Music in Taoist philosophy

[Gerard]

Since ancient times China has promoted music to nourish the spirit, free the mind from worldly trouble and so forth. I am not hundred per cent sure if that still happens today but I regularly visit YouTube and see many videos on traditional Chinese instruments and compositions. For instance:

 

 

 

In fact according to Chinese traditional culture, the legendary founder of music in Chinese mythology was Ling Lun, who made bamboo pipes tuned to the sounds of birds. However, we should not ignore West's rich musical heritage. For instance, it is said that Mozart's music has positive effects over the cognitive development of fetuses as well as increasing the intelligence level of adult humans. Reason being is the high threshold employed in his compositions.

 

Anyway, I didn't open this thread to discuss the history of music let alone which style is the best. What I am trying to discern is where does music come from. Are the vibrations that make music a result of the yin and yang interaction according to an specific heavenly arrangement? Or is it simply a product of our emotions?

 

Any thoughts?

[minkus]

I dont know alot about music regarding to taoism, i heard about mantra's and certain sounds having divine purpose yeah. Also read about certain songs made with the purpose of encouraging spirituality when singing them in a certain way with a big group.

 

Actually im yust waiting for Drew Hempel to pop up somewhere in this thread

[voidisyinyang]

OK I enabled the pop-up window. haha.

 

The youtube cut out right after a measure of new age piano music so I didn't wait for the download to kick back in.

 

I'm reading "The Bones of my Master" by George Crane. Tsang Tsai, Ch'an Buddhist monk exiled during the Cultural Revolution, returns to Inner Mongolia.

 

He's the real thing -- traditional Chinese culture. There's a reason traditional Chinese music doesn't use western tuning but even qigong master Chunyi Lin combines western and eastern tuning for his meditation music.

 

So the only real Harmony is female formless awareness -- the source of time as consciousness.

[WhiteTiger]

I dont know alot about music regarding to taoism, i heard about mantra's and certain sounds having divine purpose yeah. Also read about certain songs made with the purpose of encouraging spirituality when singing them in a certain way with a big group.

 

I'm Jewish, born and raised in my young childhood (dissipated when in my earily teens) Although in Hebrew school I would sing songs and read parts of the Torah in singing voice. I remember of it (Even with people in the school i disliked) it was very wonderful and joyace experience every time i got we sang together. Always felt nice. After a while of doing that continuously as a child, and then end up singing those songs when i was older would being back that great feeling, or what I'm pretty sure are reminding of the vibrations I or body used to have at the time maybe even reproducing them once again. Either way good feelings all around. ahhh... those were the days.

 

But i'm not claiming that it would encourage my spirituality. Then again my mind isn't close to the fact that it could have also.

Edited January 9, 2008 by WhiteTiger

[WhiteTiger]

So I was listening to the Youtube video you gave a link to and i really enjoyed it so I was looking at other ancient songs that are very well known and/or even famous and i came across this one (linked below) and it was utterly great. I can't even find words to explain how great it was! it was super-dooper-fan-tidly-atistic:

 

[WhiteTiger]

Edite: I posted the same post two times by accident.

Edited January 10, 2008 by WhiteTiger

[~jK~]

Since ancient times China has promoted music to nourish the spirit, free the mind from worldly trouble and so forth. I am not hundred per cent sure if that still happens today but I regularly visit YouTube and see many videos on traditional Chinese instruments and compositions. For instance:

 

In fact according to Chinese traditional culture, the legendary founder of music in Chinese mythology was Ling Lun, who made bamboo pipes tuned to the sounds of birds. However, we should not ignore West's rich musical heritage. For instance, it is said that Mozart's music has positive effects over the cognitive development of fetuses as well as increasing the intelligence level of adult humans. Reason being is the high threshold employed in his compositions.

 

Anyway, I didn't open this thread to discuss the history of music let alone which style is the best. What I am trying to discern is where does music come from. Are the vibrations that make music a result of the yin and yang interaction according to an specific heavenly arrangement? Or is it simply a product of our emotions?

 

Any thoughts?

 

Here's a webpage of Chinese music http://www.chinapage.com/sound/mp3/music.html

I began learning music by playing the Xun that is the last musical instrument on the page and the only one pictured. the song is about 8 minuites.

An interesting talent that I have picked up by learning to play music is that I have become ambidexterious...

 

The webpage http://www.chinapage.com is a never ending treasure chest for Chinese culture.