Studies on Taoist ritual music 'Du Jie' as practised among the Yao nationality at Shicai village, Yunnan Province, China

The main subject of research of this dissertation is the Taoist Du Fie ritual and the ritual music of the Yao nationality, the Landian Branch of Yao who reside in the Shicai village at Dongpo township, Funing country, within the Wenshan Autonomous District Yunnan Province of China.;This dissertation explores the historical ties between the Taoism of Han Nationality and the two Schools of Taoism, Shi and Dao as practiced amongst the people of Yao Nationality.;The author did field-work observations and described the entire process of the Taoist ritual amongst the Yao people, the environment within which the ritual was formed, and the use of music during the ritual.;After analyzing the Taoist ritual music, the author concludes that there exist two different types of music in ritual which is related to rites of passage, namely, the Ran (Simple) Singing style and the Fu (repetitive) Singing style. Comparison between these singing styles and the folk songs and Taoist music of Han Nationality have been made. The author found that the Ran singing style have various connections (or resemblance) with the folk songs and Taoist music of Han Nationality over certain regions of China. Such links (or resemblance) may stem from the close ties between the forms and contents of Taoism of the Han and Yao peoples. Throughout its long historic development, Taoism among the Yan people has adopted the form and content of the Taoist ritual and music of Han people. The Yao people have integrated their ethnic musical culture and belief into their religious activities and ritual music. As a result, the two different types of music have co-existed in Yao people's Taoist music.