Wind pop music, and how this practice is perceived by a post-1990s audience across Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and the United Kingdom. It will also investigate how China Wind pop music is presented and performed on various stages, such as the music reality TV show The Voice of China. Three main research methods are employed in the thesis: ethnography on music audiences and music industry workers; analysis of songs; and the production and screening of an ethnographic documentary. China Wind music has been popular since 2000, and was first popularised by Taiwanese Mandopop singers, gradually developing into a specific 'sound' distinguishable from other pop songs. Traditional Chinese music elements are employed to create a historically 'authentic' sonic product, while the lyrical content often involves praising traditional culture or the presentation of a sense of 'Chinese pride' in China Wind s...
On 18th March 2014, protestors broke into Legislation Yuan (the parliament) in Taiwan at night an... more On 18th March 2014, protestors broke into Legislation Yuan (the parliament) in Taiwan at night and started a twenty-four day occupation, after the ruling party KMT pushed Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement (CSSTA) with the People’s Republic of China into final vote without a clause-by-clause review as promised. It raised concerns over national security from the public.
During the twenty-four days, protest songs were written, music videos were made, music performances inside and outside Legislation Yuan were arranged. Through ethnographic research on musicians involved, this paper aims to explore the functions of protest music in Sunflower Movement, and how artists engage with the movement on individual levels, and collectively as ‘protesters’. It also explores further how musicians position themselves in the movement.
Moskowitzs (2009) called the phenomenon that regardless of state control from governments both sides, Taiwan’s Mandopop had been playing a leading role in the PRC’s market during the past 30 years an ‘counter-invasion’. Through examining musicians’ participation, this paper argues even though Taiwan’s importance as the production center is decreasing, music continues serve as an agency for direct and indirect dialogue for both straits with the increasing use of social media. In the past Taiwan’s ballads bringing in cultural influence; now music raises questions about identities and the still existing political tension. This paper suggests a gaining autonomy in musicians’ political expression reflected in Sunflower Movement, have contributed to this gradual change, yet ongoing dialogue.
To see contemporary ‘China’ as an ‘imagined community’ composed of diverse ethnic groups and dist... more To see contemporary ‘China’ as an ‘imagined community’ composed of diverse ethnic groups and districts under different political regimes (The PRC, Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Tibet), in which there is an increasing use of ‘Chineseness’ in popular music to construct Chinese identity.
‘Beijing welcomes you’, and songs in ‘Beijing Olympic 2008 songs’ album, have given the phenomenal international event a public image as a celebration of ‘transnational Chineseness’ the official prefers and promotes. The essence of ‘Chineseness’ corresponds to the idea of ‘official nationalism’, defined as “a response on the part of threatened dynastic and aristocratic groups to popular vernacular nationalism” (Anderson, 1983) Besides making contrast with other nations, ‘official nationalism’ also unifies the ‘imagined community’ by creating cultural similarities and ignoring differences.
Anderson (1983) also argues cultural products ‘rarely express loathing or hatred but love for country’. Nevertheless, my paper took the ‘love for country’ as potentially problematic that indirectly reinforces cultural hegemony both domestically and transnationally.
My paper aims to examine how in recent years ‘Chinese’ is imagined as a community in Mandarin popular music, and how ‘official Nationalism’ is communicated in these songs by examining lyrical content, musical expression, the background of artists, and the making of the songs.
After 30 years of reform and opening up in the People’s Republic of China, music censorship on fo... more After 30 years of reform and opening up in the People’s Republic of China, music censorship on foreign music products still exist. Taiwanese popular music, as a main source of mandarin music that audiences in the PRC listen to, has its unique position- being censored, at the same time being used by the PRC to form a new ‘national’ culture. This research provides recent music censorship cases to examine the features changing with time, and through ethnographic methods, it attempts to find out how Chinese overseas students- who are able to bypass censorship mechanism- think about music censorship, and why Taiwanese popular music might have been particularly sensitive regardless of content. Chinese overseas students find music censorship on Taiwanese popular music irritating but necessary. For cases discussed in this study, they do not find the content harmful, but for the benefit of ‘the greater whole’ and social stability, in their opinions censorship would still be necessary. Through knowing their understanding and perception about music censorship, this study also suggests that music censorship in the PRC does not take place only because of its political status under Authoritarian regime, but also of the roots in Confucian popular values and education, which have grown as expectation on music to serve as a tool achieving social harmony and social stability. For Taiwanese music industry workers, the use of pirated music in the PRC has indirectly reduced the importance of the music ‘being legally approved’, so that self-censorship takes place under economic concern might outnumber the one out of fear for state censorship.
