Beiguan Origin

Beiguan is one of the main traditional music genres in Taiwan.
"Bei" refers to the geographical direction (north) and also represents a lively and high-pitched music style.
"Guan" has multiple interpretations, including a type of wind instrument, a category of musical instruments, or a musical genre.



Beiguan was brought to Taiwan by immigrants from Fujian, China in the 18th century and has been passed down the generations for about 300 years. It has taken root in Taiwan and has close ties to the Han Chinese social life in Taiwan.

Beiguan has multiple social functions and can be heard in various events and spaces, such as religious ceremonies, temple festivals, street processions, festivals, weddings and funerals, as well as backstage accompaniment for various types of operas (Taiwanese opera, puppet theater, and glove puppetry) and as leisure and entertainment activities in Beiguan halls (also known as Quguan or Zidiguan), where people practice and perform.

Beiguan music includes instrumental and vocal music, with the lyrics and dialogue of vocal music (including operas and narrative songs) using classical Chinese, which Beiguan practitioners refer to as Zhengyin or Guanhua. The use of this language, combined with the artistic elements of the music, demonstrates that Beiguan music is a form of classical music in Taiwan.