CONTEMPORARY PRACTICES OF ENGAGING WITH XIAN XINGHAI’S CREATIVE LEGACY IN CHINA’S MUSIC EDUCATION

Abstract

The article examines contemporary practices for engaging with the creative legacy of the Chinese composer Xian Xinghai (1905–1945) within the system of music education in the People’s Republic of China. The relevance of the study is determined by the state’s strategic course toward strengthening the axiological foundations of education, that is, integrating aesthetic development with the formation of moral values and cultural identity among university students. Xian Xinghai’s musical output – above all the Yellow River Cantata (1939) – is treated as a unique resource that combines high artistic merit with powerful patriotic content, making it an exceptionally effective instrument of both instruction and value-based upbringing. The author demonstrates that works by Xian Xinghai are actively incorporated in Chinese universities into the syllabi of specialized music courses as well as general, value-oriented (ideological) subjects. Based on an analysis of scholarly publications, teaching and methodological materials, and governmental regulatory documents, the study establishes that the Yellow River Cantata is used in lecture-based and practical formats, in choral projects, on elective courses, and in extracurricular activities. The article highlights the role of innovative pedagogical techniques – storytelling, project-based tasks, multimedia dramatizations, and immersive lessons – that move students from passive listening to active participation in creative and research processes. The article shows that these practices generate a synergistic pedagogical effect: on the one hand, students develop aesthetic taste, musical competences, and the capacity for collective creativity; on the other hand, they strengthen patriotic sentiments, value orientations, and an awareness of belonging to the unified Chinese national community. The author concludes that Xian Xinghai’s legacy functions today as a distinctive “bridge” between art and education. Its systematic use in universities aligns with the strategic objectives of contemporary Chinese higher education – namely, the formation of a well-rounded personality endowed with firm ideals, cultural confidence, and a high level of social responsibility.