Buddhist Music

01 · Historical Records

Buddhism was introduced into China around the reign of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han; Buddhist music from India and the Western Regions, over its long course of development, absorbed artistic elements of Chinese folk music and thereby took on a distinctive character, becoming an important component of Chinese Buddhist culture. The fan music of Daxiangguo Temple originated in the Tang and Song periods, incorporating the finest elements of court music, temple music and folk music. In the Northern Song period a Zhongzhou Buddhist music system centred on Daxiangguo Temple in Kaifeng took shape, whose influence radiated across the whole Central Plains region.

02 · Core Techniques & Process

Buddhist music is the music used by Buddhist monasteries in various Dharma-service activities and festival celebrations. It contains both Chinese national tunes and musical tunes of the minority peoples of India and the Western Regions. The musical zanbei directly applied by Buddhism is also called “fanbei”; it praises the Buddha and the bodhisattvas in short verse form, has singing modes such as solo, unison and chorus, and may be accompanied by instruments when sung. Daxiangguo Temple is located in Kaifeng City, Henan Province, and is one of the ten famous monasteries of Chinese Buddhism. It was first built in the sixth year of the Tianbao reign of the Northern Qi dynasty (555), and has a history of more than 1,400 years. At present the fan music of Daxiangguo Temple is mainly current in the areas under Kaifeng and in places such as Xinmi and Baiyun Temple; in addition five manuscript volumes of the 《Handwritten Secret Manual of the Music of Daxiangguo Temple》 and fan music scores such as 《Shi Kuang's Six Registers》 survive in the world. The “ji” of the vocal pieces takes as its content the preaching of scriptures and doctrines by Shakyamuni and consists of the 32 Sanskrit syllables of the universal ji; it is extraordinarily precious. Each time Daxiangguo Temple holds a major celebration it invites famous musician-monks from all quarters to perform together, and the scene is magnificent to behold. Its representative instrumental works include 《Lu Xiang Zan》, 《Jie Ding Zhen Xiang》, 《Bao Ding Zan》, 《Xiao San Bao》 and the like. The fan music of Daxiangguo Temple stands on its own in Buddhist music; its sound is fresh and elegant, and its artistic mood is deep and far-reaching. The chanter unites body and mind and forgets both self and things; the listener's chest is opened wide, the spirit roaming and the emotions stirred, reaching a very high state of life and of aesthetics.

03 · Regional Records & Related Items

The repertoire of the fan music of Daxiangguo Temple is very rich, numbering more than two hundred pieces, divided into two main parts, vocal and instrumental. The instrumental pieces are based mainly on traditional Buddhist music and Zhongzhou regional music, with tightly organized ensembles and regulated performance.

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04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding

The fan music of Daxiangguo Temple is an important part of Chinese Buddhist music and has high historical, cultural and research value. At present the music scores of the fan music of Daxiangguo Temple have been scattered and lost and there is no successor; efforts must be put in at once to rescue and protect it. Shi Longjiang (per the official archive record of the associated inheritor): He became a monk at the age of six and studied Buddhist music under the two musician-monks Shi Anlun (Xinshen) and Shi Anxiu (Shanshen). In 2002 the Buddhist music ensemble of Daxiangguo Temple in Kaifeng was restored, and at the respectful invitation of the abbot, the venerable Master Xinguang, he taught Buddhist music to the musician-monks. He later served as a musician of the fan music ensemble of Daxiangguo Temple in Kaifeng. He studied the chou-pipe music painstakingly, absorbing the essence of fan music from various places and innovating upon it; the timbre of his chou playing has the plaintive beauty of the xiao and the melodiousness of the flute. He specially cast tin pipes and composed the new piece 《Oil Gourd》. Lay name Sun Hongde, male, of Han ethnicity, born in August 1926, died in June 2016, a native of Minquan County, Henan Province. Representative inheritor of the Buddhist music (Daxiangguo Temple fan music) item of the third national-level batch of intangible cultural heritage. In 1957 he took part in the second national folk music and dance performance; the chou-and-sheng ensemble 《Bao Zhuang Tai》 that he played won second prize, and he was received and photographed together with the state leaders. To carry the chou-pipe music forward, he passed its techniques to many young musician-monks, and also led the Buddhist music ensemble to take an active part in public-benefit performances.

05 · Associated Representative Bearers

Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:

• Song Chun 03-0889
• Shilongjiang 03-0890
• Dunzhu 03-0891
• Cheng Laijiacuo 03-0892
• Xu Jianye 03-0893
• Shiyongwu 04-1535
• Jiayanglezhu 04-1536
• Nimazhuoga 05-2149
• Suonanzhuoma 05-2150
• Luocangguanque 05-2151
• Luocanggengga 05-2152
• Kuochen
• Xincheng

06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography

1. Buddhist Music (Kaifeng, Henan) · China ICH Official Project Archive
2. Shilongjiang · National Representative Bearer Archive

Sources

China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)

Read the official ihchina.cn record ↗