Mapping the evolution of China-affiliated piano education research (1975–2025): a bibliometric review

This study conducted a bibliometric review of English-language China-affiliated piano education research between 1975 and 2025. Using bibliometric methods and visualisation tools, a total of 523 publications indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection were analysed. The study examined publication trends, citation patterns, collaboration networks, and the thematic structure of the field. Microsoft Excel was used for descriptive analysis, while VOSviewer was used to visualise keyword co-occurrence and collaboration patterns. Publication activity was uneven for several decades and increased markedly after the mid-2010s. Citation analysis identified highly visible publications across piano pedagogy, music learning, educational psychology, and adjacent areas; citation counts were treated as indicators of visibility rather than research quality or theoretical maturity. Keyword analysis indicated a pedagogical core connected with learner-centred topics, including motivation, self-efficacy, self-regulated learning, creativity, and technology-enhanced learning. The collaboration maps showed small, weakly connected groups, although the bibliometric evidence does not by itself establish the theoretical maturity of the field. Because the search used the address field, the dataset represents internationally indexed publications involving China-affiliated authors rather than all research conducted in China. The study therefore provides a bounded overview of the field and identifies priorities for broader database coverage, transparent keyword reporting, stronger collaboration, and empirical investigation of psychological and technological themes.