Buddhist Music (chanting of fanbei in Tianning Temple)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Buddhist music

Applicant: Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province

Item No.: 637

Project No.: Ⅱ - 138

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: Traditional Music

Region: Jiangsu Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province

Protection unit: Tianning Temple, Changzhou

Introduction to Buddhist Music (chanting of fanbei in Tianning Temple)

Applicant: Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province

Buddhist music is the music used by Buddhist temples in various religious activities and festivals. Buddhism was introduced into China around the reign of Emperor Ming of the Eastern Han Dynasty. In the long-term development process, Buddhist music from India and the western regions has a unique appearance because of absorbing the artistic factors of Chinese folk music, and has become an important part of Chinese Buddhist culture. It contains not only Chinese national music tunes, but also Indian and western minority music tunes. Music chanting, also known as "Buddhist Chanting", which is directly used in Buddhism, praises Buddha and Bodhisattva in the form of short verses. There are solo, chorus and other chanting methods. Musical instruments can be used to accompany chanting.

Tianning Temple in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province is one of the most famous Buddhist temples in China. It was built in Zhenguan and Yonghui years of Tang Dynasty and has a history of more than 1300 years.

Chanting is a kind of vocal music in praise of Buddha and Bodhisattva in Buddhist activities. Since the northern and Southern Dynasties, the music style of fanbei has formed two types. Changzhou is the birthplace of Qi and Liang emperors and the birthplace of fanbei in the south. In the seventh year of Qi Yongming (490) of the Southern Dynasty, the style of fanbei in Tianning Temple was established. Since the 1940s, the chanting of Tianning Temple in Changzhou has spread all over the world. The chanting of Tianning Temple in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, Southeast Asian countries and American Buddhist temples all take Tianning Temple as the model. Up to now, fanbei of Tianning Temple in Changzhou still retains the elegant music tradition and Jiangnan music style of Qi and Liang dynasties more than 1500 years ago. The melody has a relatively unified standard, the rhythm is steady and solid, the singing is melodious and natural, showing a simple and elegant style. It has been passed on orderly in Tianning Temple for a long time.

The main part of chanting fanbei in Tianning Temple of Changzhou can be divided into "Zan" and "Jing" according to the genre. "Zan" mainly includes "luxiangzan", "baodingxiangzan", etc., which belongs to poetic style, rhymes at the end of sentences, and recites in a way similar to singing, with strong melody; "Jing" mainly includes "Xinjing", "amituojing", etc., which belongs to prose style, without rhyme, and uses music to recite rhythmically Reading, melody is poor. In addition, fanbei of Tianning Temple also includes "Ji", "mantra", "Zhenyan" and "Li fo Hao" whose music form is between "Zan" and "Jing".

The chanting of fanbei in Tianning Temple of Changzhou is the product of the combination of Buddhist culture and Wu culture, which has the research value of religion and ethnomusicology. At present, with the acceleration of the modernization process and the increase of exchanges inside and outside the temple, the young monks in Tianning Temple have gradually weakened their sense of identity with fanchuchangyong. In this situation, the chanting of Buddhist Chants in Tianning Temple has a tendency of gradual variation, so it is necessary to take measures to protect it.

Chinese PinYin : Fo Jiao Yin Le Tian Ning Si Fan Bei Chang Song