China has published a book on the history of Tibetan music featuring traditional musical instrument, dance and singing dramas as well as music celebrities and schools.

With more than 200,000 Chinese characters, the book provides rich information about Tibet's folk music from ancient tribe period, kingdom era, to modern time, covering a history of more than 2,000 years. Meanwhile, abundant pictures, scores and documents on are also included.

Piando, author of the book, is a famous musician and theoretician in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

"Born with nature for singing and dancing, people of Tibetan ethnic group living in the 4,000-meter-high Qinghai-Tibet Plateau developed strong love for music over thousands of year," the 74-year old Tibetan musician said.

Tibetan music highlights joviality in labor programs, daily routines, folk ceremonies and religious activities, said Piando, who spent eight years and visited 70 counties across the region to collect oral and written materials about Tibetan ethic music.

"I am glad to find original types of folk music as well as rare musical instruments in remote villages, which provide valuable clues for study on ancient Tibetan music and history," he said, urging young musicians in Tibet to inherit and carry forward these traditional music treasures in their recreation projects. 

(Xinhua News Agency May 11, 2006)