Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c11.s1.t2.1

v2.c11.s1.t2.1

Buddhist songs are the anthems that use in the Buddhist chant form to praise Buddhas and Bodhisattvas or the music that is used to advocate Buddhism. One of the important forms of Buddhist music is to add music in the Buddhist texts and chants. During the Three Kingdoms Period, Buddha Dharma was brought into the East and the Indian Buddhist music was introduced to China Central Plains by eminent monks from the Western Regions or India. In volume XIII of *Eminent Monk Biography*, it is described that, "chanting Buddha Dharma was called zhuandu and anthem was called Sanskrit, all having music rhymes." Using cadence tones to read the Buddhist texts is called zhuandu, while using Buddhist chant form to praise the Buddhas and Bodhisattva is called fanbai which can be accompanied by instruments. Fanbai is also called zanbai, Brahma music, Sanskrit or Buddhist music. These are generally called Buddhist songs. During the Three Kingdoms Period, there were many popular fanbai, such as *Yu Mountain Fanbai*, *Nirvana Fanbai* and *Lianju Fanbai*. The name Buddhist