Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c11.s2.t5: Nan Zhuo
Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c11.s2.t5
- Language
- English
Nan Zhuo
v2.c11.s2.t5.1
Nan Zhuo (9th century CE), also called Zhaosi, he is a scholar of the Tang Dynasty. He was born in the time of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (dominated in 846-858 CE), and served as Shiyi, Luoyangling, Ombudsman of the south Guizhou province successively. When he was in Luoyang, he used to be in contact with Bai Juyi (772-846 CE) and Liu Yuxi (772-842 CE) to discuss regarding Kakko, the national instrument of the Western Regions of China. He was perfect in poems, music and wrote books - *Kakko Records*, *Guidance of Tang Dynasty*, *Calendar Era Records of Tang Dynasty*, *Argument of History* and *Nan Zhuo’s Essays*, among which *Kakko Records* contained the important documents for studying the Tang music, court life and social morality.
v2.c11.s2.t5.2
The shape and structure of Kakko can be, “like painting bucket, made from mulberry wood with a supporter, beat by two rods,” so it is also called
v2.c11.s2.t5.3
'Jiegu lu'
v2.c11.s2.t5.4
“two rods drum” with the “rapid and strong sounds,” and widely used in Kucha, Chotscho, Sulaq and Hindustan. It was directly derived from India and its graphics were embossed in Sanchi Stupa. It was introduced to China in the Northern and Southern Dynasties from the Western Regions, and popular in Tang Dynasty. Li Longji, the Emperor Xuanzong of Tang (685-762 CE), Prime Minister Song Jing (663-737 CE) and musician Li Guinian (8th century CE) were all superiors in playing Kakko. Kakko Records described the origin, shape and stories between the periods of Kaiyuan and Tianbao of Tang with a list of Kakko songs. There were 23 songs of Taicu Gong, 50 songs of Taicu Shang, 14 songs of Taicu with two tones of Zhi and Yu; only Taicu music uses the Kakko; and 10 Buddhist songs and 32 banquet songs. Song names used Sanskrit based on the language of Kucha, Chotscho, Sulaq and Hindustan. The whole book consisted of two sections, the former being finished in the second year of Dazhong Period (848 CE), and the latter being finished in the fourth year of Dazhong Period (850 CE). Qian Xizuo of Qing (1800-1844) and Ren Erbei (1897-) in modern times, organised and published the perfect collated book.