Bulletin Spring‧Summer 2001

P i o n e e r i n g T a o i s t M u s i c R e s e a r c h Most of the world's music have their roots in religious rituals. Indigenous Chinese religions such as Taoism as well as popular belief systems, and imported religions such as Buddhism, have rituals that are enclosed by soundscape ( i nc l ud i ng music), an important element in their ritual enactment. However, research on Chinese ritual musi c has been inadequate both in China and overseas. To f i l l this gap, Prof. Tsao Poon-yee began studing Taois t ritual music in Hong Kong in 1984. The targets of his research were Hong Kong's Taoist temples of the Quanzhe n sect such as Ching Chung Koon, Yue n Yuen Institute, and Fun g Ying Sin Koon. As there is no true Taoist priest in Hong Kong, rituals and ritual music were the responsibility of th e local students of the Taoist scriptures. Hence Taoist music in Hong Kong is rich in local colour. Prof. Tsao Poon-yee 'Chanting follows a specific rhythm, and is accompanied by the beating of ritual instruments. From a musical point of view, these are percussion instruments,' says P r o f. Tsao. ' A p a r t f r om the percussion instruments ， which are played by the “students of the scripture", other musical instruments are played by the jiaoshi (professional musicians). Many of them are musicians for Chinese operatic troupes who are not necessarily Taoists. Traditional Taoist music of the Quanzhen sect does not use stringed instruments, only wind, and drums. These days Ching Chung Koon and Fun g Y i ng Sin Koon have modified this practice, using a silk and bamboo ensemble consisting of y a n g q i n , h u q i n , p i p a , and o t h er instruments. The situation is similar to the development of Taoist ritual music in Quanzhen sect temples on the mainland in recent years,' Prof. Tsao continues. Taoist ritual music repertory is considered to consist of two parts: the core repertory, which adopts the 'Quanzhen orthodox standard chants', standardized throughout Quanzhen temples on the mainland; and another part wh i ch contains chants w i t h heavy local characteristics. In Hong Kong , this latter part contains elements of Cantonese folk songs, ditties, and operas. An Audio Database In the course of his research, Prof. Tsao has collected muc h information on the Taoist ritual music of Hong Kong and other parts of China in the form of audio- and videotapes. He has also made musical transcriptions of such music. Recently Prof. Tsa o received the support of the Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange to set up an audio database entitled 'Sounds of China's Music Traditions'. Taoist ritua l music w i ll be an important component part of thi s database. Taoist prayer chanting Chinese University Bulletin Spring • Summer 2001 20