The Performance Form of Taoist Drumming
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Abstract
This study examines the artistic performance form of Taoist drum music practiced in Xishan Guan of Guangfeng, Jiangxi Province, a ritual musical tradition rooted in Taoist culture. Known locally for its distinctive drum-centered performance style, Taoist drum music serves as an essential component of the jiao-festival ceremonies conducted at Xishan Guan. Integrating elements of religious ritual music, local opera traditions, and regional folk blowing-and-percussion practices, this musical form presents a unique aesthetic that reflects both liturgical functions and local cultural identity.
The research aims to analyze the structural features, performance organization, and artistic characteristics of the four principal categories of Taoist drum music in Xishan Guan: Hua Nao Tai, Le Ping Tai, Feng Zheng Hui, and Xi Tang Hui. To achieve this, the study employs a qualitative methodology that includes field observations, semi-structured interviews with ritual performers, and audio-visual documentation of ceremonial performances. The study population consists of Taoist priests, ritual musicians, and local cultural inheritors, with a purposive sample selected based on expertise and active participation in ritual activities. Research tools include ethnographic field notes, video recordings, and musical transcription, followed by analytical methods combining musicological analysis and comparative cultural interpretation.
Findings indicate that each category of Taoist drum music possesses a distinct instrumental configuration, rhythmic pattern, and performance function within the ritual sequence. Together, they form a cohesive musical system that embodies the spiritual symbolism, communal participation, and performative aesthetics of local Taoist culture. This research contributes to the preservation and understanding of an important regional intangible cultural heritage.
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