A major characteristic of Chinese instrumental variations

A major characteristic of Chinese instrumental variations is the use of identification motives called the hewu (refrain head) or hewei (refrain tail) that appear in the beginning and end of each movement Again, except for these refrain motives, there might be no other relationship between the variations and the refrains or among the variations themselves. Sometimes, a movement appears several times among the other movements in a suite; this is considered a variation technique. Due to Western influence, ABA form has become extremely popular in modem instrumental folk music.

The Chinese have traditionally shown a fondness for extramusical connotations, so program music, poetic titles, and descriptions of compositions are popular. The existence of a sophisticated literary class is responsible for shaping this tradition, which is found not only in old music but also in modern socialist and so-called revolutionary works.