The Polyphonic Structure of “Grand Dong Song” is Similar to the Teaching System of European Polyphonic Music

Abstract

The Grand Song of the Dong people is a unique polyphonic folk chorus form developed by the Dong ethnic group in southwestern China over a long period of life, characterized by "no conductor, no accompaniment, and natural harmony." This singing style is regarded as "the polyphony of the East." In the European polyphonic system, such as the Renaissance period's Palestrina and Bach's fugue period, it represents the pinnacle of Western polyphonic music development, and the Grand Song of the Dong people also possesses similar performance methods. The purpose of this study is to reveal similar performance methods under different cultural environments. By comparing the similarities and differences between the Grand Song of the Dong people and European polyphonic choral singing in terms of vocal part division and high-pitched resonance relationships, this study explores the application value of the Grand Song of the Dong people's singing methods in ethnic vocal music education. The main research methods include musicological theoretical analysis, teaching feedback from Dong ethnic minority students, interviews, and rural surveys in Dong villages, with conclusions compared against the teaching models of polyphonic music in the European music system. This study examines the positive impact of this singing form of the Dong people on vocal music education.