Taiwan’s influence on popular music and culture in the Sinophone world is significant. This lectu... more Taiwan’s influence on popular music and culture in the Sinophone world is significant. This lecture series will introduce Taiwan’s popular music— with a particular focus on popular music after the 1970s to recently— to the students while examining the social, political and cultural influences on the production and consumption of music, as well as how popular music shapes society, locally, regionally and transnationally. Every lecture will include at least one case study of artists or groups to enhance the student’s understanding of Taiwan’s popular music scenes.
Tandis que la popularite de la musique China Wind (zhongguofeng 中國風) connait un declin relatif de... more Tandis que la popularite de la musique China Wind (zhongguofeng 中國風) connait un declin relatif depuis son apogee dans les annees 2000, la notion de sinite dans la musique populaire necessite d’etre reconfiguree. Dans le monde de la musique populaire, les flux culturels, financiers et migratoires transnationaux ont cree de nombreuses formes de sinite aux fonctions differentes. Cet article etudie deux manieres par lesquelles la perception de la sinite fonctionne dans l’industrie musicale, a savoir comme une sinite recentree dans les secteurs de la creation et une sinite concue comme projet de mondialisation. Pour cela, l’article examinera un concours musical televise dont la formule a fait le tour du monde, The Voice of China, et les productions recentes de deux artistes reputes pour leurs chansons China Wind, Jay Chou et Wang Leehom. A travers l’analyse textuelle de chansons et de contenus mediatiques, ainsi que d’entretiens avec des professionnels du secteur, cet article avance que ...
This thesis examines how 'Chineseness' is constructed in China Wind pop music, and how th... more This thesis examines how 'Chineseness' is constructed in China Wind pop music, and how this practice is perceived by a post-1990s audience across Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and the United Kingdom. It will also investigate how China Wind pop music is presented and performed on various stages, such as the music reality TV show The Voice of China. Three main research methods are employed in the thesis: ethnography on music audiences and music industry workers; analysis of songs; and the production and screening of an ethnographic documentary. China Wind music has been popular since 2000, and was first popularised by Taiwanese Mandopop singers, gradually developing into a specific 'sound' distinguishable from other pop songs. Traditional Chinese music elements are employed to create a historically 'authentic' sonic product, while the lyrical content often involves praising traditional culture or the presentation of a sense of 'Chinese pride' in China Wind s...
On 18th March 2014, protestors broke into Legislation Yuan (the parliament) in Taiwan at night an... more On 18th March 2014, protestors broke into Legislation Yuan (the parliament) in Taiwan at night and started a twenty-four day occupation, after the ruling party KMT pushed Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement (CSSTA) with the People’s Republic of China into final vote without a clause-by-clause review as promised. It raised concerns over national security from the public.
During the twenty-four days, protest songs were written, music videos were made, music performances inside and outside Legislation Yuan were arranged. Through ethnographic research on musicians involved, this paper aims to explore the functions of protest music in Sunflower Movement, and how artists engage with the movement on individual levels, and collectively as ‘protesters’. It also explores further how musicians position themselves in the movement.
Moskowitzs (2009) called the phenomenon that regardless of state control from governments both sides, Taiwan’s Mandopop had been playing a leading role in the PRC’s market during the past 30 years an ‘counter-invasion’. Through examining musicians’ participation, this paper argues even though Taiwan’s importance as the production center is decreasing, music continues serve as an agency for direct and indirect dialogue for both straits with the increasing use of social media. In the past Taiwan’s ballads bringing in cultural influence; now music raises questions about identities and the still existing political tension. This paper suggests a gaining autonomy in musicians’ political expression reflected in Sunflower Movement, have contributed to this gradual change, yet ongoing dialogue.
