Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c11.s3.t3: Nishangyuyi Melody
Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c11.s3.t3
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Nishangyuyi Melody
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*Nichang Yuyi Dance* is also called *Dance of Nichang Yuyi* and *Nichang* for short. It was the royal music and dancing in Tang Dynasty and also one of Fa music. The initial name was *Brahman Music* that was contributed by Yang Jingshu, the Jiedushi of Xiliang during Kaiyuan Period. After the music was recomposed and lyrics were added by Emperor Xuanzong, Li Longji, the name was changed to *Nichang Yuyi Music*, which became a master work of music and dance in the flourishing Tang Dynasty. It can be a model of integration of music and dance between India and China.
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According to the *Records of the Tang Dynasty* written by Wang Bo in early Northern Song Dynasty of Five Dynasties, which recorded the laws and regulations of the Tang Dynasty, “on July 10, in the 13th year of Tianbao Period (754 CE), the Taiyue Department contributed to the song names and then
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*A Chinese painting of Nichang feather dance (Nichang Yuyi)*
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some music names were changed.” *Brahman Music* was changed to *Nichang Yuyi*. Du You in the Tang Dynasty wrote *Li Dao Tips*, which had a similar record as “in July of the 13th year of Tianbao Period, the names of music was changed...”, and the name Huang Zzhongs Shang *Brahman Music* was changed to *Nichang Yuyi Music*. Because Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty advocated Daoism, he added some Daoist music elements into the *Nichang Yuyi Music* when he recomposed it. Therefore, *Nichang Yuyi Music* was not only a well-known omagari, but also a famous Fa Music.
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Regarding this music, there are many legends. *The Hidden History of Tang* by Lu Zhao described that, “Luo Gongyuan knew many occult sciences and used to go to the Moon Palace with Emperor Xuanzong. Hundreds of fairies were in white silk clothes and rainbow garments, dancing in the hall. Asked the name of music, they replied it was *Nichang Yuyi*. The emperor remembered the tune and came back. Musicians were called the next day and created *Nichang Yuyi Music* on the basis of the melodies.” *The Unofficial Biography of Yang Taizheng* described that *Nichang Yuyi Music* was completed by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty when he went to Sanxiang facing the Nvji Mountain. It was also said that, “at the night of Mid-autumn Day in the 29th year of Kaiyuan Period (741 CE), the emperor toured the Moon Palace with Ye Fashan, heard fairies playing the music and then he joined the playing with a Jade flute.” The song was called *Nichang Yuyi* and was passed on to the musical department.
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Bai Juyi, a poet in the Tang Dynasty, described in detail the structures and postures of the music dance in his poem of *Nichang Yuyi Music and Weizhi*. The whole music included three parts, ie Sanxu, Zhongxu and Qupo, and had a total of 36 stages. Six stages composing Sanxu, purely played by instruments without dancing and singing; all kinds of instruments joined in with rubato and graceful tones. Beats appeared in the Zhongxu, which was also called Beating Xu and had a total of 18 stages; the plates were used to beat and all instruments were played together. The music was from lento to moderato, being graceful with dancing and singing. Twelve stages composing Qupo, which had more tones, fast beats and sonorous melodies and was the upsurge of the whole music. Only dancing was performed without singing at the end; beats became gradually relieved and faded out in a prolonged sound. The whole section of music was pleasant, dancing was graceful, and clothing was beautiful in colours. It focussed on the images of an illusory fairyland and fairies, and was very romantic indeed.
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As ‘*Nichang Yuyi Music*’ was recomposed by Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty and Lady Yang was good at dancing to it. Therefore, it was popular during the periods of Kaiyuan and Tianbao (713-755 CE) of the Tang Dynasty. After An Lushan Rebellion, it was fading and even not seen in the palace. Up to the Kaicheng Period during the reign of Emperor Wenzong (836-840 CE), it was once rearranged and performed based on the old one, but was finally lost along with the turbulent political situation at the end of the Tang Dynasty. Li Yu, the Emperor of the Southern Tang Dynasty of the Five Dynasties, obtained the incomplete notation, organised and played with an imperial concubine, Zhaohui. According to ‘*The Songs of Taoist Baishi • the First Small section of Zhongxu of Nichang*’ written by Jiang Kui, a poet of the Southern Song Dynasty who was good at rhyming, “In the year of Bingwu Period (1186), I stayed in Chansha, visited Zhu Rong and obtained the sacrificing songs called ‘*Yellow Emperor Yan and Storax*’ as well as the 18 Que of Shang melody of Nichang Music from the old musician book. All had no tunes without any words. According to ‘*Prosody*’ written by Shen (Shen Kuo’s ‘*Mengxi Bitan*’), ‘*Nichang*’ should not be Dao Melody but be Shang Melody. Letian’s poems mentioned that there are six Que in the Sanxu, but here it was composed of two, so which one was right? However, the syllables were graceful and not like the music of today. I had no time to complete, so I finished one Que in the Zhongxu to spread.” Jiang added the lyrics, ‘*The First Paragraph of Zhongxu of Nichang*’, for one paragraph in the 18 paragraphs of scores and it was passed on to us.
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(Zhao Jiazi)
Linked texts (1)
- Nāṭyaśāstra — Bharata, Sanskrit