A music troupe from the Temple of Heaven in Beijing performs ancient Chinese royal music, "Zhonghe Shao Music", at the Tiger Hill Scenic Spot in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province, Sept 13, 2016. [Photo by Wang Jiankang/Asianewsphoto]

Shao Music is an important constituent of the court music system which can be traced back to the Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC).

The music was used during events like sacrificial ceremonies and royal banquets. This tradition was once lost after the collapse of the Qing Dynasty.

Staff from the Temple of Heaven recovered some parts of Shao Music from historical records in the 1980s and reestablished the Office of Sacred Music, an institution used to cultivate royal musicians during the Qing Dynasty.

"Zhonghe Shao Music" was listed as an intangible cultural heritage in Beijing in 2006.