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Capital music from the Zhihua Temple (Zhihuasi Jing yinyue), musicians
- Title Translation: 智化寺京音乐 , 乐手
- Period: Ming, Qing, c. 1444 C.E.
- Project: Beijing Zhihua Temple
- Work Description: Benefiting from Wang Zhen’s unprecedented power at the court, the temple was able to hire skilled monk musicians to play during Buddhist ceremonies and other ritual activities for the members of the court. However, with Wang’s death in 1449, the temple lost its prestigious status, and during Emperor Jingdi’s reign (1450-1456), the monks began to perform ritual music outside the temple to make a living. Thus Capital music of Zhihua Temple also became popular among the people. When Emperor Yingzong retook the throne in 1457, he at once set out to honor Wang Zhen with statues and steles and rituals performed at the temple. The music of Zhihua Temple gradually increased in importance. The comprehensive instrumental ensemble, rigorous training, and elegant performance style of the Zhihua Temple’s music group inspired other temples in Beijing through the succeeding Qing. During the reign of Emperors Daoguang and Xianfeng (1821-1861), Zhihua Temple became such a center for Beijing music that spread to numerous temples in the region including but not limited to: Tianxian Nunnery, Chengshou Temple, Shuiyue Nunnery, Dizang Temple, Xizhao Temple, Guandi Temple, Huoshen Temple, Jiuding Niangniang Temple, and Puning Temple. Jing ceremonial music consists of three parts: vocalization of text, wind instruments, and percussion instruments, called by monk musicians the “three gateways.” The most prominent of these is the musical gateway of the wind instruments that greatly distinguished capital music of Zhihua Temple from other temple music or folk music performance. The Jing music ensemble of the Zhihua Temple is composed of nine performers and thirteen or fourteen musical instruments, including two pipes, two flutes, two sheng, two sets of cloud chimes, one drum, a set of small cymbals, 2 mounted gongs, two larger cymbals (nao and bo) and a bell. Several members of the troupe will play more than one instrument during a performance.
Rubbing of Imperial Procession with Emperor
- Title Translation: 《皇帝礼佛图》拓片
- Period: Northern Wei, Qing, Republican period, 386–534 C.E., 1910–1916 C.E.
- Project: Longmen Binyang Central Cave
- Work Description: This rubbing was taken from stone reliefs commissioned by the Northern Wei emperor Xuanwu (reigned 500–515) in honor of his deceased parents. Here the lead figure, surrounded by attendants who hold parasols and offerings, is about to place an incense stick into a censer held by an attendant in the lower right corner. The main figures in both this and its companion rubbing presumably depict the emperor’s deceased parents as lead figures. The entire procession can be understood as making offerings to the main Buddha image in the cave, as an act of gaining merit.
Ceiling Panels, from Zhihua Temple
- Title Translation: 天花板，来自中国北京智化寺
- Period: Qing, 1736-1796 C.E.
- Project: Beijing Zhihua Temple
- Work Description: Carved cypress wood with gold leaf; dragon design carved in relief
Capital music from the Zhihua Temple (Zhihuasi Jing yinyue), musicians
- Title Translation: 智化寺京音乐 , 乐手
- Period: Ming, Qing, c. 1444 C.E.
- Project: Beijing Zhihua Temple
- Work Description: Benefiting from Wang Zhen’s unprecedented power at the court, the temple was able to hire skilled monk musicians to play during Buddhist ceremonies and other ritual activities for the members of the court. However, with Wang’s death in 1449, the temple lost its prestigious status, and during Emperor Jingdi’s reign (1450-1456), the monks began to perform ritual music outside the temple to make a living. Thus Capital music of Zhihua Temple also became popular among the people. When Emperor Yingzong retook the throne in 1457, he at once set out to honor Wang Zhen with statues and steles and rituals performed at the temple. The music of Zhihua Temple gradually increased in importance. The comprehensive instrumental ensemble, rigorous training, and elegant performance style of the Zhihua Temple’s music group inspired other temples in Beijing through the succeeding Qing. During the reign of Emperors Daoguang and Xianfeng (1821-1861), Zhihua Temple became such a center for Beijing music that spread to numerous temples in the region including but not limited to: Tianxian Nunnery, Chengshou Temple, Shuiyue Nunnery, Dizang Temple, Xizhao Temple, Guandi Temple, Huoshen Temple, Jiuding Niangniang Temple, and Puning Temple. Jing ceremonial music consists of three parts: vocalization of text, wind instruments, and percussion instruments, called by monk musicians the “three gateways.” The most prominent of these is the musical gateway of the wind instruments that greatly distinguished capital music of Zhihua Temple from other temple music or folk music performance. The Jing music ensemble of the Zhihua Temple is composed of nine performers and thirteen or fourteen musical instruments, including two pipes, two flutes, two sheng, two sets of cloud chimes, one drum, a set of small cymbals, 2 mounted gongs, two larger cymbals (nao and bo) and a bell. Several members of the troupe will play more than one instrument during a performance.
