This philosophical essay is a meditation on the multiple and contested meanings of the concept of democracy with the aim of redirecting dominant discourses in music education practices and building new capacities for democracy's practical use in music classrooms. Inspired by philosopher John Dewey's travels to China, and his influence on major Chinese thinkers like Hu Shih and Tao Xingzhi, the author plays with the etymological origins of the term "democracy", finding limited value in its Greek origins, but inspiration in the many ways of referring to democracy in Chinese [Minzhu: [Chinese character omitted]/Pingmin: [Chinese character omitted]/Shumin: [Chinese character omitted]/Minben: [Chinese character omitted] each of which has the potential to direct and enlarge contemporary instructional practices in formal music education settings.