Nanyin music (literally translated as “the music of the South”) is considered to be the most ancient musical art form in China. Also known as Nanguan or Xianguan, it has been ascertained to be among the oldest and best preserved musical art forms in the world, having its own unique musical and notation system. Also regarded as a “living fossil”, the music dates back to the Han Dynasty (c. 206 BC – 220 AD). It originated as royal palace music but eventually established itself in southern China when court musicians migrated south as a consequence of civil wars. Nanyin musical practices and instruments have been faithfully preserved for centuries, incorporating the customs of Xianghegeof the Han Dynasty, the Qingshengyue of the Jin Dynasty (1115-1234), and the seating positions of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The music may be described as “serene and elegant”, reflecting a bygone age when the pace of life was unhurried, and its music may be categorized into two types: instrumental ensemble music to be played or sung, and songs. A typical piece may be as brief as two minutes or as long as forty minutes. The four main pitched instruments used in Nanyin music arexiao, pipa, erxian and sanxian, and the ban is a percussion instrument used by the vocalist to control the rhythm (Siong Leng, 2002; Chong & Chia, n.d.). Of the five main types of Nanyin percussion instruments, the sibao (literally “four treasures”; see Figure 1), a four-piece wooden percussion instrument, was selected as the main performing instrument for the children in the project.