Echoes in the rhythm of time in Buddhist cave murals,
But! Yes!
Do you know what those musical instruments are sealed in the hands of Tian Fei or Bodhisattva?
What's that in your hand? Washboard? or ...
▲ These "ancient artifacts" can't help but make people curious. What wonderful vibrations did music and Mogao Grottoes produce? What are they holding in their hands?
The Mogao Grottoes experienced as many as ten dynasties in the Yuan Dynasty. After thousands of years of history, there are still 492 caves left! Up to 240 related to musical instruments!
▲ Now let Xiaoyi show you the "artifacts" in the murals of the Mogao Grottoes!
1
"Pipa"
South wall of Cave 220 in early Tang Dynasty
Among plucked instruments, pipa is the most representative! There are as many as 700 paintings in the Mogao Grottoes alone. It can be found in small musical groups, large economic bands and even no drums.
In appearance, its speaker is pear-shaped. The neck is curved or straight. There are four strings, and there are mountain passes and bound hands at both ends of the strings. The panel is decorated with handles and phoenix eyes. If you look closely, you will find the pictures of musicians such as Feitian, Tiangong, Yaocha and Bodhisattva holding the lute horizontally, scattered in every corner of the cave.
2
"five strings"
Central column of Cave 428 in Northern Zhou Dynasty
Five-string pipa is also called five-string straight-necked pipa. Just look at the picture and mistake it for a pipa, but Wu Xian actually originated in India and was introduced to China via the northern foot of Tianshan Mountain on the Silk Road.
The shape and playing method of the instrument are similar to those of the four-string pipa above. Once popular in the Tang Dynasty, it gradually disappeared after entering the Song Dynasty and was replaced by the four-string pipa.
Unfortunately, this musical instrument has not been passed down in our country. At present, the only authentic product in the world, namely the mother-of-pearl rosewood banjo, has been left in the main warehouse in Japan. As the treasure of the town hall, every exhibition will attract cultural relics lovers and historical researchers from all over the world to visit the exhibition from thousands of miles away.
Mother-of-pearl rosewood five-stringed pipa hidden in Zhengcangyuan
three
Ruan xian
South wall of Cave 285 in Western Wei Dynasty
Ruan Xian belongs to the pipa and so on. This word appeared in the Tang Dynasty. Ruan Xian, one of the seven sages of bamboo forest in Jin Dynasty, was named after being good at playing this instrument.
In shape, the * * * speaker is a perfect circle. Neck length, four strings, twelve columns. It has a very similar fate with the five-string pipa. After the Tang Dynasty, it gradually lost its mainstream position, and was later replaced by the Yueqin in the Song Dynasty. However, Dunhuang murals have left many of its figures. Some piano bodies are decorated with patterns and heavy colors, while others are shaped like petals.
North wall of Cave 220 in early Tang Dynasty
Super beautiful! Ruanxian's face value is absolutely not lost, and his recognition is also extremely high.
Restore lace Ruan
four
"elegance"
South wall of Cave 225 in Tang Dynasty
Elegance is a foreign musical instrument. This aspect is also reflected in Dunhuang murals: the number is second only to pipa, about 200 pieces.
There were few strings in the early days, but in the Tang Dynasty, with exquisite border patterns and gorgeous decorative pendants, the number of strings increased. Nevertheless, after entering the Song Dynasty, it was doomed to decline. And its glorious history can only be fixed in Dunhuang murals.
five
Qin
South slope of Cave 299 in Northern Zhou Dynasty
Feitian in the picture is not holding a washboard. The shape of the seven strings and thirteen emblems was established in the Han and Jin dynasties in China and has been passed down to this day. The Book of Songs also contains the poem "My Fair Lady, Friends of Hare and Hare", and the loneliness of Guqin was doomed from the day it was born.
six
"Zheng"
South wall of Cave 220 in early Tang Dynasty
Compared with guqin, the simplicity of guzheng is formed in the process of adapting to history.
The original five strings.
,
Gradually increased in the Tang Dynasty.
,
Form a pattern of coexistence of twelve-stringed and thirteen-stringed Zheng.
. The rule of string number of modern Zheng
As much as ...
26
root
,
Even free modulation can be achieved.
.
