A Study Of The System Of "Playing Music According To The Drinking Ceremony At Banquet" In The Court Of The Song Dynasties

Song Dynasties were a period of transformation for music culture whose influence was that the performing system of the court banquet music in Song Dynasties was transforming accordingly. The study of the performing system of the court banquet music in Song Dynasties is valuable to the better knowledge of the essence and characteristics of music culture of that period. However, most researchers consider this period as one during which music was declining after its prosperity in Tang Dynasty. Therefore, court music in Song Dynasties attracts little attention, and consequently, the study of the performing system of the court banquet music in Song Dynasties is not prosperous enough. With historical records, documents and literature, the uncovered relics and music materials of folk music as confirmation to each other, this thesis conducts an overall study of the performing system of the court banquet music in Song Dynasties. This thesis proposes that the main features of the performing system of the court banquet music in Song Dynasties is "playing music according to the drinking ceremonies", which is much different from the practice of "playing music according to the types" in Sui and Tang Dynasties. This great transformation was the result of the change of the music appreciation interest of the people in Song Dynasties. This thesis is divided into five chapters:Chapter One: the formation and types of the system of the court banquet music and the drinking ceremonies in Song Dynasties.Chapter Two: the performing procedures of the system of the court banquet music and the drinking ceremonies in Song Dynasties. Chapter Three: the role of the language used by the musicians at the music performing institutions when playing music and the role of the masters of ceremonies in the system of the court banquet music and the drinking ceremonies in Song Dynasties.Chapter Four: the development of the system of "playing music according to the drinking ceremony at banquet" in the court of the Song Dynasties.Chapter Five: the remains of the system of "playing music according to the drinking ceremony at banquets" in the court of the Song Dynasties in folk music at sacrifice offering memorials.