This thesis mainly analyzed Natural Boundary, a chamber piece for zheng, violin, cello and tape by Taiwanese composer Ching-Wen Chao. It is one of Chao’s most representative pieces so far after she returned to Taiwan.

By employing the literature reviews and compositional analysis, this thesis focus on understanding the composer’s creative thoughts and the compositional techniques. Natural Boundary presented an exquisite combination of western compositional techniques and oriental philosophy, which express Chao’s unique musical language. Moreover, Chao designed the musical structure and materials seriously to maintain the musicality, and let the listeners perceive the delicate progression and connotation.

In this thesis, one could reveal Chao’s composing process of Natural Boundary, and how she form her unique musical language. Therefore, after analyzing Natural Boundary, Chao’s musical thoughts and compositional techniques deeply influenced the author’s compositional concept and composed the work Nirvana for string quartet.

Nirvana was inspired by an ancient Sanskrit term “nirvana”. It is the soteriological goal within the Buddhism. Base on concept of “nirvana”, this work tried to depicted a life journey, from birth to death, then transcending the Samsara, the Sanskrit term of reincarnation, reaching the eternity finally.

Nirvana does not totally follow or adopt the philosophy, structure, or compositional techniques of Natural Boundary. Instead, in the piece Nirvana, through applying the concept and philosophy gathered from Natural Boundary, the author enriched, expanded, and made a breakthrough in his musical composition.