Myanmar

Otherwise known as Burma, Myanmar is a sovereign state in Southeast Asia that is rich in precious
stones, oil, natural gas, and other mineral resources. Dynasties in earlier centuries ruled the country
until it was taken under military ruling that officially ended in 2011, when a civilian government was
established.

The music of Myanmar has a touch of Chinese and Thai music. Its traditional music is generally
characterized as melodious but has no definite harmony played in 4/4, 2/4 ог 8/16 time signature. These
are locally termed as na-gi-se, wa let-se and wa-let-a-myan, respectively. These time signatures are
usually combined in one composition, which makes Burmese music multileveled and hierarchical. Due to
this combination, the harmony becomes indefinite.

Burmese music may have been influenced by China, as evident in the pentatonic musical scale of their
classical music. Mon music, such as the Talaing and Thailand's Yodaya, also had influence on Burmese
music.

Vocal Music

Burmese classical songs, known as thachingy, are included in an extensive collection known as Mahagita,
which literally means "great music". This collection is divided into different types of songs such as: oldest
repertoire (kyo, bue, thachingan), royal court music (pat pyo), songs of longing (lawn chin), songs that
make horses dance (lay dway than gat, myin gin), songs for the Burmese spirits or nat (nat chin), and
songs of sorrow (bole).

The byaw, often played at religious festivals, is also sung long and thin drum and a larger drum. to the
beats of a

Instrumental Music

Classical instrumental music ensembles are categorized as either outdoor or indoor ensembles.

Sudan, also known as sidawgyi, is an outdoor ensemble in royal courts used in important ceremonial
functions like the royal ploughing ceremony.

The ensemble comprises of kneg, a large double reed pipe: sidaus a pair of ceremonial drums; the si, a
bell; wa, a clapper; and gandama, a double- headed drum
The indoor ensemble, on the other hand, is known as chamber music ensemble. It is played basically as
accompaniment to a female singer. It consists of the saung, a harp, pattala, a xylophone; migyaung, a
zither, and paler, a fhite. In the past, tayam (a fiddle) and hnyin (a small mouth organ) are used in the
ensemble.

Musical Instruments

Saung is the local term for a harp in Myanmar. Its two types are Byat Saung and Saung Gauk or bent
harp. It was earlier played in the 10th century with five strings, which later increased to seven strings
until it used 13 strings during the reign of King Bodaw Pharar.

Locally known as pattalar, the Burmese xylophone typically has bamboo or copper as its bars.

The flute is known as paliei in Myanmar. There are two types of this flute: the khinpaluri, which has a
vintage reed at the blowing end and is more commonly played, and the kyawpalve, which has no reed.

The sidaw or the royal drum is played on royal occasions and for favorable omens for the villages. In
history, the sidaw was played in events such as ploughing ceremonies, city visits, and gift presentation
ceremonies.

The kyni waing or brass gong has 18-19 brass gongs in a circle. A player strikes the boss on the gong with
a mallet or two mallets in each hand, which create a melodious sound known in its earlier form as
kyeithaus.

Laos

The country is officially named the Lao People's Democratic Republic. It is a landlocked country bordered
by Myanmar, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. In history, monarchy was the initial type of
government in the country. The first kingdom was LanXang. When the country was taken under French
ruling, the single kingdom was divided into three: the Luang Pharang, Vientiane, and Champasak, which
eventually united to form Laos. The monarchial type of government lasted until 1975 when the
Communist Pather Lao movement emerged. Today, Laos is a single-party socialist republic with its
capital city Vientiane and official language Lao.

The country is multiethnic, consisting mainly of Lao people. The rest are from various Mon-Khmer
groups and indigenous hill tribes. Their religion, Theravada Buddhism, has a dominant influence in their
culture. Their belief was mirrored in their art, culture, literature, and music. Though generally affected
by religion, an essential aspect of Laotian music actually predates the existence of their religion.

Vocal Music
Mor Lam, or simply lam, is a folk music performed extemporaneously by a singer. It is typically
accompanied by an akhene player known as mork haen.

Lam singing uses flexible melody developed by the singer as an interpretation of a particular poem.
Typically, the theme of unrequited love with a touch of humor is the center of the song.

