Daoist Music
01 · Historical Records
In the late Qing and early Republican period, the Daoist priest Qi Hezhi made a small pipe out of tin, alternatively called the “tin pipe”; it resembles a suona with its brass bell removed, has a clear and bright tone, and was listed as a principal instrument of temple music.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Daoist music is also called “daochang music” (music of the ritual ground); it is the music used in Daoist zhaijiao liturgical observances, and, like Daoism itself, it too has its origin in the ritual song and dance of ancient shamans. Daoist music consists of instrumental and vocal parts. In the instrumental part the leading instruments are bells, ching, drums, wooden fish and small gongs, supported by wind, plucked and bowed string instruments; the vocal part is centred on chanting, and comprises the solo singing of the high-ranking officiant who proclaims the precepts, recites dharani, praises the spirits and chants the declaration, together with the spoken declaration of the dujiang daoshi and the unison singing of the assembled daoshi. Mount La of Yinshan Town, Dongping County, Shandong Province, has long been known as the “Lesser Mount Dai”, and the Mount La Daoist music transmitted here is markedly distinctive, standing in a class of its own among Daoist music. This music was founded by Qiu Chuji, the founder of the Daoist Longmen school. His disciple Yang Qingrong (1478–1548), the tenth-generation head of the Longmen school, built Xianglong Guan (Xianglong Abbey) at Mount La and further developed Longmen Daoist music; through the repeated practice and refinement of successive generations of daoshi of Xianglong Abbey, the distinctive Mount La Daoist music gradually took shape. In its origins Mount La Daoist music was played chiefly while transmitting the Dao and reciting the sutras in the temple, to enhance the solemn atmosphere of the hall; it could also be used when going out to hold a daochang rite. Mount La Daoist music is based chiefly on wind-and-percussion music, and its performing instruments include the small pipe, the large pipe, the suona, sheng, flute and xiao. Besides these, Mount La Daoist music also has percussion instruments such as the small gong, the cloud drum, the stone chime, small bronze plates and the dangzi. The Daoist priest Zhang Jiaopu was skilled in this art, his technique being very well matured. The matching of percussion with wind-and-percussion music constitutes an important characteristic of Mount La Daoist music. The tune patterns of Mount La Daoist music are indirect and melodious, full-bodied and deep in style, moving now like floating clouds and flowing water, now like the waves of the boundless sea. Records state that when Mount La Daoist music was at its height there were more than 300 daoshi within and beyond its doors, possessing more than 360 tune patterns. Fewer than twenty tune patterns survive today; after excavation and collation, tune patterns such as 【Lin Qingge】, 【Xiaobaimen】 and 【Dazao】 have already been made usable for performance.
Tin guanzi
In the late Qing and early Republican period the Daoist priest Qi Hezhi made a small pipe out of tin, alternatively called the “tin pipe”; it resembles a suona with its brass bell removed, has a clear and bright tone, and was listed as a principal instrument of temple music.
Wind-percussion with drumming
Mount La Daoist music is based chiefly on wind-and-percussion music, its performing instruments including the small pipe, the large pipe, the suona, sheng, flute and xiao, and it also has percussion instruments such as the small gong, the cloud drum, the stone chime, small bronze plates and the dangzi; the matching of the two constitutes an important characteristic of it.
Xianglong Abbey lineage
Mount La Daoist music was founded by Qiu Chuji, the founder of the Daoist Longmen school; his disciple Yang Qingrong (1478–1548), the tenth-generation head of the Longmen school, built Xianglong Abbey at Mount La and further developed Longmen Daoist music, and it gradually took shape through the repeated practice and refinement of successive generations of daoshi of the abbey.
Temple and outdoor ritual use
In its origins Mount La Daoist music was played mainly while transmitting the Dao and reciting the sutras in the temple, to enhance the solemn atmosphere of the hall; it could also be used when going out to hold a daochang rite.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
As it developed, Daoist music bands were also engaged for folk weddings, funerals and marriages; Mount La Daoist music gradually merged into folk life and became an art form that the local people were glad to hear and loved to see.
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04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Mount La Daoist music is an important component of China's folk music, and its Daoist music possesses relatively distinctive artistic and cultural value.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Zhang Yubao 03-0894
- Li Manshan 03-0895
- Shi Jitong 03-0896
- You Wuzhong 03-0897
- Zhang Minggui 03-0898
- Wu Bingzhi 04-1537
- Feng Yingzhan 05-2153
- He Chunsheng 05-2154
- Wu Lixun 05-2155
- Zhan Heping 05-2156
- Zhang Jintao 05-2157
- Huo Dezhong 05-2158
- An Baohui 05-2159
- Wu Huyong
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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