To see contemporary ‘China’ as an ‘imagined community’ composed of diverse ethnic groups and dist... more To see contemporary ‘China’ as an ‘imagined community’ composed of diverse ethnic groups and districts under different political regimes (The PRC, Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Tibet), in which there is an increasing use of ‘Chineseness’ in popular music to construct Chinese identity.
‘Beijing welcomes you’, and songs in ‘Beijing Olympic 2008 songs’ album, have given the phenomenal international event a public image as a celebration of ‘transnational Chineseness’ the official prefers and promotes. The essence of ‘Chineseness’ corresponds to the idea of ‘official nationalism’, defined as “a response on the part of threatened dynastic and aristocratic groups to popular vernacular nationalism” (Anderson, 1983) Besides making contrast with other nations, ‘official nationalism’ also unifies the ‘imagined community’ by creating cultural similarities and ignoring differences.
Anderson (1983) also argues cultural products ‘rarely express loathing or hatred but love for country’. Nevertheless, my paper took the ‘love for country’ as potentially problematic that indirectly reinforces cultural hegemony both domestically and transnationally.
My paper aims to examine how in recent years ‘Chinese’ is imagined as a community in Mandarin popular music, and how ‘official Nationalism’ is communicated in these songs by examining lyrical content, musical expression, the background of artists, and the making of the songs.
After 30 years of reform and opening up in the People’s Republic of China, music censorship on fo... more After 30 years of reform and opening up in the People’s Republic of China, music censorship on foreign music products still exist. Taiwanese popular music, as a main source of mandarin music that audiences in the PRC listen to, has its unique position- being censored, at the same time being used by the PRC to form a new ‘national’ culture. This research provides recent music censorship cases to examine the features changing with time, and through ethnographic methods, it attempts to find out how Chinese overseas students- who are able to bypass censorship mechanism- think about music censorship, and why Taiwanese popular music might have been particularly sensitive regardless of content. Chinese overseas students find music censorship on Taiwanese popular music irritating but necessary. For cases discussed in this study, they do not find the content harmful, but for the benefit of ‘the greater whole’ and social stability, in their opinions censorship would still be necessary. Through knowing their understanding and perception about music censorship, this study also suggests that music censorship in the PRC does not take place only because of its political status under Authoritarian regime, but also of the roots in Confucian popular values and education, which have grown as expectation on music to serve as a tool achieving social harmony and social stability. For Taiwanese music industry workers, the use of pirated music in the PRC has indirectly reduced the importance of the music ‘being legally approved’, so that self-censorship takes place under economic concern might outnumber the one out of fear for state censorship.
Taiwan’s influence on popular music and culture in the Sinophone world is significant. This lectu... more Taiwan’s influence on popular music and culture in the Sinophone world is significant. This lecture series will introduce Taiwan’s popular music— with a particular focus on popular music after the 1970s to recently— to the students while examining the social, political and cultural influences on the production and consumption of music, as well as how popular music shapes society, locally, regionally and transnationally. Every lecture will include at least one case study of artists or groups to enhance the student’s understanding of Taiwan’s popular music scenes.
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During the twenty-four days, protest songs were written, music videos were made, music performances inside and outside Legislation Yuan were arranged. Through ethnographic research on musicians involved, this paper aims to explore the functions of protest music in Sunflower Movement, and how artists engage with the movement on individual levels, and collectively as ‘protesters’. It also explores further how musicians position themselves in the movement.
Moskowitzs (2009) called the phenomenon that regardless of state control from governments both sides, Taiwan’s Mandopop had been playing a leading role in the PRC’s market during the past 30 years an ‘counter-invasion’. Through examining musicians’ participation, this paper argues even though Taiwan’s importance as the production center is decreasing, music continues serve as an agency for direct and indirect dialogue for both straits with the increasing use of social media. In the past Taiwan’s ballads bringing in cultural influence; now music raises questions about identities and the still existing political tension. This paper suggests a gaining autonomy in musicians’ political expression reflected in Sunflower Movement, have contributed to this gradual change, yet ongoing dialogue.