Although traditionally played with the khene, Lam, in its later development, is also accompanied by
fiddles, flutes, and bells. The Lam is performed in various styles, saravane being the most popular. In
some cities like the Luang Prabang, the khaplamwai style is widely used.

Instrumental Music

The Sep Nyai is a category of Lao classical orchestra that is ceremonial and formal. It utilizes two sets of
gongs (konguong), a xylophone (ranat), an oboe (pri or salai), two large kettle drums, and two sets of
cymbals (xing).

Another category of classical orchestra in Laos is the Sep Noi, which produces popular tunes. It is played
using two bowed string instruments (So U and So I). Both instruments have a long neck or fingerboard
and a small sound box made up of bamboo for So U and coconut in So I. Also, they both have two strings
that are always played together and tuned at five notes apart.

Musical Instruments

The Khene is the most prominent musical instrument in Laotian music. It is a mouth organ with pipes
that are usually made from a special kind of bamboo. The pipes are connected with a small, hollowed-
out hardwood which is blown creating a similar sound to that of a violin. What is said to be an
interesting part of the khene is its free reed made of brass or silver which is essentially like the accordion
and harmonica.

Moreover, the instrument is played in a pentatonic scale. This means that the melody runs in five notes
played in various modes or lai. The player or khaen plays the khene in the following lai:
1. Lai Yai (ACDEG)

2. Lai Noi (DFGAC)

3. Lai Soutsanaen (GACDE) - the "Father of the Lai Khaen"

4. Lai Soi (DE GAB) 5. Lai Po Sai (CDFGA) - the oldest mode

Generally, the instrument may be played solo, as part of an ensemble known as Pong lang, or the usual
accompaniment to the mor lam.

Aside from the khene, the following musical instruments are also utilized in mor lam ensembles.

Pi-bamboo oboes of various kinds and sizes Vot-a circular panpipe .

Khuy-various types of double-reed and single-reed bamboo flutes

Heun - a type of jaw harp

Chakhe - a type of zither

Saw u

- a class of bowed fiddle-like instruments

tion
nd

be

Khim- a hammered dulcimer Phin a three-stringed lute

Hai song- a taut string over an earthenware jar Kachappi-a two-stringed, four-coursed ancient lute

. Ranat- various kinds of xylophones

Sing-cymbal-like instruments used to maintain tempo

Kap- a wooden clapper

⚫ Kong-various types of hand drums Khong-various types of gongs

Vietnam

Shaped like an elongated S, Vietnam is the easternmost country of Indochina and is officially known as
the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. It is bordered by China, Laos, Cambodia, and South China Sea. The
government of Vietnam was of dynasties in the earlier centuries until it was taken under Communist
government in 1975 after the Vietnam War. During those years before 1986, Vietnam was
impoverished. When reforms have started, the country began to progress and establish linkages to
other countries in 2000. Today, Vietnam continuously moves forward for economic reform and progress.

Culturally, Vietnamese culture reflects influences of Confucianism and Taoism. Influences from
immigrant people like the Cantonese, Hakka, Hokkien. and Hainan cultures are also evident. Like many
neighboring countries, Buddhism is their chief religion. The Vietnamese are also reverent of their
ancestry as they give high regard to family as well as community values. They are likewise reverent of
symbols such as the lac or holy bird, turtles, and horses.

The country's music is predominantly influenced by Chinese musical tradition. It also has a touch of
music from Korea, Mongolia, and Japan. Nonetheless, Vietnamese music is still unique despite foreign
influences because of its native element.

Vocal Music

Translated literally as alternate singing, Quan ho is sung a capella. It is

improvised singing and is used in courtship rituals

Akin to Quan ho is the Ho, which was said to be its southern style. Ho is also improvisational in nature
and is a dialogue between a man and a woman. Aside from courtship, it has themes such as love,
countryside, and others.

Ca tru, also known as hat a dao, is a popular folk music believed to have originated with A Dao. A Dao is
a female singer who charmed enemies with her voice. This type of entertainment is likened to the
geisha-type entertainment in Japan. Earlier form of this music is performed in the imperial palace until it
was popularized in communal houses and eventually to the elite.

