Mongolian Hanting Music
01 · Historical Records
In 1984 fifteen ancient musical manuscripts were discovered at Genpei Temple; after expert study and deliberation they were identified as part of the repertoire of the court of Lin Dan Khan, used and performed by the temple's music ensemble. In 1632, when Lin Dan Khan retreated westward from Chaganhot, he left behind the musical manuscripts of the court music. Mongol court music has a long history: it took shape during the period of the Mongol khanate founded by Genghis Khan, flourished in the Yuan dynasty, and continued to be transmitted down to the time of Lin Dan Khan. From 2009 onwards Ar Horqin Banner has set up a Mongol court-music ensemble, which has rehearsed and performed more than twenty pieces.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Genpei Temple in Ar Horqin Banner was a branch temple of the Bogdokht Khan temples near Chaganhot, and historically possessed a temple music ensemble that performed Buddhist music and Mongolian traditional music. All the song lyrics are in Mongolian, and are mostly Genghis Khan's admonitions, Buddhist precepts and folk sayings. The fifteen ancient manuscripts found at Genpei Temple have their lyrics written in Mongolian script, accompanied by gongche notation; their titles also carry Chinese translations. They are "Ode of Auspiciousness", "Princess of Tang", "A Young Man's Journey", "Good Omen", "Auspicious Teacher", "Iron Steed", "Short Song", "Wooden Rosary", "Goodness Sutra", "Song of Herding Horses", "Lord's Steed Yellow", "Great Union", "Silk-Dyeing Melody", "Do Not Touch" and "Refined Words". The main content of these lyrics falls into four kinds: first, calling for national unity, social harmony and the happiness of the people, as in "Song of Herding Horses"; second, expressing loyal devotion to the ruler, as in "Refined Words"; third, expressing the Buddhist insight that life in the mundane world is impermanent, as in "Goodness Sutra"; fourth, expressing the idea of praising the Mongol khanate for conquering the world by force and ruling it well by civil administration, as in "Great Union". Because it belongs to court music, it circulated very little among the folk and was played mostly by temple ensembles such as that of Genpei Temple.
Fifteen songs found at Genpei Temple
They are "Ode of Auspiciousness", "Princess of Tang", "A Young Man's Journey", "Good Omen", "Auspicious Teacher", "Iron Steed", "Short Song", "Wooden Rosary", "Goodness Sutra", "Song of Herding Horses", "Lord's Steed Yellow", "Great Union", "Silk-Dyeing Melody", "Do Not Touch" and "Refined Words"; the lyrics are written in Mongolian script with gongche notation, and the titles also carry Chinese translations.
Four thematic groups
The main content of the lyrics is, first, a call for national unity, social harmony and the happiness of the people, as in "Song of Herding Horses"; second, an expression of loyal devotion to the ruler, as in "Refined Words"; third, an expression of the Buddhist insight that life in the mundane world is impermanent, as in "Goodness Sutra"; fourth, an expression of the idea of praising the Mongol khanate for conquering the world by force and ruling it well by civil administration, as in "Great Union".
Mongol court-music ensemble
From 2009 onwards Ar Horqin Banner set up a Mongol court-music ensemble, which has rehearsed and performed more than twenty pieces.
Eighty-plus pieces
Research shows that Mongol court music comprises more than eighty pieces, including songs, dances and instrumental music; on the basis of traditional Mongol court music these pieces absorb the styles of other ancient Chinese court music, and are a preservation and transmission of ancient yayue (elegant court music) in the field of Mongolian music.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Mongol court music was the music that in former times the courts of the Mongol khans specially performed in homage to high-ranking personages such as the "Great Khuraltai" (meaning "council assembly"), the khan himself, honoured ministers and foreign envoys. Its core area of circulation is around the ruins of the ancient city of Chaganhot, Hansumu Temple and Genpei Temple in the north of Ar Horqin Banner, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Chaganhot, in Hansumu Sumu of Ar Horqin Banner, Chifeng City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is the site of Lin Dan Khan's capital and a major historical and cultural site protected at the national level. Research shows that Mongol court music comprises more than eighty pieces, including songs, dances and instrumental music. On the basis of traditional Mongol court music these pieces absorb the styles of other ancient Chinese court music, and are a preservation and transmission of ancient yayue (elegant court music) in the field of Mongolian music. Mongol court music has high reference value for the in-depth study of the ceremonial systems, customs and etiquette, the origins of music-making, court yayue, music for banquets and feasts, ensemble sizes, musical exchange, performance forms and singing methods of the period. It is a vivid testament to cultural exchange among peoples and to the wisdom and creativity of the nation, and it plays a positive role in transmitting national history and culture, harmonising communities and promoting cultural identity.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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