Taoist music (Hengshan Taoist Music)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Taoist music (Hengshan Taoist Music)

Applicant: Yanggao County, Shanxi Province

Item No.: 638

Project No.: Ⅱ - 139

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: Traditional Music

Region: Shanxi Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Yanggao County, Shanxi Province

Protection unit: Yanggao County Cultural Center

Introduction to Taoist music (Hengshan Taoist Music)

Applicant: Yanggao County, Shanxi Province

Taoist music, also known as "Daochang music", is the music used in Taoist religious activities. Like Taoism, it originated from the sacrificial songs and dances of ancient witches. Taoist music consists of two parts: instrumental music and vocal music. Instrumental music is mainly composed of bell, chime, drum, wooden fish, cloud Gong and other instruments, with wind, plucking, string pulling and other instruments. Vocal music is mainly composed of chanting, which is composed of Gaogong master's recitation of vows, praise of God, chanting of the table, the confession of all preachers and the chorus of all Taoists.

Hengshan Mountain is the holy land of Taoism in northern China. The Taoist music of Hengshan Mountain, which is popular in Yanggao County, Shanxi Province, is one of the northern Taoist music. Hengshan Taoist music originated from the "northern Tianshi Taoism" founded in the Middle East of Taoism in the Han Dynasty. In the long-term development process, it has absorbed the music elements of drumbeat music since the Han and Wei dynasties and faqu music since the Tang and Song Dynasties, forming a unique style. Its performers are mainly composed of Hengshan "yingmen" or Taoists at home, which is called "Hengshan daoyue class" locally. The emergence of daoyue class can be traced back to the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty.

The music played by Hengshan Taoist music class is mainly divided into three parts: "praise", "suite" and "accompaniment". Among them, "praise" is Sutra singing music, which mainly includes "Lao Jun Jing", "San Dai Zan", "Si Zi Zhen Yan", "Dong Xuan Jing" and "Shi Bao en". Each song contains the meaning of praising God and praying for blessings. The melody is very strong. When singing, it is accompanied by Sheng tube, and the sound production method is different "Daoqing in northern Shanxi" is the same; "divertimento" is playing music, which is popular in northern China in the Jin and Yuan Dynasties. Generally, it has a solemn, elegant, bright and quiet style. Six kinds of divertimento are often played, such as "zhumading", "dazouma", "shuihonghua", "Pu'an curse", "scolding Yulang" and "yaozhang". When playing, "Zhengtao" must be "Dazong" It has many tunes, such as "feeling Huang en", "Xiao Ba men", "Shi fan" and so on, and its main style is vivid, hot and high pitched. The main musical instruments of Hengshan daoyue include Guanzi, Sheng, flute, Faluo, drum, Nao, cymbal, Yunluo, Tongqing, Muyu, faling, Yingren, Dang, etc.

Hengshan daoyue has its own school and independent system in Yanggao County of Shanxi Province, Hebei Province and the provinces and cities around Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Its ancient music and complete repertoire are the crystallization and remains of national traditional culture, and have the research value of musicology, drama and local history and culture. At present, most of the musicians who are engaged in the performance of Hengshan Taoist music are old. In the case of lack of follow-up force, the whole Hengshan Taoist music is in danger of being lost, and it is in urgent need of protection and inheritance.