Instrumental Music

Traditional Vietnamese music is also pentatonic, which is the five notes scale. Ngu Cung is the local term
for this pentatonic scale. The five notes include Ho, Xu, Xang, Cong, and Liu instead of the seven Do, Re.
Mi, Fa. Sol, La, and Ti

There are several forms of music in the imperial court. One form is the Nhanhac, which is described as
elegant music, as well as ritual and ceremonial Another is Dai nhac or great music. There is also the
Tieunhac or small music performed particularly in the King's chamber.
A form of unique traditional music in the country is the xam, which is now

in danger of completely being lost. It was generally performed by blind artists wandering from town to
town to earn a living. Nhac dan toc cai bien is a modern form of folk music which developed traditional
music using Western elements of harmony and instrumentation. This form was often criticized because
it is believed to have reduced the quality of traditional music.

Thailand

Formerly known as Siam, Thailand is officially known as the Kingdom of Thailand. Consequently, the
country is under constitutional monarchy headed by a king titled Head of State, the Head of the Armed
Forces, the Upholder of the Buddhist religion, and the Defender of all Faiths. The national religion in the
country is Theravada Buddhism.

The culture of the country was shaped by influences of India, Laos, Burma, Cambodia, and China. The
national religion, Theravada Buddhism, also helped establish the country's identity. A unique practice
and tradition of the people is the wai, a form of greeting initiated by a younger person to someone older
or by one in a lower rank. To do this, the hands are pressed together, fingertips pointing upward and
touching the face as one bows. The words "Sawasdeekhrap" for male speakers or "Sawasdeeka" for
female are spoken with the gesture. The older person responds the same way. The wai is an important
manifestation of the Thais' culture of respect.

Thai music, like its culture, is also a result of the merging of influences particularly of China and India. For
instance, Thai musical instruments like the jakhe and klong jin originated from India and China,
respectively. The mor lam of Laos also exists in the country.

Instrumental Music

There are three classical forms of musical ensembles in Thailand. The piphat is played by a mid-sized
orchestra consisting of two xylophones called ranat, an oboe called pi, barrel drums called klong, and
two circular set of tuned horizontal gong-chimes called khongwonglek and khongwongyai Piphat may be
performed outdoors or indoors, depending on the ceremonial purpose it will serve. Funeral cremation
ceremonies and accompaniment for Thai drama are just some events where the piphat is played.
Khruang Sai, on the other hand, is an orchestra that combines the wind instruments of piphat to a string
section which include the saw duang, a high-pitched two-string bowed lute; the saw u, a lower pitched
bowed lute; and jakhe, a three-string plucked zither. It is played primarily indoors to accompany the
stick-puppet theater locally known as hoongrabok.

The third form of orchestra, the Mahori, is traditionally played by women The instruments used in the
ensemble are a combination of instruments from the Khruang Sai and Piphat but without the oboe.

Musical Instruments

The jakhe is a plucked string instrument which originated from India. It is a crocodile-shaped fretted
floor zither with three strings. The saw u is also a string instrument but is bowed. It is used in classical

music and plays lower tones than the saw duang. It has a two-string fiddle and

a body made of coconut shell. The ranat is a general term for keyboard. It is a trough-resonated
percussion instrument typically played with two mallets and used in Thai classical and

theater music.

The pi is a quadruple or double reed oboe.

Malaysia

The country is under federal constitutional monarchy consisting of 13 states and three federal
territories. The head of state is known locally as Yang di-Pertuan Agong while the head of the
government is called Prime Minister Malay kingdoms in the 18th century subjected to the British Empire
were said to be the origin of this type of government. The political aspect of the country is influenced by
multi-ethnicity and multi-culturalism. This is evident in the parliamentary system and constitution
influenced by English Common Law and Islam, respectively.

Malaysia's culture is a mixed influence of Chinese and Indian culture, and likewise Persian, Arabic and
British. This, however, created tension to neighboring countries because some of their cultural heritage
is similar to others. The country then created a National Cultural Policy to define their culture but
yielded criticism, as culture is believed to be not dictated and restricted by the government.

