ISSN 2411-0795
ISSN 2411-0795
Keywords: Buddhism, the Ablution of Buddha Ceremony, Bathing of the Buddha Ceremony, Daxiangguo Temple, liturgical practices, cult arts, prayerful arrangement, intangible cultural heritage of China
Available in the on-line version with: 30.06.2025
Li Zhunkhua, Khvatova S.I. "Bathing of the Buddha": on the Musical Component of the Ceremony at Daxiangguo Temple. // Theory and History of Art. 2025. N 2, p.101–117 https://doi.org/10.24412/2411-0795-2025-2-101-117.
One of the most grandiose Buddhist festivals in China is annually celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth month according to the Chinese lunar calendar, when the Birthday of Buddha Shakyamuni or the Day of the Ablution of Buddha is celebrated. On this day, believers wash the statue of Buddha in scented water as a sign of respect. The article describes the Ablution Ceremony, which consists of six parts: monks gathering to greet the Buddha, greeting the statue, washing, blessing and circumambulating it, returning and concluding the rite. The ceremony is examined using the example of the festival in Kaifeng (Henan Province, China), the ancient capital of the Seven Dynasties, Daxiangguo Buddhist Temple was consecrated as a royal temple during the Northern Song Dynasty (960–1127). It is emphasized that during large-scale festivals Daxiangguo Temple also invites more than 800 famous monk-musicians from all over the world to play together on a grand and spectacular stage a special programme called "Offering to Buddha". The article analyses the components of the programme in question and its musical poetics. Namely, it focuses on the function that music performs in the Ablution Ceremony and studies the means of musical expression delivering the emotional atmosphere that corresponds to the traditional prayerful arrangement of the ceremony. The focus is on the role of the Buddhist orchestra of Daxiangguo Temple and the performance of a special piece "Victory Festival" by Hao Yuqi and Liu Yaoting, based on a tune for the suona of Henan Province, which gives the music a bright local flavour. The culture-forming role of Daxiangguo Temple, whose ceremonies are included in the national cultural heritage of China, is emphasized.