Buddhist music

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

Applicant: Xiahe County, Gansu Province

Item No.: 637

Project No.: Ⅱ - 138

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: Traditional Music

Region: Gansu Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Xiahe County, Gansu Province

Protection unit: Labrang Temple Management Committee of Xiahe County

Introduction to Buddhist Music (music of Temple of Labrang temple, daoder)

Applicant: Xiahe County, Gansu 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.

Labrang temple is located in Xiahe County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province. The music of Buddha Hall in this temple is commonly known as "daoder", which is used by master Jiamuyang when he lives and holds a grand ceremony. It began in the second Jiamuyang period in 1743, and finally became a unique Tibetan Buddhist music after several generations of Jiamuyang masters.

His main musical instruments include director, Sheng, Guanzi, nine tone cloud Gong, cymbal, conch, bone flute, etc. the whole band is composed of 21 people. The performers are selected from the monks of the six colleges of Labrang temple, 10 from Wensi College (Sutra Hall), 2 from each of the other five colleges, and one from the monks with excellent performance skills. The Tibetan notation used by the band is basically the same as the modern notation, with seven tones. Most of the music is in Gong mode, Shang mode and Zheng mode. The repertoire mainly includes Jiang huaixisuo, Lama Danzhen, zhiqinjiaju, toujiqinbao, wannianhuan and Wutai Mountain. Most of them come from Tibet and belong to religious music. Some of them come from temples and courtyards in the mainland. Daoder music has the characteristics of blending Tibetan and Han music. The most prominent feature is the use of Han musical instruments, while the music is both Han and Tibetan. The Han music also has some Tibetan style. In November 1980, in order to meet the 10th Panchen master, Labrang Temple led the sixth Jiamuyang living Buddha to form a new band. The music of the Buddha Hall of Labrang temple has been passed on orderly in the temple.

After more than 290 years of development, the Tibetan Buddhist hall music composed of wind music, percussion music and string music has been formed, which plays an accompaniment role in Buddhist activities. As a mixture of Chinese and Tibetan culture, daoder has a high value of historical and cultural research. This form of traditional music has the characteristics of Tibetan culture and is deeply loved by the local monks and folk. Dudler orchestra has visited and performed in the United States, Canada, France, Britain, Belgium and other countries, as well as in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, which has aroused strong repercussions at home and abroad. At present, the scale of daoder music in the Buddhist Hall of Labrang temple is seriously shrinking, some traditional music and musical instrument performance skills have no successors, and the prospect is worrying. It is necessary to take measures to protect and inherit it.

Chinese PinYin : Fo Jiao Yin Le La Bo Leng Si Fo Dian Yin Le Dao De Er