AbstractThis research explores the situation of music education in ancient China by analyzing twenty-one female players who were victims of the human sacrifice custom and performed Chime Bells of Marquis Yi of Zeng, one of the oldest and largest percussion instruments in the world, along with Marquis Yi’s other instruments. Since the 11th century BCE, Chinese feudal rulers not only enjoyed music while alive but also wished to have it in the afterlife, killing their musicians to perform and accompany them beyond death. In 2025, the only set of musical instruments inherited by Marquis Yi was inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. The following research questions guided this investigation: Why are the Chime Bells of Marquis Yi of Zeng so important in Chinese music? What instruments were discovered in Marquis Yi’s tomb in 1978? Who played these instruments, and how were they played? What musical styles were performed on these instruments? What music theories did these female players apply when performing on these instruments? What were the performers sacrificed? Findings revealed that research on it fills a gap in the history of Chinese court music education between the 11th century BCE and 771 BC. Moreover, this study represents the first analysis of female musicians during the fifth century BCE. Additionally, the female players learned to perform different music styles, such as Banquet Music and Zhou-Fangzhongyue, and to play a variety of instruments, including ancient wind instruments, percussion, and string instruments. Most importantly, these musicians possessed extensive knowledge of music theory. For instance, the chimes and bells not only recorded the pitch system via engraved marks but also demonstrated how to align with the pitch systems of five other Chinese states of that period, which corresponds to the western Twelve-Tone Temperament. Furthermore, these female musicians were skilled dancers. This study concluded that ancient female court music education encompassed multiple music styles, diverse instruments, the music theories of several states, and integration of poetry, music and dance. (This is the author’s independent research, not a PhD program’s course assignment.)KeywordsChime Bells of Marquis Yi of Zeng, Chinese female musicians, ancient court music education