Research
Research
Rulan Chao Pian’s scholarship in Chinese music and language was widely accepted both in the United States and in Asia. Her earliest study of music from the Song Dynasty led to the publication of her award-winning monograph, Sonq dynasty musical sources and their interpretation, a work which already reflected her long-standing research interest in music in ritual contexts. Over the years, her focus on this subject took her to many locations, and the fruits of this work can be seen in two important donations that Professor Pian made to the Eda Kuhn Loeb Music Library: audio recordings of the Saisiyat dwarf spirit ceremony in Taiwan (Pasta’ay), and video recordings of a Korean sacrificial ceremony for Confucius.
PaSta'ay (the Dwarf Spirit Ceremony)
PaSta'ay, also known as the Dwarf Spirit Ceremony, is one of the traditional sacrificial activities of the Saisiyat indigenous people in Taiwan. A shortened version of the festival is held during even-numbered years, and a larger festival is held every ten years. Most of the ceremonies take place in late November around the full moon.
The Pasta’ay Ceremony is held in two locations - Da'ai in Wufeng Township, Hsinchu County in the north, and Xiangtian Lake in Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli County. Traditionally, the focus of the ceremony is a “dwarf sacrifice” that commemorates the mythic defeat of a dwarf race, but in modern times, it has become an important occasion for the reunion of the Saisiyat family.
The ceremony is held over several days and begins with the sacrificial song being sung slowly in the designated arena. Some of the Saisiyat people dress in costumes, cross their hands, and dance slowly in a circular pattern. Participants in the remaining portion are equipped with hip bells, swinging their bodies to shake out the rhythm and leading the group forward. The hip bell is the only instrument used in the festival.
There are strict conventions on the singing of the sacrificial songs. Typically, they cannot be sung in a casual setting, except during rehearsals that take place about a month before the ceremony. When a certain text of the sacrificial song is sung, dancing hats that represent each surname of the Saisaya family are carried by the men of that family into the arena. They circle round and round until the ceremony gradually reaches its climax. The full procession of the dwarf spirit ceremony is divided into stages known as inviting spirits, entertaining spirits and sending spirits. Dancing starts each evening and continues until the early morning of the following day.
In the summer of 1964, Professor Pian traveled to Taiwan to make video recordings for her research on Peking opera. During this trip, she visited the Saisiyat village in Wufeng Township where she hoped to prepare some recordings for her Music and Ritual class. However, she missed the ceremony due to the timing of her visit and was not able to record the complete ceremony.
Once back in the United States, Professor Pian planned to return to Taiwan in 1966 to record. However, due to lack of time, she had to ask friends in Taiwan to complete this task for her. Ultimately, Ms. Yen Mien, who was working in the Department of Archaeology and Anthropology at National Taiwan University, traveled “up the mountain” for Mrs. Pian and recorded the complete music for the Pasta’ay ceremony.
After Professor Pian retired, she gave the full set of recordings to the Eda Kuhn Loeb Music Library at Harvard University.
The Confucian Ceremony in Korea
The Chinese philosopher and educator Confucius was born in the State of Lu (now Qufu, Shandong) in 551 BCE, during the Spring and Autumn period of the Eastern Zhou dynasty. He was the founder of Confucianism and his ideas had a profound impact on East Asia and the surrounding region.
Korean culture is deeply influenced by China. It respects Confucianism, and the worship of both Confucius and his disciple Mencius is an important social activity in Korea. According to historical records, ceremonies for offering sacrifices to Confucius in Korea began in 372 CE. In that year the Korean state established the highest national university, where today’s Confucian ceremony originated.
During the Joseon dynasty (c. 14/15 century), the Confucian Ceremony was held at the Sŏnggyun'gwan (Sungkyunkwan) University in Seoul and was a grand spectacle. The Confucian Temple located there includes Daeseongjeon (seen in the background of the photograph with Professor Pian and Yi Hyuku) and the Daeseong Road outside. The festival not only pays homage to the five sages of China (including Confucius and Mencius), but also honors the sages of Korea. This tradition continues up to the present.
The Confucian Ceremony in Korea follows the Chinese Zhou dynasty’s Yayue norms and strictly adheres to the traditional ritual process. At ten o'clock on the morning of the ceremony, the leader prepares by washing his hands and dressing in formal garments. Standing on the high platform, he then sings to announce the opening of the grand ceremony. Sŏnggyun'gwan has always been the main venue for many Korean festivals, and it is most well-known as the site of the Korean Confucian Festival.
In 1974, Professor Pian had the opportunity to observe the Confucian Ceremony at Sŏnggyun'gwan in Seoul. While there, she captured the beauty of this grand ceremony in recordings taken with her hand-held SONY AVC-3400 video camera.
Although the Daeseongjeon of the Confucian Temple in South Korea is not large in scale, it is built in the style of the grand Dacheng Hall in Qufu, China. The integrity and continuity of the Korean Confucian Ceremony is a testament to the immense influence of Chinese Confucianism in Korea.