Capital music from the Zhihua Temple (Zhihuasi Jing yinyue), musicians
- Title Translation: 智化寺京音乐 , 乐手
- Period: Ming, Qing, c. 1444 C.E.
- Project: Beijing Zhihua Temple
- Work Description: Benefiting from Wang Zhen’s unprecedented power at the court, the temple was able to hire skilled monk musicians to play during Buddhist ceremonies and other ritual activities for the members of the court. However, with Wang’s death in 1449, the temple lost its prestigious status, and during Emperor Jingdi’s reign (1450-1456), the monks began to perform ritual music outside the temple to make a living. Thus Capital music of Zhihua Temple also became popular among the people. When Emperor Yingzong retook the throne in 1457, he at once set out to honor Wang Zhen with statues and steles and rituals performed at the temple. The music of Zhihua Temple gradually increased in importance. The comprehensive instrumental ensemble, rigorous training, and elegant performance style of the Zhihua Temple’s music group inspired other temples in Beijing through the succeeding Qing. During the reign of Emperors Daoguang and Xianfeng (1821-1861), Zhihua Temple became such a center for Beijing music that spread to numerous temples in the region including but not limited to: Tianxian Nunnery, Chengshou Temple, Shuiyue Nunnery, Dizang Temple, Xizhao Temple, Guandi Temple, Huoshen Temple, Jiuding Niangniang Temple, and Puning Temple. Jing ceremonial music consists of three parts: vocalization of text, wind instruments, and percussion instruments, called by monk musicians the “three gateways.” The most prominent of these is the musical gateway of the wind instruments that greatly distinguished capital music of Zhihua Temple from other temple music or folk music performance. The Jing music ensemble of the Zhihua Temple is composed of nine performers and thirteen or fourteen musical instruments, including two pipes, two flutes, two sheng, two sets of cloud chimes, one drum, a set of small cymbals, 2 mounted gongs, two larger cymbals (nao and bo) and a bell. Several members of the troupe will play more than one instrument during a performance.
Capital music from the Zhihua Temple (Zhihuasi Jing yinyue), musicians
- Title Translation: 智化寺京音乐 , 乐手
- Period: Ming, Qing, c. 1444 C.E.
- Project: Beijing Zhihua Temple
- Work Description: Benefiting from Wang Zhen’s unprecedented power at the court, the temple was able to hire skilled monk musicians to play during Buddhist ceremonies and other ritual activities for the members of the court. However, with Wang’s death in 1449, the temple lost its prestigious status, and during Emperor Jingdi’s reign (1450-1456), the monks began to perform ritual music outside the temple to make a living. Thus Capital music of Zhihua Temple also became popular among the people. When Emperor Yingzong retook the throne in 1457, he at once set out to honor Wang Zhen with statues and steles and rituals performed at the temple. The music of Zhihua Temple gradually increased in importance. The comprehensive instrumental ensemble, rigorous training, and elegant performance style of the Zhihua Temple’s music group inspired other temples in Beijing through the succeeding Qing. During the reign of Emperors Daoguang and Xianfeng (1821-1861), Zhihua Temple became such a center for Beijing music that spread to numerous temples in the region including but not limited to: Tianxian Nunnery, Chengshou Temple, Shuiyue Nunnery, Dizang Temple, Xizhao Temple, Guandi Temple, Huoshen Temple, Jiuding Niangniang Temple, and Puning Temple. Jing ceremonial music consists of three parts: vocalization of text, wind instruments, and percussion instruments, called by monk musicians the “three gateways.” The most prominent of these is the musical gateway of the wind instruments that greatly distinguished capital music of Zhihua Temple from other temple music or folk music performance. The Jing music ensemble of the Zhihua Temple is composed of nine performers and thirteen or fourteen musical instruments, including two pipes, two flutes, two sheng, two sets of cloud chimes, one drum, a set of small cymbals, 2 mounted gongs, two larger cymbals (nao and bo) and a bell. Several members of the troupe will play more than one instrument during a performance.
Rubbing of Imperial Procession with Empress
- Title Translation: 《文昭皇后礼佛图》拓片
- Period: Northern Wei, Qing, Republican period, 386–534 C.E., 1910–1916 C.E.
