Taoist music (Qingshui Taoist Music)

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

Applicant: Qingshui County, Gansu Province

Item No.: 638

Project No.: Ⅱ - 139

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: Traditional Music

Region: Gansu Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Qingshui County, Gansu Province

Protection unit: Qingshui County Cultural Center

Introduction to Taoist music (Qingshui Taoist Music)

Applicant: Qingshui County, Gansu 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.

Qingshui Taoist music, also known as "zhaijiao music" or "Daochang music", is popular in Qingshui County, Gansu Province. It originated from the Quanzhen sect of Taoism founded in the 12th century. During the Wanli period of Ming Shenzong, two sects, Longmen and Huashan, were formed, belonging to the Quanzhen sect of Taoist music. Qingshui Taoist music takes Quanzhen Zhengyun as the unified model of Longmen and Huashan sects. Taoist music is generally taught orally and heart by Taoists, while Gaogong is passed on secretly by scholars. Due to the close relationship between the ten forests, Taoists often travel around, so Qingshui Taoist music follows the rules of Quanzhen Zhengyun and produces several local rhymes, and the music style also has distinctive local characteristics.

There are more than 180 volumes of 60 Taoist Music Classics in Qingshui, which are mainly chanted by Jingyun and accompanied by percussion instruments. There are also Sheng, Guan, flute, Xiao and other wind instruments, but the stringed instruments are rare. Taoist music can be divided into vocal music and instrumental music. Vocal music is pure vocal singing, which can be performed alternately with different rhythms according to the specific conditions of different Taoist schools. There were 360 kinds of tunes at first, and more than 200 kinds still exist today. Most of them are named after classics, such as Kaitan rhyme, diecha rhyme, dazan rhyme, Shanming rhyme, etc. Huashan school is soft and firm, and its rhythm is slow, while Longmen school is lingering and graceful.

Qingshui Taoist music is an excellent folk art unique to Qingshui County, which has the research value of music history and Taoist history. Since the new era, with the influx of foreign culture, Qingshui Taoist music has experienced a severe test. At present, this kind of music form is lack of successors. Most of the inheritors are too old to continue to play. Based on this, we must take rescue measures as soon as possible and do a good job in related protection.