In music, the same influence of various nationalities is evident. Malay, Chinese, Indian, and other
cultures affected the musical culture of the country. Generally, Malaysian music may be classical, folk,
acculturated, or pop and contemporary for modern times.

Instrumental Music

Malay music is traditionally based on percussion instruments particularly the gendang or drum. They are
played to be used for storytelling, celebrating life cycles, and harvest. Gong ensembles, such as the
agung and kulintang, are used in ceremonies

such as funerals and weddings. The kertok ensembles are performed through the swift and rhythmic
sound of the xylophone.

Musical Instruments

The bonang is a horizontal rack gong made of a set of small knobbed gongs. It is among the various rack
gong sets. The number and sizes of these gongs differ depending on their construction and function.

The gambus of Malaysia is originally from Middle East. It is the most common lute in Malay folk music
used to accompany song and dance in Sabah.

The rehab is the main melodic instrument in the makyong, a popular local tune. It is a bowed lute with
two or three strings. It is held upright and played using a wooden bow.
An instrument said to be indigenous to Malaysia is the seruling, which is a wind instrument. It comes in
various shapes and designs, with various numbers of holes. It is played by blowing across the edge while
it is held straight. A variation of this instrument is the nose flute known as persol.

Art

REVIEW OF ELEMENTS AND PROCESSES: LINES

An artwork begins with a dot and continues with lines. Line is an element of art that is considered
foundational to most, if not all, art pieces. For example, the intricate design of the Nataraja (dancing
Shiva) is composed of sets of horizontal, vertical, diagonal, curved, and jagged lines, all of which
facilitate their meanings to come up with the final work. Artists use lines to create movement. Each line
has its ideas. Study the following lines,

Vertical Line creates an illusion of power and strength because it makes the final drawing appear tall and
poised.

Horizontal Line creates a calm feeling because it moves side to side, connoting relaxing eye movement
that can be translated into serenity and peace.

Diagonal Line creates an illusion of energy because it moves at a slant position, a rather active one.
Slanting line is also used to suggest power of decline, or powerlessness.

Curved Line suggests energy and movement, but unlike the diagonal, curved line is not angular.

Zigzag Line is jagged. Its toothed appearance helps make an artwork appear inconsistent and out of
control.

Lines can be made through the following:

Scattered

Circular

Broken

Chinese Art

The art of China is considered as the oldest art that is continuously being practiced today. This is
because their culture, particularly the culture of northern China, has been handed and practiced
religiously from one dynasty to another. There was even a time when Chinese children were taught to
practice the principle of imitation as one of the foundational concepts of their education and life in
general. The following are representative art of China and its territories.

Pottery and Decorative Arts

Chinese art has a lot of decorations and adornments. These objects add beauty to an object or a person.
One of the most popular decorative arts of China is its pottery works.

Called eponymously as china, the Chinese ceramics became one of the symbols of Chinese art. It
originated from the Paleolithic era, when ancient Chinese first valued the endowment of raw materials
for ceramics. Since then, Chinese ceramics has been continuously being made.

Refined porcelain were first made for imperial courts as symbols of wealth

and power, but its art has been handed down to workshops and has been

made in mass production. Thus, porcelain, or china, became one of the most
significant artworks in land.

To define, ceramics in China is white and translucent. It is either high- fired or low-fired. The china with
the artificial emerald color was introduced much later, when northern kiln was used with the southern
kiln as the Chinese empire widens its scope. The said ceramics were then imported to Europe and
elsewhere in the world. Modern ceramics come with many colors, like those with lavender, cobalt blue,
and lustre.

Sample chinas:

From the Ming Dynasty

From the Qing Dynasty

From the Tang Dynasty

From the Yuan Dynasty

From the Song Dynasty

Pottery and ceramics are two different terms, but they share the same craft. The process of making a
china involves firing clay, and removing the water in it. The final shape will then be permanent, hence,
making the china very durable.