- Project: Longmen Binyang Central Cave
- Work Description: This rubbing was taken from stone reliefs commissioned by the Northern Wei emperor Xuanwu (reigned 500–515) in honor of his deceased parents. In this rubbing, the empress mother is in the center, crowned with an elaborate headdress and attended by an entourage of palace ladies. The empress mother is about to place an incense stick into a censer held by a lady on the left side. Other attendants carry offerings for the Buddha, such as lotus flowers, a symbol of purity in Buddhism. The second part of the imperial procession, showing the emperor with male attendants, is depicted in another rubbing in the CMA collection, 1916.64.
Capital music from the Zhihua Temple (Zhihuasi Jing yinyue), musicians
- Title Translation: 智化寺京音乐 , 乐手
- Period: Ming, Qing, c. 1444 C.E.
- Project: Beijing Zhihua Temple
- Work Description: Benefiting from Wang Zhen’s unprecedented power at the court, the temple was able to hire skilled monk musicians to play during Buddhist ceremonies and other ritual activities for the members of the court. However, with Wang’s death in 1449, the temple lost its prestigious status, and during Emperor Jingdi’s reign (1450-1456), the monks began to perform ritual music outside the temple to make a living. Thus Capital music of Zhihua Temple also became popular among the people. When Emperor Yingzong retook the throne in 1457, he at once set out to honor Wang Zhen with statues and steles and rituals performed at the temple. The music of Zhihua Temple gradually increased in importance. The comprehensive instrumental ensemble, rigorous training, and elegant performance style of the Zhihua Temple’s music group inspired other temples in Beijing through the succeeding Qing. During the reign of Emperors Daoguang and Xianfeng (1821-1861), Zhihua Temple became such a center for Beijing music that spread to numerous temples in the region including but not limited to: Tianxian Nunnery, Chengshou Temple, Shuiyue Nunnery, Dizang Temple, Xizhao Temple, Guandi Temple, Huoshen Temple, Jiuding Niangniang Temple, and Puning Temple. Jing ceremonial music consists of three parts: vocalization of text, wind instruments, and percussion instruments, called by monk musicians the “three gateways.” The most prominent of these is the musical gateway of the wind instruments that greatly distinguished capital music of Zhihua Temple from other temple music or folk music performance. The Jing music ensemble of the Zhihua Temple is composed of nine performers and thirteen or fourteen musical instruments, including two pipes, two flutes, two sheng, two sets of cloud chimes, one drum, a set of small cymbals, 2 mounted gongs, two larger cymbals (nao and bo) and a bell. Several members of the troupe will play more than one instrument during a performance.
Capital music from the Zhihua Temple (Zhihuasi Jing yinyue), musicians
- Title Translation: 智化寺京音乐 , 乐手
- Period: Ming, Qing, c. 1444 C.E.
- Project: Beijing Zhihua Temple
- Work Description: Benefiting from Wang Zhen’s unprecedented power at the court, the temple was able to hire skilled monk musicians to play during Buddhist ceremonies and other ritual activities for the members of the court. However, with Wang’s death in 1449, the temple lost its prestigious status, and during Emperor Jingdi’s reign (1450-1456), the monks began to perform ritual music outside the temple to make a living. Thus Capital music of Zhihua Temple also became popular among the people. When Emperor Yingzong retook the throne in 1457, he at once set out to honor Wang Zhen with statues and steles and rituals performed at the temple. The music of Zhihua Temple gradually increased in importance. The comprehensive instrumental ensemble, rigorous training, and elegant performance style of the Zhihua Temple’s music group inspired other temples in Beijing through the succeeding Qing. During the reign of Emperors Daoguang and Xianfeng (1821-1861), Zhihua Temple became such a center for Beijing music that spread to numerous temples in the region including but not limited to: Tianxian Nunnery, Chengshou Temple, Shuiyue Nunnery, Dizang Temple, Xizhao Temple, Guandi Temple, Huoshen Temple, Jiuding Niangniang Temple, and Puning Temple. Jing ceremonial music consists of three parts: vocalization of text, wind instruments, and percussion instruments, called by monk musicians the “three gateways.” The most prominent of these is the musical gateway of the wind instruments that greatly distinguished capital music of Zhihua Temple from other temple music or folk music performance. The Jing music ensemble of the Zhihua Temple is composed of nine performers and thirteen or fourteen musical instruments, including two pipes, two flutes, two sheng, two sets of cloud chimes, one drum, a set of small cymbals, 2 mounted gongs, two larger cymbals (nao and bo) and a bell. Several members of the troupe will play more than one instrument during a performance.