‘Beijing welcomes you’, and songs in ‘Beijing Olympic 2008 songs’ album, have given the phenomenal international event a public image as a celebration of ‘transnational Chineseness’ the official prefers and promotes. The essence of ‘Chineseness’ corresponds to the idea of ‘official nationalism’, defined as “a response on the part of threatened dynastic and aristocratic groups to popular vernacular nationalism” (Anderson, 1983) Besides making contrast with other nations, ‘official nationalism’ also unifies the ‘imagined community’ by creating cultural similarities and ignoring differences.
Anderson (1983) also argues cultural products ‘rarely express loathing or hatred but love for country’. Nevertheless, my paper took the ‘love for country’ as potentially problematic that indirectly reinforces cultural hegemony both domestically and transnationally.
My paper aims to examine how in recent years ‘Chinese’ is imagined as a community in Mandarin popular music, and how ‘official Nationalism’ is communicated in these songs by examining lyrical content, musical expression, the background of artists, and the making of the songs.
Chinese overseas students find music censorship on Taiwanese popular music irritating but necessary. For cases discussed in this study, they do not find the content harmful, but for the benefit of ‘the greater whole’ and social stability, in their opinions censorship would still be necessary. Through knowing their understanding and perception about music censorship, this study also suggests that music censorship in the PRC does not take place only because of its political status under Authoritarian regime, but also of the roots in Confucian popular values and education, which have grown as expectation on music to serve as a tool achieving social harmony and social stability. For Taiwanese music industry workers, the use of pirated music in the PRC has indirectly reduced the importance of the music ‘being legally approved’, so that self-censorship takes place under economic concern might outnumber the one out of fear for state censorship.
During the twenty-four days, protest songs were written, music videos were made, music performances inside and outside Legislation Yuan were arranged. Through ethnographic research on musicians involved, this paper aims to explore the functions of protest music in Sunflower Movement, and how artists engage with the movement on individual levels, and collectively as ‘protesters’. It also explores further how musicians position themselves in the movement.
Moskowitzs (2009) called the phenomenon that regardless of state control from governments both sides, Taiwan’s Mandopop had been playing a leading role in the PRC’s market during the past 30 years an ‘counter-invasion’. Through examining musicians’ participation, this paper argues even though Taiwan’s importance as the production center is decreasing, music continues serve as an agency for direct and indirect dialogue for both straits with the increasing use of social media. In the past Taiwan’s ballads bringing in cultural influence; now music raises questions about identities and the still existing political tension. This paper suggests a gaining autonomy in musicians’ political expression reflected in Sunflower Movement, have contributed to this gradual change, yet ongoing dialogue.
‘Beijing welcomes you’, and songs in ‘Beijing Olympic 2008 songs’ album, have given the phenomenal international event a public image as a celebration of ‘transnational Chineseness’ the official prefers and promotes. The essence of ‘Chineseness’ corresponds to the idea of ‘official nationalism’, defined as “a response on the part of threatened dynastic and aristocratic groups to popular vernacular nationalism” (Anderson, 1983) Besides making contrast with other nations, ‘official nationalism’ also unifies the ‘imagined community’ by creating cultural similarities and ignoring differences.
Anderson (1983) also argues cultural products ‘rarely express loathing or hatred but love for country’. Nevertheless, my paper took the ‘love for country’ as potentially problematic that indirectly reinforces cultural hegemony both domestically and transnationally.
My paper aims to examine how in recent years ‘Chinese’ is imagined as a community in Mandarin popular music, and how ‘official Nationalism’ is communicated in these songs by examining lyrical content, musical expression, the background of artists, and the making of the songs.
Chinese overseas students find music censorship on Taiwanese popular music irritating but necessary. For cases discussed in this study, they do not find the content harmful, but for the benefit of ‘the greater whole’ and social stability, in their opinions censorship would still be necessary. Through knowing their understanding and perception about music censorship, this study also suggests that music censorship in the PRC does not take place only because of its political status under Authoritarian regime, but also of the roots in Confucian popular values and education, which have grown as expectation on music to serve as a tool achieving social harmony and social stability. For Taiwanese music industry workers, the use of pirated music in the PRC has indirectly reduced the importance of the music ‘being legally approved’, so that self-censorship takes place under economic concern might outnumber the one out of fear for state censorship.