Karyobin (the Celestial Bird Dance) is a classical Bugaku (court dance and music) piece that evokes the beauty of Buddhist paradise. It represents a mythical bird said to reside in the Pure Land, renowned for its exquisite and captivating voice. Introduced to Japan in the 8th century by the monk Buttetsu as one of the […]
Ryōō (also known as Ranryōō or “Prince Lanling”) is one of the most iconic dances in the Japanese bugaku repertoire. Bugaku, the ancient court dance tradition accompanied by gagaku music, has been performed for more than 1,200 years at the imperial court, major shrines, and temples. Ryōō belongs to the samai (Dance of the Left) […]
Ryūkaden is a piece in the gagaku repertoire that is said to have been brought to Japan by Kure no Sanemochi, a member of an imperial mission to Tang China during the Enryaku era (782–806). It is further said to have been rearranged from the Taishikichō mode into the Sōjō mode during the Jōwa era […]
Goshōraku is one of the pieces in the gagaku repertoire and is classified as Tōgaku, the tradition of music of Chinese origin. It is traditionally attributed to Emperor Taizong of the Tang dynasty. The title, meaning “Music of the Five Virtues,” derives from the Confucian Five Constants—benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faithfulness—which are associated with […]