Chinese sculptures

Buddhist art from India spread throughout the world and reached the southern part of China through
the Silk Road, or other trade routes. From then on, Chinese art has been heavily influenced by
Buddhism. The Chinese are excellent sculptors and have sculpted bronze and cerami but it is during the
Zhou Dynasty (1027-221 BCE) that sculpting became i national art movement. The different images of
the Buddha bodhisattavas are examples.

The Big Buddha of Hong Kong

Arishan Jade Buddha

Other Notable Art from China

China, being one of the biggest countries in terms of land area and of population, is very much diverse.
Its culture is likewise very rich, with some ar masterpieces being handed down to the present generation
since the Paleolithic era. Hence, art pieces born, developed, reborn, and redeveloped in the country are
very important not only in East Asia, but also in the whole world. Some sample Chinese representative
arts:

Japanese Art

Japan is the first truly industrialized country in Asia. It is an island-nation with a population of more than
125 million people, centered on the island of Honshu. The country has developed nich culture that rival
that of its overseas neighbor China, which essentially influenced it. The art of Japan is an altogether rich
treasury of paintings, sculpture, performing arts, theater and music, and visual arts

Wood block printing

Prints and paintings in Japan involved that of wood block, or making relief out of wood. This art is known
as ukiyo-e m Japan. It is practically a relief printing style. It is done by carving out the white spaces to be
shown on the print and letting the black spaces stay on the wood.

The figure above shows the block (figure A) being carved out with some of its parts. The parts taken
away are shown as the spaces between the inked parts, which essentially make the impression that the
inked parts are being raised. The printed medium (figure B) is being pressed to be inked. The image will
then be printed, only mirrored.

Some of the most famous woodblock prints, which are considered masterpiece of visual arts, are the
following. Note that to print colors, the artist should make another block bearing said color, and without
affecting the original color.

Other Notable Art of Japan

The Japanese Zen garden replaces water with white sands. Japanese gardens are min- iature gardens
used for meditation or for aesthetic pleasure in the case of the nobil- ity. Its landscapes are distinct
compared to those of the Chinese and Korean gardens, with Japanese materials exemplifying their
culture and arts

The Parasol dance is an example of a performing arts that uses a stylized yet ordinary everyday life ma
terial-the umbrella. It is basically a shuffling dance suited for Japanese ladies.

Puppets serve as actors in the Bunraku Theatre, a form of Japa nese entertainment art. It was le veloped
since the 17th century as a form of theater art and sculptural art. The heads and hands of the puppets
are well-crafted while the body is custom-made by the pup peteers. This form of theater has influenced
many other theater arts in the country and in the region.

The Ise Grand Shrine is considered as the prototype of Japanese architecture. It is a Shinto shrine, with
elements that date back to the period that Buddhism was not yet introduced in Japan. It has ten billets
called katsuogi in Japanese language and forked finials or chigi on the ridge. This architecture has been
preserved since some 2,000 years ago. Every after 20 years, it is being rebuilt at the empty shrine beside
it. For the next year, the original shrine will again be built with the same architecture, and so on. The
present shrine was constructed in 2013 and the next will be built in 2033.

Animé and manga are two of the most famous postmodern art in the world today. Besides having the
wit and critically-acclaimed stories, animés and mangas cater to different demographics and fanbase
following nowadays. Manga is said to originate from scrolls in the 12th century and animé has only been
introduced in the 20th century.
Origami, which literally means folding paper, is the Japanese art of folding paper that began in the 17th
century. It involves a series of inventing sculptures through folding Techniques. If the process uses glue
and scissors, the art is called kirigami.

Korean Art

1.3

герге the a

Addi of the

Korean art is the general term for the art of two states-South Korea and North Korea. These two nations
are dividest by differing ideologies since the middle of the 20th century. However, the two nations are in
essence a single country that is, they share the same culture, the same people, and the same history.
Because of this, the art in the two countries separated by the 38th parallel line is the same.

Early Buddhist structures were prototypes from South Asia. Central Asia, and China. These are
transported to Japan via the peninsula now known as Korea But artisans reflected their own. versions of
the Buddha with Korean facial features and casted the images in the Korean way. Unfortunately, Korean
Buddhas and Buddhist structures were lost during temple fires, wars, and Japanese smuggling when the
country invaded the whole of peninsula.

