Roll over, Beethoven, says the famous song about the old making way for the new. But in Henan Province, the modern is giving way to the ancient, with a revived Buddhist band playing inspirational music.
Master Longjiang says popular music undermines his faith, he has never heard the sublime sounds of Beethoven or Mozart, and he doesn't care.
But he does know the transformative powers of music, and at age 80 he is restarting his own Buddhist band of traditional music in Henan Province.
"I've never heard about these Western musicians before," the 80-year-old Buddhist master said. He was sitting in a room surrounded by drums at the Grand Xiangguo Temple, a noted Buddhist monastery in Kaifeng, an ancient city along the mud-clogged Yellow River in central China.
But when it comes to Buddhist music, Master Longjiang is one of the most skillful musical monks at the monastery that was once known for its band and inspiring religious melodies.
First built in AD 555, the temple, whose current name is "Monastery of Great Assistance to the State," peaked in influence during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). It became the crossroads for poets, artists, musicians, commoners and nobles because of its ties with the royal family and its outstanding music.
The temple survived numerous wars, floods and dynasties, its splendor was trampled in 1927 when a warlord ordered his soldiers to expel the monks and turn the temple into a market. In 1992 it was restored to a monastery.
Now the monastery is reviving its tradition of religious music — by forming a band.
In 2002, 22 monks over 15 were selected to organize a band.
"Buddhist music has breadth and profundity, it contains sacred chanting and instrumental music," said Master Yuanjie, deputy band head.
"Our temple has a great past in Buddhist music, and we just need to retrieve its lost notes," he said. The temple has spent US$125,000 for instruments.
Master Longjiang is the only monk who knows how to play certain musical instruments and read the musical staff.
The instruments include the "bili," a 20-centimeter-long flute-like tin tube with seven holes, also a wooden fish, tambourines, flutes, horns and a Yamaha electronic organ.
But the Nike socks worn by some young monks and their interest in computers also reflect their worldly connections.
(Shanghai Daily November 16, 2005)
