Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c11.s3.t2.4

v2.c11.s3.t2.4

In the 1ˢᵗ year of Zhenguan (627 CE), Emperor Taizong held a banquet to entertain ministers, in which, he ordered for the first time to play *Cīna-Rāja-Vijaya-Gītā* in the royal palace. During the early stage that Emperor Taizong inherited the throne, *Cīna-Rāja-Vijaya-Gītā* began to become harmonious in melody thanks to Lv Cai, a versatile scholar and was greatly improved and optimised with simple lyrics and dances. In the seventh year of Zhenguan (633 CE), Emperor Taizong created the drawing of *Cīna-Rāja-Vijaya-Gītā* and ordered Lv Cai to teach 120 musicians (or 120 dancers by another saying) to dance in accordance with the drawing, they were all practised in armours with halberds. Several days later, the practice and rehearsal was completed. *Cīna-Rāja-Vijaya-Gītā* was one of the drum dances mixed with the elements of Qiuci music. Later, the emperor issued another order to Wei Zheng to change the lyrics and rename it as Qi De (Seven Merits) Dance. From then on, *Cīna-Rāja-Vijaya-Gītā*, as one of the grand ceremonial classic melodies began to take shape. The production and evolution of *Cīna-Rāja-Vijaya-Gītā* incorporates the music styles of a variety of nationalities and absorbs the talent of royal musicians and it is undoubtedly a masterpiece full of concern and vitality of folk art. This is the root cause that *Cīna-Rāja-Vijaya-Gītā* can be widely spread through generations.