Pre-service Music Teacher Education in China: A Historical Study

The purpose of this historical study was to delineate the transformation of music teacher education in China since 1949. Primary sources for this study included national documents, teaching plans, syllabi, and directives issued by the Ministry of Education and the National Education Commission. Findings revealed that the development of music teacher education in China can be periodized into four distinct historical stages: (a) the Period of Exploration (1949–1956), (b) the Period of Stagnation (1957–1976), (c) the Period of Recovery (1977–1999), and (d) the Period of Intensive Reform (2000–present). Throughout this developmental trajectory, the development of music teacher education was inextricably linked to the nation’s broader educational guidelines and cultural policies, with the central government consistently playing a dominant role. The central government’s recognition of the importance of school music education also directly spurred the demand for the training of music teachers. Furthermore, this study reveals long-standing issues within Chinese music teacher education that persist to this day, namely, the disciplinary classification issues of the music education major in higher education and the imbalance between pedagogical training and music skills within the curriculum.