Bulletin Number One 1986

Symposium on Taoist Rituals and Music of Today A Symposium on Taoist Rituals and Music of Today, organized and hosted by the Music Department, was held from 12th to 15th December, 1985 at the University. It was the first international conference of its kind, focusing on what is happening in the practice of Taoism as a religion and as a living aspect in the life of the Chinese people, and was also the first such meeting to include scholars from the field of Ethnomusicology. Altogether twenty-two scholars from Mainland China, Taiwan, the United States, Canada, France, Britain, Germany, Japan and Australia and five from Hong Kong attended the Symposium. Among them were such distinguished names as Kristofer Schipper, Chen Guo Fu, John Blacking, Jao Tsung-i, Liu Ts'un-yan, Issei Tanaka, and Julian Pas. At the Symposium twenty-four papers were delivered in English or Chinese, with simultaneous interpretation provided by the Research Centre for Translation of the Institute of Chinese Studies. A wide range of topics was covered, including the analyses of Taoist music, methodology of ritual studies, historiography of regional Taoist practices, contemporary studies of Taoist activities in various geographical areas, etc. The following papers were of particular interest: ‘Problems in the Documentation and Analysis of Ritual' by John Blacking of Queen's University, Belfast. 'A Brief Account of Shanghai Taoist Rituals'by Chen Yaoting of Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. ‘On the Relationship between Taoist Rituals and Local Theatres' by Issei Tanaka of the University of Tokyo. ‘The Fachang （法場） in Northern Taiwan' by John Lagerwey of Ecole Francaise d'Extrême-Orient. ‘Regional Variations in Taoist Music' by Chen Dacan of Shanghai Music Conservatory. ‘The Interpretation of Line Score ofEmperors'Voices in Taoist Ritual （玉音法事） —a Preliminary Report ' by Chen Guofu of Tianjin University. (The musical score discussed has not been understood full y thus far, and Chen's interpretation is the first in scholarly writings, in either Western or Chinese languages.) ‘Study of Buxu ( 步虛 )—Liturgical Hymn and Dance’ by Kristofer Schipper of Ecole Francaise d'Extrême-Orient. ‘Chen Yingning: a Twentieth Century Taoist Master' by Thomas Hahn of Goethe Universitat, Frankfurt. ‘The Priestly Tradition and Its Place in the Village Culture of Hong Kong's New Territories' by David Faure of this University. Participants discussing the text of a Taoist canon Apart from holding discussion sessions at the Cho Yiu Hall, two visits were organized to Yuen Yuen Institute and Green Pine Temple. Th e rituals presented at these two Taoist temples wer e especially arranged for the participants and these added an indispensable element to the Symposium. Videos recently made in China of Taoist rituals were also shown, some of which were shown for the first time outside China. Participants of the Symposium were deeply impressed by the degree, scope and quality of the research work carried out in China at present. They also made encouraging comments on the Symposium , saying that this had certainly been the meeting thus far on the subject, as far as the quality of the papers, the depth of discussion, the choice of conferee s and the organization were concerned. It was felt that the Symposium had given an extra impetus to students in Taoism world-wide and its scope had set a trend which would be followed in future for such meetings. The next symposium on the same topic will be hosted by China in two years' time. The proceedings of the Symposium will be published shortly with funds provided by Yuen Yuen Institute. The Symposium itself was generously supported by the Institute for the Promotion of Chinese Culture in Hong Kong and by a donation from the Vice-Chancellor's discretionary fund . —D. Gwilt 6 NEWS