Votive offerings were practiced in Korea in its history. This kind of art is an art installation that is
considered permanent, or at least made in a place where the maker does not intend to recover it,
hence, the word offering. Other notable arts include the following:

REVIEW OF ELEMENTS AND PROCESSES: SHAPES

When one puts together an infinite set of dots, a line is produced. When the lines crossed each other
and create a distinct figure, a shape is formed. Shape is a two-dimensional figure. As thus, it has height
and width. Since lines meet at different points, shapes also differ.
There are two basic kinds of shapes; the geometric and the free-form. Some artists also refer to nature-
made figures as shapes, as well as the abstract.

Geometric Shapes

Geometric shapes are the most basic art figures of humans. A beginner (a preschooler, for example)
starts drawing using lines that combine together to create illusions of tallness and wideness. A good
example is a house, which is made up of a rectangle and a triangle. The sun is a circle and the flowers
are combination of curved lines and circle shape.

The most basic geometric shapes are the rectangle, the triangle, and the circle.

Combining these make more complex shapes like the following:

As a child progresses as an artist, shapes used may already be hidden on the artwork. They can be
integrated in the paint, in the framework, or in other areas where they cannot be easily recognized.
Take a look at this famous artwork, Madonna on the Rocks, by Leonardo da Vinci.

Free-form Shapes

Unlike geometric, the free-form shapes are uneven and irregular. It is much easier to describe a
geometric shape through mathematical formula. Free-form shapes can be seen in nature. The human
body is an example. It is a combination of straight lines, curved lines, jagged, or the combination of all
lines.

ANTHROPOMETRIC MEASUREMENT AND BODY MASS INDEX

metria, which means "a measure". It helps identify potential athletes who may excel in a specific sport.
An example is tall people are more likely to become basketball players.

1. Standing Height - the height of a person standing barefoot on a flat surface with the back of the head,
back of upper body, buttocks, and heel touching the wall.

2. Sitting Height - the measurement of the trunk or upper body. Standing height minus the sitting height
gives the length of the lower extremities. This can be measured by using an ordinary wooden bench that
is placed against the wall where the student will sit. This will help identify persons with long legs who
could be potential runners in athletics.
3. Arm Span - The measurement of the arms from the tip of the finger of the left hand to the tip of the
finger of the right hand. Arms should be raised directly parallel to the ground. With one fingertip on the
zero mark, reach as far as you can, touching the tape measure pasted on the wall. Record the result. The
arm span, or sometimes called the wingspan, is proportionate to the standing height. People with long
arm span (more than his/her standing height) can be a potential swimmer or in a sport that requires
tackling or reaching and hitting a ball or an object like in volleyball, tennis, or badminton.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Body Mass Index is the number calculated from a person's weight and height. It is one way of
determining if one is healthy, overweight, underweight or obese. Identifying one's BMI makes one
aware of how much physical activity one should do in order to achieve or retain an ideal or normal
weight.

The following is the formula to compute for the BMI:

BMI Weight in kilograms Height in meters?

Example. A person is 1.6 meters tall and has a weight of 57 kilograms.

Weight:

Height:

57 kilograms

1.6 meters

BMI

57

57 57
1.62 1.6x1.6 2.56 -22.26 (normal weight)

BMI Table of Classification

Some of the causes of being underweight are malnutrition, lack of rest of sleep, lack of physical
activities, and sometimes it could be a sign of presence of parasite in the intestines, or a disease.

One of the suggested solutions to being underweight is to increase caloric intake. A dietitian or the
school physician can tell how many calories one needs in a day to attain a normal weight.

Likewise, one of the reasons of being overweight or obese is too much calorie and fat intake. Consult a
dietitian and ask for a diet program to reduce weight, and a doctor to reduce cholesterol and other
unwanted substances in the blood or body. Laboratory diagnosis through blood samples determines the
chemistry of the blood including cholesterol, blood sugar, and other unwanted substances in the blood
that may cause organ disease. Physical activities help reduce or gain weight, burn calories, and promote
organic vigor. However, proper testing like the physical fitness test determines the physical capacity of
the body by identifying its strength and weaknesses.