Daoist Music
01 · Historical Records
Qingshui Daoist music, transmitted in Qingshui County, Gansu Province, is also called “zhaijiao music” or “daochang music”. It originates in the Daoist Quanzhen school founded in the 12th century; during the Wanli reign of the Ming emperor Shenzong the “Longmen” and “Huashan” branches were formed, and it belongs to the Daoist liturgical music of the Quanzhen school.
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. The scriptures commonly used by Qingshui Daoist music number sixty works in more than 180 volumes. It is centred on jingyun chanting and is accompanied mainly by percussion ritual implements; it also includes the wind instruments sheng, guan, flute and xiao, while string instruments are comparatively seldom used. The Daoist music falls into two main categories, vocal and instrumental. The vocal part is sung entirely by the human voice, and different rhymes can be matched and alternated according to the specific circumstances of each daochang site. There were originally 360 melodies, of which more than 200 survive today; they are mostly named after the words of the sutras, such as 《Kai Tan Yun》, 《Dian Cha Yun》, 《Da Zan Yun》, 《Shan Ming Yun》 and others. The Huashan branch is supple yet firm, with a relaxed tempo; the Longmen branch is low, lingering and tender, and pleasant to the ear. Since the beginning of the new period, with the massive influx of outside culture, Qingshui Daoist music has passed a severe test.
Sixty scriptures in 180 volumes
The scriptures commonly used by Qingshui Daoist music number sixty works in more than 180 volumes; the music is centred on jingyun chanting and is accompanied mainly by percussion ritual implements; it also includes the wind instruments sheng, guan, flute and xiao, while string instruments are comparatively seldom used.
Kai Tan Yun
One of the vocal melodies of Qingshui Daoist music, which are mostly named after the words of the sutras.
Dian Cha Yun
One of the vocal melodies of Qingshui Daoist music, which are mostly named after the words of the sutras.
Da Zan Yun
One of the vocal melodies of Qingshui Daoist music, which are mostly named after the words of the sutras.
Shan Ming Yun
One of the vocal melodies of Qingshui Daoist music, which are mostly named after the words of the sutras.
Longmen and Huashan branches
Qingshui Daoist music originates in the Daoist Quanzhen school founded in the 12th century, and during the Wanli reign of the Ming emperor Shenzong the “Longmen” and “Huashan” branches were formed; the Huashan branch is supple yet firm with a relaxed tempo, while the Longmen branch is low, lingering and tender, and pleasant to the ear.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Qingshui Daoist music takes the authentic Quanzhen rhymes as the common model for the temples of the Longmen and Huashan branches; the Daoist music is in general transmitted orally from teacher to pupil by daoshi, while the advanced chanting (gong) is passed on in secret by the senior masters. Because the monasteries of the ten directions are in close contact and daoshi frequently travel from place to place, Qingshui Daoist music has produced several local rhymes while at the same time observing the norms of the authentic Quanzhen rhymes, and its musical style also bears pronounced local features.
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04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Qingshui Daoist music is an outstanding form of folk art peculiar to Qingshui County, and has research value for the history of music and for the history of Daoism. At present this musical form has no successors, and those who transmit it are mostly advanced in age and can no longer carry on performance activity. For this reason, rescue measures must be taken without delay and the related protection work must be carried out properly. An Baohui (per the official archive record of the associated inheritor): Male, Han ethnicity, born in November 1962, native of Qingshui County, Gansu Province. He has inherited more than sixty music manuscripts and more than eighty vocal styles; on the foundation of the singing forms of the Daoist music of his own family, he also blends in folk ditties, Qinqiang and the singing style of the Quanzhen school, drawing on the strengths of many masters and establishing a school of his own. He has broken with sectarian and lineage prejudice and handed the Daoist music on to several disciples of other surnames. He took part in the excavation and collation of Qingshui Daoist music, in the recording of its scores and in the compilation of the book 《Collection of Qingshui Folk Instrumental Pieces》, and he also wrote such books as 《The Transmission History of the Huashan Branch of the Zhengyi Teaching in the An Lineage》 and 《Genealogy》. Representative inheritor of the fifth national-level intangible cultural heritage item Daoist Music (Qingshui Daoist Music).
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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