BCCPAM000M29-5-25000000000000

CHINESE J.VIUSIC. 33 In ancient times also dancing held a conspicuous pll;l,ce in worship, having been first introduced into the ceremonies by the Emperor SHUN (B.C. 2255). It was not till the third year of YUNG-MING in the Ch'i dynasty (~ ~ PJJ) (A.D. 485) that an imperial decree ordered that dancing should form pa1t of the Confucian ceremonies. 1 There were at first only civil dancers (:5( 1'.i), but the Emperor CHEN KUAN (Ji ft) of the T'ang (Mf) dynasty (A.D. 650) introduced also military dancers (ire ~). The civil dancers, drnssed in their court uniform, had in one hand a long feather and in the other a small stick ; the military officials who took part in the dance were dressed in full military uniform, and had in one hand an axe and in the other a shield. Under the present dynasty the military dancers have been excluded, and the number of civil dancers has been fixed at 36,i with two chiefs. The long feather called ~ (ti), . which was anciently composed of three feat'hers bound together in the form of a trident, has also been reduced to a single peacock's feather. The little stick, called if (yueh), which the dancers hold in the l eft hand, was anciently a flute with three holes, on which they played at intervals; now it is a simple stick. The hymn is sung by two groups of three singers standing east- and west of the temple and facing each other. The pitch of the key-note is given them at each strophe by the bell instrument. They are accompanied by the other instruments in the following way :- The t'e-chung, or large bell, sounds the first note of each verse. The pien-chung, or bell-chime, gives one sound at each word, and, in fact, guides the voices. After the· bell-chime the lutes give their note, which is followed by all the other instruments except the pien-ch'ing, or stone-chime, which is struck after all the other instru– ments, in order "to receive the sound and transmit it" to the second note, which is treated in the same way. At the end of a verse a drum is beaten three times and answered by another chum, after which the bell-chime gives the key-note and the next verse is begun. When the hymn is finished the head of the yu, or "tiger-box," is beaten once, and a stick is passed rapidly along the projections of its back. The Emperor then retires, preceded again by the band playing the "Guiding March," and at the second gate he enters his chair. Frnm what precedes it is easy to realise that a ceremony performed during the quiet hours of night, and with all the requirements of the rites, is renlly worth seeing ; and the profane who can contrive to be admitted to a quiet corner cannot fail to be deeply and solemnly impressed. . ..