The Beating of Drums and Clashing of Symbols: Music in Ming Dynasty Military Operations

Abstract

When reading descriptive accounts of battles from the Ming (1368-1644) period in China, one cannot help being struck by the evocations of sound. Cannons thunder, bombs crash, and generals bellow commands amidst the din of combat. Walls reverberate from the detonation of artillery shells. Soldiers are deafened by the noise of guns firing. Some even succumb to the effects of what later becomes known as “shell shock.” In addition to the noise of the implements of war themselves, there are also frequent references to the use of martial music. Drums were used to signal attacks and to coordinate formations. In Ming China, as in other cultures, major military campaigns were typically launched to great fanfare, involving rousing speeches by supreme commanders and the playing of drums and other instruments to inspire the men to perform heroic deeds. Likewise, the successful conclusions of military campaigns were marked by grand ceremonies attended by the emperor and his high officials and accompanied by troupes of musicians.