Military Music Research In The Tang Dynasty

My dissertation aims to carry a substantive and thorough research on military music in Tang Dynasty,which woven by institutions,royal rituals,lyric poetries and political discourses.Via a multidisciplinary approach,my dissertation will finish both textual criticism and observations in five parts.First,I study the actual circumstance of Tang Military Music,containing elements like organizations,musicians,instruments,costumes and so on.My argument is that main performers of Tang Military Music were Guchui players and Guchui Department subordinated to Taichang.In the context of laws and decrees in Tang Dynasty,identities and social status of Guchui players were different.Regarding to professional skills,Guchui players were not so inferior,when the instruments of military music had identical features.Second,I study texts of Tang Military Music and their performing.When there are differences between “Shared using” and “Specific using”,according to Tang’s stipulations,Tang Military Music in narrow sense was essentially “Specific using”.Even we could find some instances for its “Shared using”,they were all performed in accordance with other rituals like Ji Ritual,which made these music performances belong to Court Music but not Military Music.According to this kind of “Specific using”,the performing of Military Music involved Victory Music,Bestow of Guchui and Ritual Music.Third,I study lyrics of Military Music.The lyrics of Military Music involved general music lyrics,lyrics for developed Hengchui and Guchui Music,and some unofficial folk’s lyrics which had genealogical relations with formal Military Music.These three different lyrics shared variety in composing,distributing,functioning and referring,when different lyrics had diverse degree of relevance with military affairs.Fourth,I study features,status and effects of Military Music in two parts.My studies note that,common objective shared by kinds of Military Music was “Establishing Credibility and Prestige,Satirizing Enemies and Boosting Morale”.Looking at the specific features,we find the fusion of foreign music and feasting music and new elements from borderland and folk in Tang Military Music.Regarding to status,Military Music took an essential position in music and culture of Tang Dynasty.In addition,Military Music had profound and internationally far-reaching impacts on music and rituals of future generations.