Next, let's start with the Thanksgiving Sutra on the north wall of Cave 0/54 in the Middle Tang Dynasty.
North wall of Cave Middle Tang 154
seven
"Sheng"
Above, two musicians in the first row. On the left is Sheng.
This is a bamboo flute instrument, which consists of a reed pipe, a barrel and a mouthpiece. The length of the spring tube is different, the bucket is round, and the mouthpiece is teapot mouth-shaped. The cymbals are played on the right. Its shape is very close to the clarinet. If you don't distinguish carefully, it's easy to get confused. Compared with the flute body, it is slightly shorter and thinner. There is a whistle at one end and the finger position is on it.
▲ Clarinet and flute
In the second row, the left and right musicians play clarinet and flute respectively. In wind instruments, the status of flute, like pipa, has always been linked in the historical context of nearly a thousand years. Judging from the horizontal flute in Dunhuang paintings, the specifications of the flute body, the number of holes dug and the playing method are not uniform. Interestingly, in the large-scale paintings of the Tang Dynasty, the position of the flute seems irreplaceable. As an indispensable treble instrument in the band, sometimes even several songs are used. Usually the opposite of flute is clarinet. Its flute has a long body and mouthpiece. When playing, hold the flute down with your hand.
▲ Paixiao
In the third row, the musician on the left plays the flute. It is a bamboo braided wind instrument. In Dunhuang murals, there are various shapes. The thickness, length, quantity and style of pipes are different. The other two musicians beat time and cymbals respectively. This shows the prosperity of large-scale court music and dance in Tang Dynasty.
▲ Angle
In addition, there are horns. A relatively primitive musical instrument. It often appears in the images of the war between the two armies, and is mainly used to call on the army and boost morale. Because the timbre is too rough and single. So it's not suitable for a band.
eight
"Lin"
South wall of Cave 156 in Late Tang Dynasty
Hey. As early as the Zhou dynasty, it was included in the category of "earth" instruments in the classification of "eight tones" This musical instrument is the only one in Dunhuang. In the picture, the musician holds his head with both hands, and the number of sound holes is unknown.
Conch (snail)
nine
"French snail"
This playing instrument is difficult to recognize. Don't think that Bodhisattva is eating peaches or big melon seeds. Conch. Also known as snails or shellfish. There is such a record in the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Method that "the Buddha wants to talk about Dafa, and it rains heavily and blows snails." It can be seen that it has the "dual identity" of musical instruments and Buddhist instruments.
South wall of Cave 249 in Western Wei Dynasty
With the gathering of western countries in the Tang Dynasty, the use of foreign musical instruments in China reached a historical peak at this time. Especially Indian percussion instruments. These waist drums, Jie drums and Dala drums also left a historical mark in the Mogao Grottoes.
10
"Drum"
North wall of Cave Middle Tang 154
▲ waist drum
In the picture above, the band has changed, and the first two musicians are playing drums. The drum is shaped like two bowls butted together. The ends of the drum head are tied with ropes. When playing, you can beat the drum surface with both hands, or hang it obliquely on your chest and beat it with two hammers. The third musician played the Jie drum. The drum body is straight, and both ends are tied with ropes. When playing, put it on your knees and beat it with a drumstick.
▲ Answer the wax drum
Similarly, there are rope bundles and wax drums at both ends of the drum surface. The shape of the drum is flat and round. The diameter of the drum head is slightly larger than that of the drum body.
gucci
North wall of Tang Dynasty 124 Cave
▲ eaves drum
South Wall of Cave 1 12 in the Middle Tang Dynasty
Dunhua murals leave us with exquisite appreciation of calligraphy and painting and highly developed musical instruments. However, the production of a large part of musical instruments and even the original objects have long been lost, and our artists are also exploring.
Now we can guess the musical instruments on Dunhuang murals.
But I can't hear them anymore.
How to achieve more than just musical instrument modeling?
How to break through the limitations of some musical instruments in making materials and techniques,
To adapt to modern performances?
How to move from restoring musical instruments to reviving music?
To answer this series of questions, it seems that we should think from the aspects of historical research, musical instrument making, music creation and even musical instrument performance.
Therefore, Dunhuang music is both real and imaginary. The truth lies in the exquisite murals, and the illusion lies in its elusive and reappearing sound.